Shifting is a nightmare, and it’s made even more difficult when you’re moving to a smaller house and must downsize your belongings. When moving to a smaller home, there are many items you must leave behind and certain things you must take with you to save memories.
Moving into a new home is an emotional process. While you are happy about the new changes that are about to come, you are also saddened by the fact that you will be leaving a home full of memories. You won’t be able to fit all your current possessions into a smaller space while you downsize.
Most people are unaware that deciding to downsize provides an opportunity to renew and restart. If you get rid of the items you don’t need, you can fill the new space with the things you really love, making it feel like home all over again!
Here are some tips while downsizing without sacrificing your meaningful belongings:
Plan
Visit the new location and measure the size of the rooms and storage space. This might serve as a reference for how much you can bring with you. Remember that it is preferable to underestimate instead of overestimate.
Do one room at a time as you decide what to keep and what to get rid of. Moving is a major job that doesn’t have to be done all at once. Plan everything and do a little bit every day, leaving extra time so you aren’t rushed at the end.
First, decide on the furniture. Moving from a large to a small space can give you a better picture of how much room is left to fill. If you plan the time, you won’t have to reorder anything.
Sort
Will you put it on again? You bought a T-shirt you liked three years ago and wore it once! It’s easy to convince yourself that you’ll wear it again, but if you haven’t worn it in the last year, chances are you won’t.
Get rid of any duplication in your belongings as well. If you have multiple coffee pots or cutlery sets, keep in mind that you can only use one at a time and don’t need to retain both.
Follow a strict yes or no policy, especially when sorting things out. When you’re on the move, no “Maybes” are permitted. Make a “yes” and a “no” category and force yourself to decide on each thing. If you’re not persuaded the thing is worthy of a yes, it’s a no! The “Maybe” category only confuses you and adds additional effort afterwards.
Make a decision about what to do with your “no” pile. Every item in the pile does not need to be left behind or discarded. They will most likely be useful to someone else. Friends and family members can be given special items. Certain objects in good condition, such as furniture, housewares, clothing, and other items, can be sold at a garage sale or on eBay. You can also donate reusable things. Anything that is damaged or beyond repair should be recycled or disposed of!
Preserve
You have a photo album with thousands of photos! Photo albums can take up a lot of space and are rarely viewed in daily life. You may digitize such images to conserve space and make them easier to share with family.
Take images of items that bring back memories but no longer have room for them! You can relive the memories even if you don’t have the item.
Treasured possessions are those that you can neither leave nor take with you. So, pass those items on to your friends and relatives. They’ll adore those goods, and you’ll get to watch them in use.
Downsizing is an emotional process in and of itself. You’ll come upon stuff you haven’t seen in years and must decide what to do with it.
Always give yourself time to reflect before deciding what to do. Keep track of the available space and decide. Take something you will always require; only you can decide what you will not require.
