You may be wondering, "Why should one downsize before moving?" To start, the fewer belongings you have, the smoother the moving process will be. You'll have fewer items to pack, which will make a moving service more affordable, you'll have an easier time preparing the house for potential buyers, and you can get a fresh start in your new home. If you don't know how to downsize, don't worry. Here are eight essential downsizing tips to help you every step of the way.
Go Room by Room
Downsizing your home can be a fairly significant undertaking. That's why we recommend going room by room. If you are downsizing your bedroom when you are not finished with your living room, you could end up biting off more than you can chew. Going room by room will help you organize your efforts without making any unnecessary messes along the way.
Give Sentimental Items to Family
There's nothing wrong with having many sentimental items in your home like scrapbooks, home videos, or dish sets. However, these things could be taking up space you don't have to spare. You probably don't want to throw these treasured items away, so why don't you offer them to other family members who may appreciate them as much as you have?
Opt for Digital Alternatives
An easy way to create more space is to opt for digital alternatives wherever possible. If you have photos, bills, receipts, or recipes lying around, you can convert them into digital files. Then, you'll have much more room and less clutter by throwing away or shredding the paper copies.
Donate, Sell, or Recycle
When downsizing, you'll inevitably end up getting rid of a lot of things. However, not everything needs to end up in the trash. Instead, here are 28 items you could donate, sell, or recycle that you don't want or need anymore. Doing so is far more environmentally friendly, plus the money you make from selling a few things can go toward your moving costs!
Rent a Dumpster
Of course, some items will be too damaged to be donated or sold. If you think you'll probably be throwing away lots of important things, such as furniture or appliances, renting a dumpster is the way to go.
Get Rid of Duplicates
Over the years, you may have intentionally or unintentionally collected duplicates of the same objects. This tends to happen with cooking-related items, such as can openers, peelers, measuring cups, cheese graters, and more. If you suspect that you may have duplicates or even multiples of something, keep the one in the best condition and dispose of the extras.
Put Seasonal Items in Storage
You don't need to have all of your belongings out all the time. Seasonal items, such as holiday decorations and winter clothing, can be put into labelled storage containers until it's time to take them out.
Take your Time
Downsizing and decluttering take more time than you might think, especially if you're someone that doesn't like to let go of your things. Trying to rush yourself will only make the process stressful, so give yourself enough time to make rational decisions about what to throw away.
Ready to Downsize? Call a local REALTOR® in Ontario to help you with your move.
Now that you've done some major downsizing, the moving process will be cheaper and more accessible than ever before. So if you'd like to get a fresh start in a new home, it's time to hire an experienced local REALTOR®. They'll help you find a gorgeous home in your neighbourhood, town, or city, whether you're looking for a condominium, a waterfront property, or a residential home for your family.
