The idea of downsizing your home isn’t a new concept and can be quite beneficial for anyone feeling overwhelmed with the space and time they have. Living in a space that is smaller than you’re used to can take time but less space always means less work to deal with, giving you the time, money, and energy you’ve been missing.
Check out these tips to downsize your space to something more manageable.
1 – Make Time
The first thing to remember is to make time to start the process! Starting is always the hardest step in any new endeavor. Find a good time during the week or weekend to designate going through the items you own. This includes clothing, furniture, and even memorabilia like photographs or books. It’s okay to want to spend time with the things you’ve collected, so don’t rush and allow yourself to indulge. It can be a lot to process but taking your time and making sure to not overwhelm yourself is key to moving forward.
2 – Evaluate Your Space
Moving into a smaller area means you’ll have less space for items you’ve grown used to. Downsizing might be intimidating at first but allow yourself to become familiar with the new space. Make sure to measure larger items so there won’t be any worry about fitting them in your new home. Part of the process of cleaning out your house is asking yourself: “Will I have room for this in the new home?” Keep that question in your mind as you clean house and the moving process will become easier and easier to go through your valuables.
3 – Nix the Large Furniture
When it comes to moving, the first thing to start thinking about getting rid of is the large items in your house you don’t use. A smaller home means you won’t need the extra guest bed or set that goes with it. Making that step to get rid of the large things you don’t use frequently enough can clarify the rest of your cleaning. Once the largest things are gone, you’ll be able to see that there really isn’t a lot more to get rid of from there on out, making it easier to move to a smaller home.
4 – Sorting Made Easy
Placing items into piles is the simplest form of organization and will always work like a charm if done efficiently. Moving items into the ‘Maybe’ pile will only complicate things further on and waste both time and energy. Keep it simple by having only three groups: Discard, Donate, and Keep.
The Discard group should be items that hold no value both money-wise and sentimental. This can be the hardest to fill up but the most worthwhile once you’ve started. Dismissing small things can make cleaning as a whole much simpler.
When it comes to Donations, make sure you know you can either get money out of the item or that someone will genuinely want and need what you’re giving away. Donating can make the idea of simply getting rid of something much easier if you know someone will bring use out of an item you used to own. If you’re set on selling an item, make sure to do your research to know exactly what it’s worth if it’s worth anything at all, and how much it’s worth using.
The Keep pile can be the hardest, only for the sheer amount of things you’re not going to want to part with. Make sure to be simplistic and keep in mind how much space your new home will have. Things to place in this group are necessities like cooking items or toiletries you use daily. And, although you can’t keep everything sentimental to you, be sure to analyze if it’s worth making the space for.
5 – Selling Your Current House 
Moving, in general, can become a hassle, but following the steps shown above can make transitioning into your new home much easier. Setting up your current home for sale is just as important as the first step of downsizing. Contact your realtor to know what kind of home market there is in your neighborhood. When selling, make sure to optimize the appeal of your home by freshening up walls, decluttering the space, and staging your home to showcase what makes it so great.
Downsizing can be easy if you follow these steps and much more manageable for several reasons! There’s less space to upkeep which can provide a lot more time. It can also save you money, especially if you downsize to a smaller living space. This leaves you with both money and time to do the things you love. Even though it can be a little intimidating to go through the years and years of items and memorabilia you’ve collected, it’s always worth it in the end.
At The Terrace, we offer a variety of floor plans, including studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom options. We believe that senior living should be an exciting experience, and we encourage our residents to personalize their apartments with whatever decorations and furniture they so choose. Interested in finding out about everything we offer here at The Terrace? Call us at (573) 333-7960 or reach out online at any time!
