For some homeowners, bigger isn’t always a good idea. In some instances, less is more. This is why many people are downsizing, which makes tiny homes more popular.

People downsize for various reasons. The most common one is to eliminate unused space and save money. Downsizing your home is also an excellent option regardless of your goals. For example, you may find downsizing more beneficial if you’re a millennial who needs more money to travel or retire early.

Since there are countless reasons to downsize, keeping moving timelines in mind may be handy, especially if you have plenty of possessions. To start, here are some of the tips to downsize your home easily and live clutter-free:

1. Plan Ahead Of Time

While change can be an unsettling and scary process, it’s best to take a proactive approach when downsizing your home. 

Additionally, having things planned will help you determine whether you prefer to live in a small house or a place with enormous space in the future.

Giving yourself more time before you downsize can also help you make well-informed decisions. While planning, you can rent out an apartment or a house and check out other places similar to the size of the preferred home you envision for your future goals.

2. Focus On One Room At A Time

Downsizing involves organizing or decluttering your home, which is often daunting. Consider focusing on one room at a time to make it easy for you.

You’re more likely to complete the entire downsizing process if you break it into manageable projects. For example, you can create a plan and schedule each room to organize. This will help you stay on track without overwhelming the process.

3. Consider Your New Lifestyle

There are some reasons people want to downsize. For others, it’s an opportunity to enjoy a new moment in life. Therefore, think of your new lifestyle when trying to downsize your home.

For instance, if you’re moving to urban or suburban areas and don’t want easy access to nature, you might want to cull some outdoor sporting equipment you’ve collected throughout the years.

In addition, you can sell your vehicle to take advantage of the robust public transportation system. Each situation is different, so take some time to imagine how life in your new house will be further from the one you have in your old property.

4. Take Inventory

Another tip you should remember when downsizing your home with ease is to take inventory. Create a list of everything you have. Make sure to include the items tucked away in your attic and storage room. You’ll be surprised at how many items you have. Moreover, removing some of your possessions will be much easier once you discover how much you have.

When taking inventory, remove duplicate items. In addition, understand there are items you may not need in your new place. For example, if you’re planning to live in a retirement community, you won’t need racks, tractors, and shovels. Such items can be given or donated to other families.

5. Decide What To Keep And Donate

Depending on how long you’ve lived in your current home, the most challenging part of deciding to downsize is figuring out what to keep and donate. Fortunately, there are ways to get rid of unwanted items. One of these is to sell those that are still in good condition. Selling things can help you recoup some moving costs, which can come in handy.

If you have sentimental items, you can get rid of them by passing them on to your loved ones. You can even repurpose them by turning them into something usable. For instance, if you have a massive collection of band T-shirts, you may put them in frames to make wall art or turn them into a usable quilt. For oversized items, you can rent a dumpster.

6. Be Creative With Your Storage

Small homes frequently have less storage and fewer places for your prized possessions. For this reason, most people see the significance of furniture that serves different purposes. Other examples may include Murphy beds with extra storage space and some types of beds that can be packed easily.

Remember that everything requires space and serves a purpose. While not all rooms in the house are used, like the attic, basement, or garage, there are some things you may do to maximize your storage space:

• Take Advantage Of Hidden Storage 

Use other spaces in your houses, such as crawl areas and closets, to store things. And you may add storage to a small bathroom by adding standalone shelves, towel racks, bins, and over-the-door hooks for storage.

• Make Options For Built-In Storage 

Use multifunctional furniture, including platform beds with drawers, entertainment centers, wardrobes, bookshelves, storage ottomans, and more.

Depending on your preferences, use the above to maximize your storage space. You can also consider hiring professionals to have countless storage options.

7. Work With Professionals

If you're leaving behind valuable items or time is of the essence, try using estate sale professionals. They’ll come to your house, appraise, and make offers for the household items you wish to sell and take over the entire sale process.

For best results, hire the best real estate professionals in your area. A good real estate expert has years of experience and is highly skilled in helping homeowners who want to downsize.

8. Recycle Whenever Possible

Some things might not have much monetary value and still be useful to others. For instance, children’s furniture and toys could enjoy a second life when given to local young families.

Typically, a high street charity shop takes a donation of books, clothes, and furniture, but it’s best to call in advance to check the items they accept. Furniture that’s still viable yet wouldn’t fetch much on selling sites is commonly snapped up when offered for free on recycling websites and local selling groups on social media.

Children’s homes, local nurseries, and primary schools may also appreciate a donation of toys that aren’t damaged or have missing pieces. Even items such as duvets, old towels, and bedsheets can be repurposed. Some places, including local charities and dog shelters, will happily use such items.

Bottom Line

Knowing where to start when downsizing your home quickly shouldn’t be complicated. Using the tips above, you can downsize your way of living with ease. If you think you can’t handle it yourself, you can hire professionals to simplify the entire process.

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