Moving on in life doesn’t necessarily mean moving into a more spacious house, after all, bigger doesn’t mean better. Whether it’s the children moving out, or a desire to save, there are plenty of very valid reasons to downsize.
Smaller houses have significantly cheaper running costs and are cosier and more intimate, making them ideal for retirement.
However, for many, the prospect of a smaller space that accommodates far fewer belongings can seem daunting. This list compiles the five most helpful tips to ensure a seamless and stress-free transition to a smaller living space.
Tip 1: Organise Before You Leave
One of the most difficult aspects of downsizing is that it requires considerably more forethought than a regular move. Naturally, less space means fewer items and inevitably there will be plenty needing to be disposed of.
The key to downsizing is effective organisation and most of the hard work can be done before even leaving.
Prior to beginning to organise your old house, assign dedicated containers for rubbish, recycling, items to be moved and donations. This will make sorting as you go through each room much easier.
Although simply binning items is seemingly the easiest option, selling or donating to charity shops is strongly recommended. Items of little use to you could be exactly what somebody else is looking for.
Furthermore, especially with furniture, selling is a great way to gather funds for the move. Websites such as eBay and Gumtree are particularly effective for selling second-hand goods.
Filter through the belongings you wish to bring with you to your new house, setting aside essentials. This will guarantee that you aren’t taking unnecessary items that may make the new place look untidy.
Tip 2: Utilise Multipurpose Furniture
Downsizing doesn’t mean only retaining a few key possessions. Investing in smart storage will allow you to keep as much as possible without cluttering your new space.
Smart storage takes various forms, from tables with drawers or Ottoman beds containing inbuilt space, found on Divan Beds Centre. However, with enough creativity, smart storage can be implement almost anywhere, even built into headboard or walls
Another useful tip is to employ vertical space wherever possible. By implementing storage in an efficient way there is a surprising number of belongings that can be retained.
Tip 3: Plan Your New Home
It’s important to visualise where your current possessions will go in your new house. By giving them a predetermined position, you won’t bring clutter that has no place in your new home.
It may be useful to devise a floorplan for each room that details its planned layout. Acquiring precise measurements will also allow you to determine if new furniture is necessary.
Tip 4: Avoid Being Overly Sentimental
Having lived in a house for a long time, it’s natural to have accumulated various trinkets that hold sentimental value. When moving, it can be hard to discard these, even if they seemingly have no place in your new home.
A merciless attitude when deciding what to keep is the most effective way to ensure your new home is neat.
Make a list of what you plan to keep beforehand so that you aren’t arbitrarily deciding as you go along.
Tip 5: Minimalize New Acquisitions
Moving into a new home is inherently exciting. It’s important not to purchase unnecessary new goods.
Not only may these not fit in the reduced space, but they also add unnecessary costs. Most essentials you will already have from your old house.
Try to ensure that any new purchases are vitally essential, such as new furniture or white goods.
Conclusion
Downsizing is an ideal solution for many people wanting to move house. As opposed to when moving into a bigger house, downsizing requires meticulous planning to guarantee every item has a place.
Although moving into a smaller house has many challenges, there are plenty of tricks to make the process easier.
