Whether you are moving from a luxury home into a modestly-sized single-family home, or from a house into an apartment, downsizing is one thing you will have to do. It can be quite tricky to move from a much bigger home that is full of your belongings into a smaller place that may not be able to hold all of them comfortably.
It’s easy for people to give you advice and say “Just get rid of all the extra stuff”, but very difficult for you to actually follow through on it. So, how exactly do you decide which things to bring with you & which ones to leave behind? Here are 6 space saving tips for moving into a smaller home:
#1 Create a list of things you can get rid of
When you are moving into a smaller space, it’s important that you get rid of all excesses – be they furniture, belongings etc. Make a list of all your must-haves. When you start listing them, you may find that the list is a mile long. The best way to prioritise is to imagine you lost your belongings in a natural disaster. Think about the things you would really rue having lost.
What are the things you will have to immediately replace in order to move on with your life? The answers to these specific questions will be the start of your list of must-haves, and not the other way around. Once you have identified what the most important things are, the rest of the process becomes much easier.
#2 Discard the obvious things first
It’s logical that you discard the things that are obviously old, broken, unused or outdated. The different items that could fall in this category are outdated, worn, unused clothes, that broken oven you had stashed away in the basement and never got rid of, or even the collection of books that you meant to donate to the community library. Dedicate a day or two to clearing all the clutter – you will find that this can also be quite a liberating exercise.
Everyone has a number of “just in case” items and some duplicates too. When you are shifting into a smaller home, the mantra you have to follow is – Use it or simply lose it!! All those multiple sets of china and glassware or any other excess things should just be discarded or given away.
#3 Get Rid of Larger Furniture
This is another important aspect. The massive 4 seater couch or those 2 recliners you had in the entertainment room may just not fit into the smaller home you are slated to move into. It’s best to sell the oversized furniture before you move and buy something that will fit into the scale of the new house or apartment. Buy new furniture only after you have positioned what you are carrying with you.
#4 Opt for smart storage
Regardless of whether you live in larger or smaller home, storage is one thing you can’t do without. In fact, it’s even more important to have the right storage for smaller spaces or you risk the chances of clutter gathering in your rooms. Install a lot of smart storage in your new home. Adding closet shelving, under-bed storage and floor-to-ceiling cabinets is one of the best ways of making optimum use of the available space.
#5 Keep floor spaces clear
Design your new home intuitively and smartly. Ensure there is a place for everything and as far as possible, get things off the floor. Add more shelves so that you don’t have too many units and cabinets resting on the floor and occupying precious floor space. If your kids are sharing a room, add a bunk bed – it’s a great space saver and leaves extra space in the room for your children to play and move around.
#6 Don’t bring in new stuff
Living in a smaller space also means you will have to change your habits. So, if you are one who likes to buy new furniture, bric-a-brac or even electronic and kitchen equipment, you will have to learn to rein in those urges. You don’t have to be minimalistic, just wary about the number of things you are bringing into your home.
Sure, moving into a smaller space can be challenging, but with a bit of planning and smart decision making, it can become simpler and stress-free.
Thanks so much for reading,
No Worries Removals
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