If you’re preparing to move into a smaller space, you may find that you have accumulated way too much stuff. It’s probably a burden to move and a burden to find places for everything. Downsizing is a great way to eliminate a lot of the stress of transporting your possessions in a move and a fantastic way to start fresh in a new home. Here are some tips for downsizing.
Determine What You Actually Need
We all tend to keep things “just in case” or “for sentimental” reasons, when in reality, we should get rid of a lot of the things we hoard. Most of the things in your home are there because you want them or because you don’t want to get rid of them, not because you actually need them. Ask yourself the following questions to get real about what you actually need.
“If I lost all my possessions and I had $2,000 to buy things back, what would I buy?” The answer to this will tell you what items you value most. These will be the things you won’t consider getting rid of. Anything else - save for priceless family heirlooms, etc. - is fair game.
“Have I worn/used this in the past year?” This is especially helpful for clothing. If you haven’t used it in 12 months, the chances are you aren’t going to need it.
“Do I need more than one of these?” If you have more than one of an item, get rid of it. You would be surprised how many things we have too many of, just because one may be slightly different. This goes for articles of clothing, kitchen items and more.
Measure Your New Space
If you’re moving into a smaller space, some things, like furniture, just won’t fit. These are all things you can sell and replace with smaller versions, such as TVs, sectional couches, wall units and more. Consider getting rid of those items before the move and then ordering new ones to be delivered. This drastically cuts down on your moving efforts.
Organize
When sorting through your things and deciding what to keep and what not to keep, it’s helpful to have designated piles, boxes or bags. Have a “keep”, “sell”, “donate” and “trash” pile. Every single thing you own should be moved or categorized this way. It will prevent you from accidentally bringing things you shouldn’t and help you get rid of things more quickly.
For example, if you’re going through your closet and move every single thing out of the closet and into a pile, you then have 4 very easily defined actions to do next: move the things you intent to keep, throw away the trash pile, bring the donate pile to a donation center and add the “sell” items to a garage sale or online auction.
Get Rid of What You Don’t Need 
That brings us to our next item - purging. It’s a great idea to set up an Ebay page that you can use to sell items you don’t want that are still in good shape. Or get all your donate items together and have a garage or yard sale to raise money to fund your move. You’d be amazed at how much money you can make from selling lots of used things at cheap prices.
Anything you don’t sell can be donated. Goodwill and other thrift stores are always eager to take your gently used things. You won’t make money immediately this way, but you can ask them for a charitable donation form to use when you file your taxes. Best of all, you can know that by downsizing and donating, someone will be able to make use of what you’ve donated.
All Things Real Estate by Lori Webster
Lori Webster, REALTOR®, CNE
Direct: 480.518.2302
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