Whatever the reason for downsizing, one will inevitably have to give up some possessions. To help with the transition, use the following five tips to meet the challenge of creating a new living space head on.
No. 1: Make a list. First off, you should always write a list of the items you simply cannot or will not live without. Doing this will make it easier to rid yourself of the items you are on the fence about or never really cared about. However, always be reasonable and take into consideration what will and will not fit into your new living space.
No. 2: Know the new space. Get a feel for the size of a new space by comparing it to rooms of equal or similar dimension in the former home. If a former bedroom is of a similar size to the new bedroom, there’s not much to consider. Conversely, if a new living room is approximately half the size as the old one, one will most likely need to get rid of that extra sofa or chair, among other items.
No. 3: Subdue sentimentality. Some possessions you just can’t bring yourself to leave behind. However, there are others that might only be sentimental to certain degrees but are simultaneously unnecessary. Start with kitchen items. Nobody really needs two sets of steak knives, for example, or a dozen mixing bowls of various colors. And when moving into a home that doesn’t have a garage or a very small one, it is time to rid oneself of items such as extra ladders or anything else not needed or of use anymore.
No. 4: Have a garage sale. The simplest way to get rid of those unnecessary items is to have a garage sale. This not only saves the trouble of having to pack things up for storage but puts money in one’s pocket.
No. 5: Go green. For any items you could not sell or don’t want to store, this is a golden opportunity to go green and help the environment or a person in need. Almost anything can be recycled, reused or donated instead of being discarded. Just like you have found a new home, so can your old possessions.
