10 Tips For How To Downsize Your Home
For many people, changing life circumstances may mean it makes sense to downsize their home. Sometimes family dynamics change, and there’s no need to have four bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, and a huge backyard. Sometimes, it’s all a matter of finances and affordability. At the same time, stuff accumulates over time to fill the available space.
Here’s our guide on how to downsize your home for an easier move to your new, smaller place.
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How to downsize your home quickly with these 10 tips
We asked experts for insights on how to downsize your home as quickly and painlessly as possible.
1. Begin downsizing as soon as possible
You’ll want to begin downsizing as soon as you know you’re moving. The sooner you begin, the lower the chances of being completely overwhelmed by the seemingly monumental task ahead of you. This can also be a great process to help with your home sale, since it’s important to declutter anyway.
With that said, don’t feel like you have to tackle every room and whittle your possessions to the bare minimum in one day. Instead, we recommend starting one room at a time, so that you can go through things at your own pace and carefully consider each item.
You’re in a different time in your life and moving on to something different, so you should probably get new things to go with your new house.
- Years of Experience 10
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- Average Price Point $170k
- Single Family Homes 189
2. Determine how much space you’ll have in the new home
To downsize appropriately, you need to know how much space you’ll have in your new home. It’s helpful to know the square footage and shape of the rooms in the house because it’ll help you figure out which pieces of furniture you can bring with you.
Suzanne Herron, a top real estate agent in the Toledo, Ohio area, says: “Typically, I recommend my clients take pieces that they like and that will fit in the new home. I always tell them to keep what they want or love, but other than that, make it a whole new experience. You’re in a different time in your life and moving on to something different, so you should probably get new things to go with your new house.”
3. Consider your new lifestyle
There are many reasons to downsize, and it’s a chance to take advantage of this new moment in your life. So when you’re trying to downsize your home, think about the new lifestyle this change will bring.
For example, if you’re moving to a suburban or urban area and no longer have easy access to nature, you may want to cull some of the outdoor sporting equipment you’ve accumulated over the years. Or maybe you’ll want to sell your car because you have easy access to a robust public transportation system. Every situation is different, so take time to imagine how life in your new home will be different from life in your old home.
4. Consult your real estate agent for resources
The real estate agent you ultimately hire should have an extensive list of resources for people who can help when you need to downsize your home quickly.
“I like to provide clients with many options,” Herron says. “I have an auctioneer for those who live on a farm, and they need to get rid of equipment. I recommend clients either have a yard sale or an estate sale, and I have people who will come to mark and price everything for the client. I have a list of contractors that have dumpsters, too.”
5. Take inventory of your belongings
When you’re downsizing, taking inventory of what you have is helpful. By doing this, you can sort through and separate the things you need and the things you think you’ll need. With the items you think you need, consider when the last time you used the item was. You probably don’t need to keep it if it’s been more than six months to a year.
6. Decide what to donate or toss
“The hardest part, depending on how long they’ve been somewhere, is figuring out what they’re going to get rid of, what they’re going to keep, and so on,” Herron says. “I have a cleaning and organization specialist that I recommend to help people clean and sort things out. It can be overwhelming to do on their own.”
from HomeLight Blog https://www.homelight.com/blog/how-to-downsize-your-home-quickly/
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