By Robert Pennell, a moving expert at Two Men and a Truck Mesa
With costs rising, many families are looking to downsize their home and live a simpler life. Here’s what you need to know for a successful downsize process.
Prices are rising and homes are shrinking. Whether it’s for financial reasons, a newly empty nest or just a simpler life, many families are making the decision to move into a smaller home. Moving while also downsizing can be more difficult than moving to a new home of the same (or bigger) size, and it’s important to prepare in advance.
Here are five steps you can take to make the downsizing process as smooth as possible.
Start early
One of the most important ways to succeed in any move is to start early. Many professionals recommend starting the process as soon as you know you’ll be moving. When you’re downsizing, giving yourself extra time is even more important. You’ll almost certainly have to get rid of some things, and you might need time to think about what you absolutely plan to keep and which items you can let go of. During this stage of the process, it will be important to consider the practicality of your items and their potential long-term uses rather than simply keeping something because you’ve always had it.
Pack like a pro
Once you begin packing, be sure to open all doors and drawers. Whether you work gradually, tackling one room each day, or have a weekend designated to nothing but packing, this is a great visual representation of what has already been done and what is left to do. After you’ve packed all the items in a given closet, drawer or even the entire room, you can close the door or drawer and feel confident that this part of the packing process is complete.
Tackle the project in small steps
Declutter one room at a time. Sorting items into “keep,” “donate,” “sell” and “discard” categories ensures that no items are unnecessarily wasted. This approach can also feel less challenging than trying to identify what items need to be kept, donated, sold or discarded while considering the entire home at once. For families with children, sorting items into color-coded boxes can get the entire family involved and make the process a bit more fun.
Be mindful of donation opportunities
One of the most thrown away items during the moving process is non-perishable foods. It is important not to miss an opportunity to donate to community members in need, and sorting any items that aren’t in the “keep” box by category can make the process even easier. This way, they can be donated to purpose-specific organizations with little to no additional sorting.
Two Men and a Truck Mesa is a national, full-service franchised moving company that also offers junk removal services that focuses on donating as much as possible. If a family chooses to take advantage of professional help after sorting their items, the local team can handle anything that isn’t a “keep” item, work carefully to divert as much as possible from the landfill and collaborate with local partners to facilitate as many donations as possible.
Take advantage of vertical storage
Once you’ve moved, take advantage of creative storage solutions to make the most of your new space. Hanging storage, wall shelves and even bookcases can free up floor space while creating an efficient, visually appealing layout.
Moving and downsizing can be a daunting task, but planning and calling in the professionals when you need them can make the entire process as smooth and stress-free as possible.
