The attraction to downsizing from a house to an apartment is that you can save money on monthly housing costs. The not-so-attractive aspect of downsizing is, well, downsizing.
Most people look at all their stuff and think: “How in the world am I going to get rid of all of this?”
There’s no reason to panic! You can handle downsizing. You just some good tips on how to get it done. But before getting to the good tips, here are some reasons for downsizing that may motivate you.
- You will save money on rent, electric bills, yard maintenance and taxes
- You’ll have a lot less to clean!
- You will have chances to meet new people and make new friends
- You will spend a lot less buying items for your home – you simply don’t need as much in an apartment
Many people reach a point in life where maintaining a large home no longer makes solid financial sense, according to Motley Fool. Many who moved to South Florida have reached that time in life, or simply want a new start.
So, how do you achieve the worthwhile goals listed above? Here are a few tips we’ve picked up at Good Greek Moving & Storage over the years.
Inventory Everything
The place to start in downsizing is to determine just how much you must downsize in the first place. This requires going through everything you have and creating an inventory. Include everything! You need a thorough list that you can go through and decide what to keep and what to give way.
Give Away Heirlooms
If you are deciding to downsize because you’ve reached retirement age, now is a good to carefully go through everything you have planned to give away as an heirloom. While every circumstance is different, your downsizing move may present the perfect opportunity to follow through on that plan.
Measure Your New Space
Another smart step is to measure every room in the apartment. This is often a real eye-opener! Apartments are designed to maximize small spaces, so they often look bigger than they really are. But measuring the square footage will give you an exact measurement so you will know what can and cannot fit. Don’t forget to include storage spaces such as under the sinks and hallway closets.
Decide What You Must Keep
Decision time! Everyone has items that they feel they cannot live without. A favorite chair, perhaps, or a set of dishes. Whatever those items are, now is the time to make a list of what you absolutely know must make the move with you.
Get Rid of What You Don’t Need
There are many great options for getting rid of unwanted items when you downsize. You can make extra money by selling items that are in good shape on websites such as eBay or Craigslist. You can hold a garage sale. For the items you don’t sell, you can take them to secondhand shops or charity organizations such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Also, some items you might want to give away to friends and family.
Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute
Downsizing is a big job, as you can see. You don’t want to wait until a week or two before you move to get started. While facing everything you must do is intimidating, if you follow the steps above you can move through it systematically. Try to start months in advance by just doing one room at a time in your current home and making the inventory. Later, you will be glad you started early.
Downsizing is a smart move for many people. Keep these tips in mind as you make this transition in your life. Once you get settled in your new place, you’ll be glad you took the time to plan it all out.
