When downsizing to a smaller home, it can cause some anxiety for those who have an attachment to their belongings, but don’t like living in clutter. Empty nesters or those who are moving from a big house to a small condo for example, face serious challenges of making a smaller living space work. You should definitely come up with a plan prior starting the downsizing process!
Here are some tips for downsizing into a smaller home to live comfortably
1. Always Plan Ahead
The earlier you begin the planning process to downsize, the better off you will be. Start planning early and set reasonable goals. Make sure your family is all on the same page to eliminate conflicts down the road.
2. Figure Out Your Lifestyle, Your Needs & Wants
You and our family need to think about what type of lifestyle that you will embrace as you move forward. How much smaller do you think your new home is going to be? Have you thought about the furniture that you currently have? Will it fit in your new space?
3. Why Are You Downsizing?
Many people don’t understand the true sense of “downsizing”. They want to bring much more than they need to their new, smaller home. Most people don't think in terms of “every single corner could have a purpose”, but when downsizing, that phrase should be taken seriously! With simple planning, a shelf can be your whole office or the corner of a room can become an art studio.
4. Keeping Out the Clutter
When you have too much clutter, it will ruin the look of your home; especially when you have a smaller space to live in. For example, eliminate things like extra cables and wires by using WiFi, and choose a TV that mounts to the wall. This way you won’t need a media center that takes up valuable space.
There are also smart storage solutions available that you can use to utilize in your smaller space. For example, a large table cloth can be re-purposed on an older table - this will give you a way to "hide" things from plain sight. Another idea is to take a piece china that you no longer use and make it a pencil holder in your home office!
5. Quality and Multi-purposing
Regarding your furniture, you should go for quality over quantity when downsizing. Choose one or two pieces of furniture that you really love ,or that makes a statement, instead of trying to squeeze too much into a room. If you decide to purchase new furniture when you downsize, choose multipurpose pieces. Get a nightstand storage and ottomans with tops that lift to give you space inside for blankets and extra pillows.
For more information on downsizing, or to start the buying and selling process, give me a call anytime! 630-546-7877
