If the kids have left home, you might feel as if your family home is too big for you. Downsizing is a great option if you don’t want to be stuck with a lot of housework and maintenance to take care of. The problem is, if you have lived in your home for a while, you may have accumulated a lot of belongings, so how do you decide what to take and what to leave behind?
Consider the Size of Your New Home
Once you have decided where you want to move to you will have a good idea of how much space you will have in your new home. If your sellers are willing to let you, it is a good idea to go to your new home and take some measurements before you move in. That way, you can think about what you can fit into your new home, where you will put the furniture, and whether you need to purchase some new curtains.
You Don’t Need to Take Everything
Bear in mind that your new home might have some amenities that you don’t enjoy now. For example, if you move to senior apartments in a place such as St Louis Hills senior living community, you will have space for arts and crafts, and the garden areas are tended by professionals. This could save you the hassle of needing to move a lot of your gardening or arts equipment into a smaller space.
Necessities
Make a list of all the things you can’t move in without. Some things will have sentimental value whereas others will be practical. The size of your new home will determine how strict you will need to be with yourself to make sure you are comfortable rather than cluttered after you have moved.
Storage
Don’t worry if you can’t take everything you want to keep with you as there is always an option B. Storage warehouses are a great place to keep things that you don’t want to part with, but you might not need regularly. Items such as Christmas decorations can take up a lot of space, for example, but as you only need to get them out once a year you could store them. The same goes for old photos and knick-knacks that you want to keep but know you won’t have room to display. At least you will always know where they are.
Give Things Away
Parting with your belongings when you downsize could be easier if you know they are going to a good home and aren’t just going to landfill. If you know that you would eventually like friends and family members to have some of your belongings, then why not gift them before you move? That way you know they will be well cared for.
Follow these tips and you will find it a lot easier to know what to take to a smaller home and what to leave behind. That way you will have plenty of room for yourself and your essentials after you have moved.
