Home Downsizing and Simplifying: Creating a Fresh Start
There are times when the house that was once “just right” no longer fits.
Whether children have left the nest, your parents passed away, or you are newly divorced, downsizing from your familiar home can be the right move. But because of all the changes that downsizing brings to your life, this transition can be both overwhelming and exciting!
By taking it one step at a time, you can focus on ensuring this new chapter allows you to be organized and content in your new space.
Recruit Reinforcement
Before throwing everything out on the lawn with a “for sale” sign, ask those in your family to organize their own personal property. Children who are moving out can help lighten the load by taking things they want for their new space. Give them a clear timeline of when they must have everything out so they don’t delay your plans.
A divorced partner should also be held responsible for helping to decide what to do with shared items while also taking their own things. If you’re shouldering the responsibility for your parents’ former belongings, an estate sale could be a great option.
Furniture Phase Out
Fewer people in your household will likely translate to fewer beds, dressers, chairs, desks, bookshelves, and other larger furniture items. Selling unnecessary pieces in a garage sale or through social media can give you some cash while minimizing what needs to be moved or stored!
If you’d prefer to downsize more quickly while still receiving some economic benefit, there are charitable organizations that will pick up your donations and provide a tax-deductible receipt.
Sentimental Selection
Marie Kondo, a well-known decluttering expert, encourages her clients to keep only items that bring them joy. If you have the space, holding onto sentimental items can create a bridge between your memories and your new surroundings. Iif you haven’t pulled something out of a closet for a decade, and it doesn’t hold any sentimental value, it may be time to toss it!
After a divorce, donating or selling things you obtained during your marriage can be a refreshing way to urge you into a new beginning. As for your parents’ former belongings, make sure you’re hanging onto things for your own sentimental reasons - not theirs, or out of obligation.
Prioritize New Purchases
After spending time reducing your belongings to the necessities, you don’t want to turn around and purchase more space-filling (and costly) clutter. Envision your new retreat as a place that is helping you live your best life in the here and now…and that likely doesn’t mean being stuffed for the sake of having more.
Simplifying your life while downsizing will not only help you keep your new home clean and clutter-free, but it will also declutter your mental space. By refocusing your efforts, your mindset can become the target for your new journey. Downsizing your home, and your goods, can help you find time for what truly makes you happy. After putting your efforts towards others, a move can help your own needs and desires become first priority again!