Last year a survey conducted by Trulia reported that 60% of Americans living in homes over 2000 square feet, reported that they would prefer a smaller home for their next move. Such a move can prove to be financially and mentally a positive experience, while the actual process can be exhausting.
The following tips were offered on the blog “Budget Dumpster” to help lessen the stress level and provide a rough roadmap for those in the throes of a downsize.
- Take an Inventory: Because this is one of the more daunting chores, take your time and set up a plan of attack that targets one room or zone at a time. Decide what to keep, throw out, donate, or sell.
- Minimize Duplicate Items: The kitchen can be a hotbed for duplicates. Check the multiples of spatulas, drinking glasses and silverware. If you’re going smaller, you probably won’t be entertaining as much as you did in the past.
- Make the Most of Storage Space: Find “hidey-holes, such as under the bed, hanging shoe racks, or inside ottomans for that storage space you may be losing by downsizing.
- Sell Your Belongings: Yard sales can be a boost to your moving budget, but it is also an exhausting experience. It does allow you to find a home for some of your things that you no longer need or that will not fit in a smaller space. It is a good idea to measure your furniture and be certain that each piece will fit in your new home. Eyeballing does not always tell the correct story. A decent tape measure should become one of your new best friends.
While the thought of downsizing may be nerve-wracking, think of all the good that will come from it. You will be taking control of your possessions and learning to live with fewer encumbrances. You might even learn to enjoy life more with less!
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