Moving into a smaller house is never as easy as it sounds. Especially when you are downsizing your home. You know it is required. You know it is the need of the hour. But, when you go right down to it, things seem almost impossible. Right from deciding which things to keep and which to let go to struggling with agonizing doubts about your decision every step of the way – downsizing your home is a process that can go either ways. However, if you are really looking to downsize your house, here are 6 easy ways to do it. Read on.
Do you really need this?
This is the question you should ask yourself when you want to downsize your home. Often, most of us have this habit of hoarding clothes, appliances and equipments that we are probably never ever going to use in our lives.
But we always look at them and think – maybe in future, we will use these stuff. Deep down, we know that is not going to happen. Yet, we refuse to get rid of them.
Downsizing your home will give you ample opportunities to do that. Look that the heavy sports machinery or that closet filled with outdated clothes.
Do you really have space for that in your smaller house? If not, then let go of them.
If you are still confused, keep them in your storage unit. When you will have to pay a monthly storage locker rental, you will instantly realize where your priorities lie.
Measure your space
Downsizing your home means letting go of all kinds of excesses in your life. When you move into a smaller space, you will no longer have room for excessive furniture. With less space, de-cluttering no longer remains a task. It becomes a necessity.
Here is an idea. To understand what kind (and size) of furniture you can bring into your downsized house, get your hands on the layout of the house and plan accordingly.
Or, purchase a measure tape and measure your space the old school way. Either way, just try and gauge the kind of space you will be stepping into. And plan your furniture purchase accordingly.
Understand your storage space
Storage space becomes crucial when it comes to smaller houses. If you absolutely have to de-clutter your closet, and you are still confused about what to get rid of, understand the amount of storage space you will get in your downsized home.
By accurately calculating the length and breadth of your storage space (closets or cabinets) in your smaller house, you will instinctively keep what you really, really need and get rid of what you really, really have to let go of.
This will help you to not only successfully downsize your house, but also get rid of unwanted stuff that could become a hindrance in your day-to-day life.
Create an inventory
An inventory of what you own is absolutely crucial before you even begin the process of moving out into a smaller house. With an inventory, you can easily keep a track of the things you already possess.
Not only that, an inventory can easily help you decide which items you want to carry with you into your new house, and which ones you want to donate or get rid of.
With an inventory ready in hand, you can also make insurance claims as smoothly as possible. Moreover, with an inventory ready by your side, your real estate issues and concerns can also be solved easily.
However, creating an inventory is one of the easiest ways to go about downsizing your home. With this technique, you can successfully keep a record of all the things present in your house and take note of unwanted accessories that clutter your space (things which you wouldn’t notice otherwise).
Take baby steps
Downsizing your house isn’t an overnight process. You cannot just sit on a sofa one day, with a pile of clutter in front of you, and decide what you need and what you don’t. De-cluttering is an emotional, overwhelming process – especially if the clutter means something very special to you.
However, taking baby steps towards de-cluttering your space can prove to be an effective technique. Downsizing your house means getting rid of things that are no longer useful to you, and making space for things which contribute to your life in a constructive manner.
So, start small. First, tackle your closet. Then move on to your kitchen. Then confront those items which mean a lot to you, but have no real use in your life. Deciding and differentiating between such objects and memories is a difficult task.
While you downsize your home, it is best to take it one step at a time. Avoid any latter possible regrets by taking your time to do this.
Go the digital way
Downsizing your home already means less space for physical objects. In light of this, items like books, photographs and movie CDs obstruct more space in your house than you can possibly imagine. For all of these items, digitization is an option.
Get rid of books that have no sentimental or profitable value for you. If there is a collection which is on your TBR list since ages, it is time to bid adieu to it.
Photos hold a personal meaning to you, we get it. But turning them into digital copies will not only free up more space for you, but also decrease the risk of you losing some of the special snapshots while moving your luggage from one house to the other.
Movies that hold a special place in your heart can also be digitized. Turn those dust-eating CDs into a digital format and watch how much space gets freed just by digitizing most of the items in your house.
Downsizing your home is not easy
It is not easy. But once you decide on it – stick to it. In today’s age, where concrete jungles are giving rise to congested environments, it is crucial to have some breathing space in your own house.
Overcrowding your home with stuff that you probably will not need five years down the line is a foolish decision.
Yes, it is hard to let go of things that you have grown up around. But, for a better, cleaner future, this ‘sacrifice’ is essential.