10 Tips for Downsizing

[Julie-Ann]

With Mr18 determined to leave home next year, I have been thinking of downsizing. There are lots of pros and cons but the scary part is deciding on what needs to go. I have never thought of myself as a hoarder but there are some treasured pieces that I am just not sure will fit in a smaller home. And the look of horror on DH's face when I suggested he would need to reduce his model car collection was priceless. So today's article I found here is for me.

Cut out the unnecessary before you move to a smaller home.

Whether you're an empty nester moving from a house into a condo, or a renter trading in a two-bedroom for a studio, you'll have to say sayonara to some of your stuff. Stressed out by the prospect? Don't be. Sarah Moyse and Jennie Davidson, Toronto-based moving planners and owners of Wren Designs, offer 10 tips designed to make downsizing a snap!

1. Write a list of all the items you love and can't live without; it will help you bid adieu to things that didn't make the list. “It's hard to persuade people they can't take everything with them,” Sarah says. “But by keeping what's on your wish list, you won't be upset about the things you can't keep.”

2. Start thinning out your belongings at least three months before the move. Take some time each day, or one morning each week, to go through that jammed coat closet or overflowing filing cabinet. "Paper is the real killer," Jennie says, so tackle it one box at a time. The same goes for photos, which require a lot of attention.

3. Get a feel for the size of your new rooms by comparing them to rooms of similar dimensions in your present home. For instance, your living-room-to-be might be roughly the same size as your current bedroom. You may think you can squeeze in two sofas, but this kind of reality check could help you realize that only one will fit comfortably.

4. Heavily edit areas with items that don't have as much sentimental value. Take the kitchen, for example; most people don't need 10 mixing bowls and won't get teary-eyed over losing a second spatula. If you're downsizing from a house to a condo, target the garage. Snow shovels, the lawn mower, ladders - you won't need any of them.

5. Don't throw anything in the garbage. Recycle, reuse, sell and donate instead. As tempting and easy as it is to pitch wire hangers, musty clothes and shabby furnishings, be environmentally responsible and find a home for everything. A can of Comet with a few shakes of powder left could make someone else's sink sparkle if you don't want it; consider giving supplies to a shelter, or neighbour.

6. Label three bins To Keep, To Sell and Charity (bins should be manageable when full). For the average downsize, keep only one-third to one-half of your belongings, say Sarah and Jennie.

7. Get an objective opinion. If you can't decide whether to keep or kiss that dusty '70s-era sewing machine goodbye, Sarah says, "It's good to have someone who'll say, ‘Oh, please, you never use that!'" It might just be the kick you need.

8. When selling your goods, try an auction for high-end items. Then look for reputable antique and secondhand dealers. Often, they can buy all of your wares or put you in touch with booksellers and other specialty dealers. "Some dealers will come to your home, take what you don't want and even drop off the charity stuff," Sarah says. "That way you won't be trudging all over town." If you can't sell an item, donate it to a shelter.

9. Use floor plans to prearrange your furniture before the move. This is another useful reality check. To start, draw plans if you don't have any, and sketch in a furniture layout. Then look at the plans realistically; if you've crammed in side tables, armoires and chairs, you need to edit more. Don't wait until after you move to contend with furniture you'll just end up tripping over.

10. Once you get to the packing stage, use a colour-coded system to organize all of your boxes. Choose a colour for each room and mark the boxes destined for that room with a coordinating colour sticker. You can also do the same thing numerically; for example, if room No. 1 is the kitchen, then all boxes marked No. 1 will go there.

I guess we all need to declutter some time.

[Abigail]

I wish I'd done as the list says. I've been storing a lot of surplus for the last 12 months.
I knew we would never use them in the new home but Dh was insistent that I store the goods and then decide when we moved in. This new home has much smaller rooms and not as much storage as I'm used to.
What a daunting task I have ahead of me!

[Julie-Ann]

It is a bit daunting Abigail. But I think we just do it a bit at a time. Even if you can't access the items maybe start a list of what goes where.

[Anna Williams]

I wish I'd done this as well. We moved from a two-storey home to a one-storey with a tiny living space and most of our things are being stored in the garage downstairs!

I'm not much of a hoarder but couldn't throw things away because we are closing in under the house, which means I'd need more furniture. So for the last 12 months I have everything boxed away, hopefully I can pull it out soon!

I like the comment to write a wish list. It's true if you know exactly what you MUST keep or really LOVE throwing out other things doesn't seem so bad.

[a-m]

Great post J-A. I am constantly downsizing. Heaven forbid if I ever have to fill a house again. I love decluttering! As I get older, I am realising that things just don't matter. And really after the floods, when I thought I was going to lose everything, I have realised I don't need much to live comfortably. I donate everything to www.givit.org as they are a great conduit to smaller charities who don't get a look in at times due to the bigger ones getting all the stuff. When there is less clutter, life is less cluttered, your mind is less cluttered, your days are less cluttered. Life is simpler. A-M xx

[Julie-Ann]

Great advice A-M. I think I will start with the Wish List too. There are just some antiques that I know will be on that list but I don't think will fit with a smaller house. This could be harder than I thought. Maybe I need a shed like you A-M

[dmplus3]

We're not even downsizing and I'm taking heed of the messages in this article. I imagine we'll move in about four months, and today I tackled the seven year old's room. Well, I made a start, at least!!!! And, I feel better already

Is it wrong to tell the children that they only get three cartons each to take to the new house??

[Cherylle]

i think it depends on the ages of the children.

We have moved 3 times in the last 3 years and in the most recent move my 14 y.o. could easily part with a lot of stuff that he wasn't ready to, only one year ago.

If there are items that they will play with, it doesnt hurt to keep them for a bit longer until they grow too old for them.

[Julie-Ann]

No Dmplus3 it isn't wrong. Stop them hoarding as early as you can. Mr18 is a shocker. Let's see how much he can fit in a suitcase and a dorm room.

[Beverley]

The funny thing is all the stuff you think you can't live without, you honestly don't miss.

As I sold most of our furniture to move to Dubai slowly over the last 6 months a funny thing happened. Instead of being sad, I found I loved living with more space and less things. This was a huge surprise because I have always had lots of stuff and some pieces of furniture I truly loved and thought I would never part with.

My daughter said the same thing, she commented the more stuff we got rid of the more she liked living in the house. We had devoted an entire room to our huge eight seater dining table and we used it once or twice a year. When it was gone we moved the day bed in there and I moved my desk and computer in there and we were in there every day, having chats and cups of tea on the daybed and enjoying the lovely view from that room.

When we had the family over just before I left in a very empty house...we brought in our eight seater outdoor table, covered it with a white sheet and decorated it up and had a lovely dinnet party. We could do that because the area in front of the kitchen now only had a cute small table for two and a sideboard. Friend of ours have a lovely circular four seater table and when they have visitors he goes to the garage and gets a big cirle of wood he cut to go on top of it made out of chipboard and puts it on top and they cover it with a white table cloth and it comfortably seats eight...and without table leg problems!!!

I think rather than go bigger in houses/furniture we just have to be smarter.

I am keeping our villa here in Ras Al Khaimah clutter free and while I never be a minamalist it is more streamlined than we have ever lived and a breeze to clean.

I have been here three weeks now and just been notified that my crate of belongings have docked in Dubai and will be delivered shortly. I brought an antique chest of drawers i've had since I was 21 years old, my two recycled fence post entry tables, a rattan chair that wasn't expensive but I just love it and an unusual timber stool I bought from Belligen in NSW 20 years ago that cost me $65. In the end these are the things that I truly loved...and apart from the chest of drawers they were all well under a hundred dollars to buy! I have also brought my favourite art work, my favourite decor items, two boxes of books and four boxes of kitchen items...and that is it!

Having said all that I think you have to be ready to let things go, there is a huge emotional component to downsizing. This time ours corresponded with a move to being empty nesters and me making the committment to move overseas to join my husband, so it felt like starting a whole new chapter of our lives. I think the advice to do it slowly is good...once you realise it it not scary at all the momentum increases!

Remember, "We are not our stuff"