Living in a big house is great for some families, but for others the expense and hassle of maintaining it becomes a burden. This is especially true when you’re feeling overwhelmed by your current home, moving to a smaller space can be a huge step forward, both financially and mentally.
However, cleaning up and downsizing can be a daunting task. Downsizing to a tiny house and need help getting started? Follow our tips for a hassle-free move.
1. Check Your Inventory
Of course, when you make your home smaller, you won’t have room to store all the items you’ve accumulated over the years. Before you start packing, you should check your inventory.
2. Sort Items By Room To Minimize Duplication
When organizing your belongings, you need to set up a system to keep things organized. We recommend the 3-box method, where decisions must be made point by point. Collect three boxes or containers and label them as “Keep,” “Discard,” and “Store.”
You should store sentimental or seasonal items. After filling each slot, empty the “storage” box into a properly labeled storage container. For example, move all your wine to wine storage to make sure it’s in a safe place.
3. Make A Plan To Dispose Of Unwanted Items
Once you’ve identified items you won’t be bringing to your new home, you have several options for getting rid of them.
Donation:
Give away what you no longer need to someone who needs it. Local charities usually accept clothing, shoes, and other household items in good condition.
Do you have a flea market :
One person’s junk is often another person’s treasure. If you’re downsizing a lot of your belongings before you move, consider going to a flea market to make extra money.
4. Digitize If Possible
Over the years, the paperwork can really pile up. Take the time to organize your old bills, receipts and other paperwork and recycle what you no longer need. Save old paper files like this for example: all taxes for the last 10 years in a plastic container. Scan any other records or receipts you may need in the future, make digital copies, shred and destroy.
5. Maximize Your Storage Space
When downsizing into a smaller home, it’s important to maximize the available storage space. Create built-in storage options whenever possible. Multifunctional furniture such as ottomans, platform beds with drawers, entertainment centers, closets, bookshelves, and baskets all help hide and minimize clutter, but traditional shelving units are always a good option as well.
6. Measure Your Furniture And Wait To Buy New Ones
Your new tiny home may not have enough space for all your current furniture. As you inventory your belongings, measure your furniture to see if it will fit in your new space or if you need to part with it. It’s a lot easier to find out ahead of time than to put a sofa set in your new home and find out it won’t fit.
In Closing
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help with downsizing. Recruit family and friends or hire a professional contractor to help you clean your house and move to your new home.
This is a collaborative post.