Essential Steps to Make Downsizing Easier

Are you getting ready to downsize your home? You’ll likely have many questions as you work your way through your downsizing project. Whether you’re clearing the clutter or cutting your living space in half, here are some helpful tips to make downsizing easier and more effective.

Have a Solid Plan

Even if you won’t be moving for another 6 months or longer, there’s no time like right now to get a move plan in place. Many people wait too long to get started, and before they know it, moving day is just around the corner.

With time running out, they realize they can’t get it all done, their stress and anxiety levels go up, and things get moved that shouldn’t be. And there you have it – a horrible downsizing and moving experience!

Sure, you can procrastinate and tell yourself you’ll get it all done later, but will you really? Probably not. That’s why having a plan in place is so important.

If you want to commit to your moving plan, start by writing it down. Make appointments with yourself and keep them! Get a 3-ring binder to keep your calendar, downsizing lists and all other move-related information in one spot.

Be Prepared

You can’t make a cake without flour and a pan. And just like baking a cake, making a downsizing and move plan without the proper tools won’t get you very far.

Having the right supplies together will help you accomplish every task in your plan. Here’s a handful of tools you should stock up on now:

Colored labels, sticky notes or dots: These will help you label furniture and other items as you go. In your Move Planner, write out a labeling plan with color coding to help you stay consistent.

A simple plan might look like this:

• Green: You are keeping the item, so it will move with you.
• Yellow: You are gifting the item to friends or family members (be sure to write their name on the tag!).
• Red: You’re not taking the item with you, so it will go to donation, disposal or consignment.

Garbage bags: These will help you sort and organize items that are not going with you.

• For items headed to the trash, use big black trash bags.
• For donation items, like clothing, linens and other soft things, use white tall kitchen bags.
• For small items, use Ziplock bags.
• For recycling and shredding, use paper bags and label them in large letters with either SHRED or RECYCLE. (Alternatively, you can use boxes, but make sure they’re small so they don’t become too heavy.)

Plastic storage totes: These will help you sort and store the items you plan to keep. Opt for clear totes that are not too large and all the same size for better stacking. You can also assign names to your totes for any items that are going to family members. That way, as you find things here and there, you can place them in their respective totes. When they’re full, your family members have to come and pick theirs up!

Tools: These will help you get things done faster. Gather up some marking pens, scissors, packing tape and blue painters tape (which is great for just about everything!).

Pick a Place and Start

Set realistic goals of how much you can do at one time. For most people, a 3-hour downsizing session is about all they can handle before their brain just doesn’t want to make any more decisions.

You will need space to sort and separate. Be kind to yourself – use a chair while sorting and possibly a work or folding table to lay things out on. Keep your donation box, garbage bags, recycling and shredding bags close by to drop things into. Have your notebook available to record donation items or list items you plan to give to people.

Good places to start are in areas that are the least used. Think spare bedrooms, family rooms, extra closets and any storage areas.

Pro Tip: Once you start on an area, finish it before moving on to the next one, even if it’s just your overflowing sock drawer!

Ask for Help

Downsizing is a daunting project, both physically and mentally. And the longer you have lived somewhere, the longer it will take to go through the stuff you’ve accrued over the years.

Are there friends and family who are willing to help? If not, perhaps working with a downsizing and move management company like NextStep Transitions can help. We handle the physical aspects of your move, such as pulling things out, helping you sort through them, and asking the right questions to find out if you need them or if they have sentimental value.

Plus, downsizers are neutral and nonjudgmental – our job is to simply steer you through the process and make sense of everything that needs to be done.