People decide to change their address for various reasons. New job opportunities, marriages or a simple need for a change and fresh start. One of the reasons people switch apartments is downsizing. Sometimes family home becomes too much of a burden or expensive if one person ends up living in it. In cases like these considering downsizing is a smart decision. The first stumbling point we might encounter is what to do with all that stuff? Over the years we have piled up enormous amounts of various furniture, books, sporting equipment, clothes, and home appliances. If they are sitting there in the corner, lonely and forgotten, then our guide for downsizing a family home is perfect reading material for you. This is something you must do before you decide to move. Speaking about the move, you should know that one of the things you must do is to hire reliable moving partners. For interstate moves, contact some of the long-distance movers NYC, and secure the services of an experienced and efficient moving crew.
The first step in downsizing the family home would be to reconsider your needs
Firstly, you have the financial aspect, which is the most important one. Are you struggling, having a hard time paying the bills for a huge house? This is the right moment to go for something smaller, as your goal should be to be able to put something on the side, not to fight just to keep your head above water. So if you made that decision, the next step is to part with some of the stuff you have in the house. Some of it may have sentimental value for you, and it could be quite hard to say goodbye. But just stop for a second, and think. Be honest with yourself. Don’t let the emotions get to you. Do you need that treadmill that is sitting there and gathering dust? Or rusty car parts in your garage.
Use this logic: If you haven’t been using something for the past six months, there are slim chances that you will ever need it. And when you collect stuff like that, with the intention of using it at some point, you will probably have a hard time finding it in all that mess. So you will end up buying something that you have stored for all these years. This is ridiculous, right? But sadly it is very true. So what we advise you to do is to take a tour around your house and make a list of all things that you consider throwing out or selling. Since you are moving to a smaller place and you need to save every inch of space, look everywhere. By this, we mean the smallest details like bathroom cabinets.
Next step in downsizing family home is to measure your furniture
Get a measuring tape from your local DIY store and get to business. Why is this important? Well, you are moving to a smaller space and you need to make sure everything fits. Imagine arriving at the location and realizing your couch can’t fit in the room. While measuring, try to envisage how your new living area would look, and what furniture you will take with you. Will you have smaller kitchen cabinets? How many bathrooms will you own? Do you have a balcony in your new home? If you can get a floor plan for your new home and see if everything fits. If you are having a hard time parting with some pieces of furniture, or are waiting for a better opportunity to sell them, you can always rent a storage room. Just make sure it is dry and temperature-controlled.
Do some decluttering for the beginning
Even if you are not downsizing, living in an organized space should be your priority. It is much easier to function when you know where everything is, and when you are not surrounded by a ton of junk. Since you are planning on relocating to a smaller living space, this is the perfect opportunity to declutter. Firstly, see what of your stuff could be sold online, you will be surprised just how much money you can gather. Remember that one man’s trash is another man’s gold. Secondly, you can consider donating. You should always use the chance to give back something to the community, and this is a perfect opportunity. There is a lot of people that could use your help. Lastly, consider visiting your local dumpster. For things that are just trash, and don’t have any value, do it the fast way, and just throw them away.
The good thing about cleaning your personal space is that you will have less stuff to move to your new apartment which means less money spent on moving quotes. Also, you are bound to embark on a new adventure in your new home, so do it with a clean living space. For moving services, we advise to look up your local residential movers NYC to ensure that your relocation goes smoothly and stress-free.
Some of the common stuff you can discard
When you are deciding what to throw out when downsizing the family home, there is a pattern that most people will find useful.
- Home appliances. Kitchen is usually full with these, and you have to ask yourself if you are really using all those juicers, toasters and mixers.
- Old clothes. If you are not wearing them, just donate, please.
- Sports equipment. Treadmills, stationary bicycles, boxing equipment.
- Books and CDs. This might be hard for those who love books but give some of them to your friends, you will free-up a lot of space
- Decorative figurines. Admit it, those porcelain or wooden statues are just attracting dust.
These were some of our ideas that can help you when downsizing the family home, follow these steps and you will see that your space will open-up when you clear all that mess.