Downsize to a Smaller Home

Moving into a smaller home can feel like you’re giving something up, but downsizing is a chance to let go of stuff that no longer serves you. When prepared thoughtfully, a smaller space won’t feel like a loss. Instead, it will feel like a reset that aligns with a new stage in life. Here’s how to do it.

Start early and take it room-by-room

Don’t wait until the last minute to start downsizing your home. Consider it a marathon and pace yourself. Start downsizing early so it’s easier to identify what truly matters.

  • Work systematically. Go through one room at a time, one drawer at a time. Immediately throw out what you know can’t be donated or sold, and put items you don’t need in a pile. You can either separate it in the moment or decide later if you want to sell or donate the items.
  • Inventory your belongings. Walk through each room and make a detailed list of everything you own and make a note of whether or not you actually use each item. This will help you decide what to eliminate when it comes time.
  • Be realistic about timelines. It takes time to downsize, even if you’re just tackling one closet. Spread the process out over weeks or months to make it easier. If you feel pressured to get it done, you’ll either get rid of important things or hang on to things you don’t need.

A methodical approach to decluttering will help you downsize without pressure or chaos.

Tackle the easy stuff first

It’s easier to build momentum that keeps you motivated when you start with the easy stuff. Begin by sorting through non-sentimental items like old towels, duplicate tools, and expired products.

All those chipped plates and expired canned goods in your pantry won’t be missed in your new place. And that spatula collection you’ve been building over the years can probably be reduced to one or two. Cutting down on duplicates will reduce the amount of stuff you need to take with you.

If you tend to buy kitchen gadgets like spiralizers and pasta makers, consider how often you actually use them and whether or not you’ll continue using them in your new space. If you only plan meals around feeling the need to use a gadget, it’s probably time to let it go.

Be ruthless about sentimental items

Not all memories need to be kept in boxes you never even open. It’s nice to know those things are there, but if you never actually touch them, take some photographs and donate them. Restrict sentimental keepsakes to just one box. If there are larger items, take it on a case-by-case basis, but try not to hang on to too much.

Get to know your new community

You won’t feel the sting of losing stuff when you go out into the community, meet new people, and start feeling the vibe. For instance, if you’re moving to a lively location like the historic Casa Ybor city in Florida, Any sense of loss you feel will be balanced out by the positive feelings you get from being in a beautiful location and making new connections.

Get functional furniture

In your new space, use functional furniture to your advantage. For example, get an ottoman with storage, a folding desk, and shelving that goes vertical. Instead of a sectional couch, measure your space and get a smaller couch, especially if you’ll only have a couple people over at once. Even when you downsize, every purchase should make your space more usable and not add useless bulk.

Optimize storage

When you have things you just can’t leave behind, optimizing the storage space in your new home will help. Furniture with built-in storage will help, and so will over-the-door organizers and organizers made for the inside of your cabinets. Tall bookshelves can be used for more than just books, and baskets can do wonders for organizing items under the sink.

Get a self-storage unit

As a last resort, if you can’t bear to leave certain things behind, but you don’t want them taking up space in your home, get a storage unit. Most storage companies allow you to store just about anything other than combustibles and food, and moderately-sized units aren’t that expensive.

Create more space in your life by downsizing your stuff

Downsizing your life is a great way to eliminate the physical and emotional clutter that weighs you down. When you start early and intentionally let go of what no longer serves you, there is more space to live, think, and enjoy your life.