The kids have now all moved out and you’re now looking to downsize – great! When it comes to downsizing, however, it can be a little trickier than you first thought. You may have more belongings than you realised in places you didn’t know you had them too!
There are plenty of reasons why you may want to downsize – which doesn’t include because there are fewer people now living in your home. You may be trying to cut back on costs, or have realised you’re no longer using your whole home.
Whatever the reason, at Coastline Removals we’re here to help! We have put together this handy guide to pave the way when it comes to downsizing.
Why downsize?
Downsizing is very common. Apart from the obvious mentioned above, you may have a change in the family situation including divorce or bereavement or simply have too much space in your home to keep on top of maintenance. Not only that but larger properties have a significant increase to that of smaller ones when it comes to council tax, energy bills and of course mortgage costs.
Decluttering is a must
To downsize you MUST declutter. Whilst you may not think that your home is particularly cluttered, when you move into a smaller home you will! Make sure to take only the things you need rather than choosing what you have always had. Follow these 3 simple steps to decluttering and you’ll be well on your way.
Step 1 – Start 3 months ahead of your move
Starting your decluttering process too late can cause a lot of stress, particularly if you have larger items to remove. By starting early you can plan what items you can give to friends and family, sell on or donate. By allowing for the extra time you could also make a pretty penny on your unwanted goods which can go toward new furniture.
Step 2 – Deciding what to bin and what to keep
This process can be troublesome especially if you have difficulty in making decisions or letting things go. Whilst in your current house you may find that you have furniture from years ago that no longer serves a purpose but because you have had it for so long are reluctant to get rid.
Giving yourself some breathing room to think practically about what to keep, donate or sell will relieve some stress and think about what you need in your new home. If you are still finding it difficult to decide, create a ‘maybe’ pile to go back to or ask a friend or relative to help you.
Step 3 – Go Digital (if you can)
A lot of the time the majority of our stuff is documentation which can take up a lot of space especially if you don’t have a lot of it in your new place. Where you can we suggest making digital copies of documents that you still need. Of course, some things you still need are hard copies like birth certificates and qualifications so be sure to keep these in a waterproof and fire-resistant folder so they are all in one place. However, scanning your important documents will save you a lot of space when you move home.
Downsizing tips
To help you prepare to move to a smaller home successfully we have put together these handy tips.
Determine how much space you need
Before you go ahead and sign the contract on your new home, be sure to have a really good think about the space and how much of it you really need. Think about your current home and how you use it – which spaces you use more and which ones you don’t use at all. Think about the layout and whether that hinders you from properly utilising these spaces.
How to sell your items
Nowadays it is easier than ever to sell your items with plenty of online sites to list your possessions. Online marketplaces such as Facebook, Ebay and Gumtree are great places for selling unwanted items and Depop is great for selling clothing too. Of course, there are more traditional methods such as car boot sales or your local auction house too but you will be surprised how quickly you can sell your items online with minimal fuss.
Invest in a storage unit
Understandably some items we cannot bear to part with – that’s where a storage unit comes in handy. At Coastline we have some great self-storage facilities. Contact us for more details.
Arrange your move
As your moving date approaches you will want to hire a removal company to help you with the logistics of moving home. This can include packing, heavy lifting, transporting and unpacking your items for you so you don’t have to worry. By choosing Coastline Removals you can rest assured that your belongings are in good hands.
Contact us for a free quote today.
