Moving into a smaller space?
10 Steps to downsize that still feels like home

Moving into an Assisted Living Community is a great opportunity to simplify your life. Over time we tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. You might not know, but having all that stuff does create anxiety in our lives. Needing to store it, clean it, and purge it weighs us down.

Now is the time to purge, and bring more peace to your life. Here are a few tips to downsizing that will leave your space still feeling like home.

1. Access your new space needs
It is important to understand the differences in your new home versus your current home. You will need to be sure to make a list of all of your storage spaces in both places. If you are moving out of a large home into a small apartment, you might have to sell or donate more stuff than you planned.

Working the storage spaces first will give you an opportunity to go through items you have had for a long time. There might even be items you have saved that will make the transition easier. You will definitely find things you did not even know you had. Before you go buy something new, make sure you thoroughly went through the stuff you already have.

2. Take Inventory of your current home
This is a great opportunity to understand what you need for your new home, and take inventory of what you have. If you know what rooms you need to fill, it will allow for better planning. You do not want to trek your oversized refrigerator up to your new home to find out it is too big for the allotted space.

A good rule of thumb, if you have not used it in several months you can probably get rid of it. By taking inventory, and accessing your new space, you will have a good idea on what items to keep, sell, or donate.

3. Understand your new storage availability
Take a walk through of your new home and make sure you know what storage spaces you have. There are a lot of ways to create more storage.

  • Diversity in storage containers
  • Furniture with storage built in
  • Cabinets
  • Pantries
  • Closets

4. Sell Your Stuff
By first trying to sell your unneeded items, you create the capital to purchase items that better fit in your new home. Selling your items is pretty easy with new and old technology.

  • Have a Garage Sale. Selling your stuff at a garage sale will allow you to move a lot of items quickly. It will also help move larger items quickly. If having a garage sale seems overwhelming, try having friends and family help, or paying someone to do it for you.
  • If you have high value or antique items using Craigslist or Ebay might get you more than listing these items at a garage sale.
  • Craigslist – Good for selling appliances and larger items like trailers, tools, electronics.
  • Ebay – Good for selling collectibles and antiques.
  • You can also take advantage of clothing resellers to sell your extra designer cloth’s.

5. Donate or Gift what is left over
Once you have sold all of the items you can, consider gifting or donating the items leftover.

It will be difficult to give away the remainder of your stuff, however storing it will be costly. Storage service’s are a waste of money and not a good long term strategy.

Donating your stuff to Goodwill or other Second Hand facility will also give you a good tax deduction.

6. Plan your storage containers and be organized
I mentioned earlier to have a diverse selection of storage containers. Having the right storage containers available, will make your move easier. Here are popular storage containers:

  • Small, Medium, Large sized boxes
  • Plastic Tubs
  • Flat Tubs (under the bed storage)
  • Bench with storage for shoes
  • Storage Bins
  • Containers to hold smaller items

No matter what containers you purchase make sure they can stacked and organized well. Also make sure you label each container with the room it will go to when you move in.

7. Measure and move your big items first
This is important so you do not have to move items more than once. Make sure anything you move to your new space will fit through doors and up stairs.

  • Couches
  • Tables
  • Beds (especially if you have a king sized bed)
  • Appliances

8. Put in designated storage items second
Once your big items are in, now fill up your storage spaces. Items designed for storage, can be put up so they are out of the way during the move in process. This will allow for better organization in the next step

9. Put out décor items last
The fun part is when you get to make your new space feel like home. Now you get to put up your décor and organize the items you will use every day. Are you going to keep it the same as you have always had it? Or are you going to change it up? Because you were organized in getting to this point, it is up to you. Have fun with it and make it your own.

10. Relax and Enjoy
Now it is time to make friends and new memories. It’s easier when you live in a space you love.