Moving can be a daunting task, especially if you have a large house or have accumulated a lot of things over your lifetime. As you plan your move, also plan to reduce the number of items you’ll be taking to your new home. Learning how to downsize while moving can reduce some of the stress of moving as well as the expense.
Start Downsizing Now
As soon as you know you are going to move or even when you first start thinking about the possibility of moving, begin the downsizing process. Once you’ve found a new home, you will have a lot to do. Sorting through clothes and deciding what to do with furniture takes time and time will become very precious the closer you get to your move date. Plan to start downsizing at least 90 days before your move date and try to be done by the time you pack everything up to move it to your new home.
Furniture Considerations
Downsizing usually means moving to a smaller home. That means you’ll have smaller rooms or fewer rooms or both. The key in regard to furniture is to know what will fit. If you are moving to a two-bedroom home from a three-bedroom home, you’ll have an extra room of furniture. Since you will have nowhere to put the bed, dresser, and night tables, now is the time to do something else with them.
As with most of the items you’ll be sorting through as you downsize while moving, you’ll need to decide whether to donate them, discard them, sell them, or pass them on to friends or family members. For example, you might sell your gently used furniture through a consignment shop to earn some extra money that will help with your move.
Plan for Your New Space
Whether it’s furniture or other possessions, you’ll want to be sure that anything you take with you will fit in the space of your new home. If you haven’t found that new home yet, you can downsize based on your anticipated lifestyle changes. For example, you may have held large dinner parties as part of your business dealings but are planning to retire and will no longer have a need for an extended dinner table.
If at all possible, measure your new space after you find your new home. Take some graph paper or use a computer program to visualize where all of your furniture will go. Determine what will and won’t fit and what will and won’t be useful to you in the new layout.
Do Your Research
When you have decided to donate possessions, including furniture, clothes, or electronics, do some research to make sure the charity you have chosen will put your items to good use. Seniors, especially, say they are concerned about the “safe passage” of items they are donating. They want to make sure that their possessions are appreciated and valued by their new owners. Putting in the effort to learn more about where everything is going will make you feel better about your decision to downsize.
Reduce Paperwork
While most people will start with their furniture or their clothes closet as they downsize while moving, it is also important to go through your paperwork. Paper weighs a lot when packed into boxes and transported to your new home. Save money and headaches by purging paperwork you don’t need anymore. Certain papers you’ll need to keep for a while, of course. You should keep tax returns for seven years, for example. Most bills and bank statements can be accessed online, though, so you can toss, or shred, those papers before you move.
In Your New Home
The downsizing may continue even after you’ve moved into your new home. Although you diligently and carefully sorted through everything to make sure you didn’t move anything extra, you will want to continue reviewing your possessions to determine if they really do fit well in your smaller home. If you discover unpacked boxes after a few weeks, think about whether you truly need what is in those boxes. It may be time for another donation.
Contact Fox Moving and Storage for Help with Your Next Move
As you downsize in preparation for your move, call the professional movers at Fox Moving and Storage Charlotte for help with planning, packing, moving, and unpacking your treasured possessions so you can move to your new home stress free. We also offer a free quote so you can include it in your moving budget.
At Fox Moving and Storage Charlotte, we are your trusted, locally owned movers. We will help you take care of everything involved in your next move, so you won’t have to worry. Contact Fox Moving and Storage Charlotte today to learn! Simply give us a call today at 980-291-9674 and find out how we can help you.