How to Downsize Your Home
If you are thinking to downsize your home to a one-bedroom apartment or even a studio then this article is for you.
I did it twice in my life. First when we immigrated to Canada and downsized our belongings from a studio apartment to a suitcase and then when we moved to the USA for a year from a family home to a two-bedroom apartment.
It’s not an easy task but if you have a plan and preferably some time it’s possible. I find that the older you get the harder it to part with some belongings and easier with others.
In preparation for retirement and downsizing without moving, I created this list and wanted to share it with you. I hope you find it helpful.
At What Age Should Seniors Downsize
Age 60 to 65 is the perfect age to downsize. You are still young enough to make the move and generally mentally and physically fit enough to do it on your own.
How to prepare to downsize Your home?
First determine where you are downsizing to, an apartment, condo, tiny house or abroad.
- What is more profitable to keep old appliances or buy a new one?
- How many rooms will you have?
- What about your hobby, will you have enough space for it?
1. Imagine your ideal lifestyle
Search Pinterest and magazines for a design idea. It will help you to determine what furniture to keep and which one to get read of.
2. Create stations for donations, items for sale and garbage
Hawing system in place makes downsizing easier and faster.
3. Start Small
The best way to declutter is to use the Marie Kondo method. It will give you the right order to follow. Begin with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, miscellaneous items, and, finally, sentimental items. I usually start shelf by shelf and after that by category.
Silly as it sounds but sincerely thanking items for serving their purpose before discarding help me a lot. Highly recommend trying.
4. Downsize your furniture
Measure your furniture and see if it will fit into a new space. Think about staircases and lift space also.
5. Sell Stuff Off
It’s a personal decision to sell first and then see if your family and friends want the rest or the opposite way around. There is no right or wrong.
Right now, in 2021 Facebook Marketplace is the most popular place to sell unwanted items in Canada. It’s better than eBay. You can sell anything there. Just google “Facebook Marketplace YOUR CITY”.
6. Donate What you can’t sell
Before donating ask your family and friend if they want any of your old possessions.
7. Recycle or Trash what you can’t donate
Most municipalities have rules about bulk trash pickup and how much you can put on the curb. Check your local rules.
8. Edit
Start editing items that you decided to keep reducing clatter even more. Ensure that you are only taking items that you need.
Is There A Downside to Downsizing?
Watch the video below to help you with emotional part of decluttering.
KEY TOPICS:
- Is our clutter killing us?
- What happens to our cortisol levels when there is clutter?
- Does science show that clutter decreases happiness?
- Is clutter an emotional issue?
While downsizing your home may initially seem a frightening prospect, both physically and emotionally, you can make the task much less daunting by breaking it into smaller steps. You’ll soon create a simplified, decluttered set of possessions just perfect for a smaller home.
Thanks for reading this article – I hope you found it helpful. As always, I’d love to hear from you! Have a fabulous week and take care! Irina Nikitina – Founder of Modern Fifty TV
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