Credits to: Lisa Roberts
Moving to a smaller home might not sound like a positive thing. Still, in recent years, many Americans are deciding to downsize. High expenses and difficult maintenance are, of course, some of the main reasons for replacing a large family home with a smaller one. However, the process of downsizing can be complicated and confusing, especially for people who are moving for the first time. If you are preparing to leave your mansion and move to a smaller place, remember that proper planning will help you more than anything else.
Prepare a plan that will guide you through the process
Whenever you are doing something so complicated and important, you need to have a plan. It means taking a piece of paper and making a schedule of all the things that you need to do during the process. When downsizing, of course, the first thing you need is to learn about the new space you are moving into.
Get blueprints of your new some so you can determine what to get rid of
Your household inventory is the biggest obstacle that you will need to deal with during this process. If you are moving to a smaller home, naturally, you will not be able to keep all the stuff you currently own. That is why getting the blueprints of your new space is one of the first things you will need to do. Contact your realtor and see if they can get you the floor plan, or visit the local permit agency or records office and see if they have what you are looking for. Only after you have a floor plan of your new home will you determine what items you can move with you and what are the things that you will need to get rid of.
If you cannot find a blueprint of your new home, you can take measurements yourself. Take a piece of paper, a measuring tape, and get those dimensions so you can accurately decide the fate of your moving inventory.
The decluttering process is time-consuming
Before you start, however, it is imperative to emphasize that the decluttering process can take a lot of time. Therefore, it is essential to begin dealing with this as soon as you can. Hiring a reliable moving company early on should also be one of your priorities. And you cannot do that until your deal with your excess belongings, and you are clear with your moving inventory size and weight. Visit trustmas.com for useful advice from moving industry professionals about preparing for the moving process and tips on finding a reliable moving service provider.
What to get rid of before the move
Decluttering is probably the most important and most challenging part of the downsizing process. Naturally, first, you should remove all the items you never use, duplicates, and things that are in bad condition. Remember that weight of your moving inventory is one of the major factors determining your relocation cost. By tossing a part of your items, you are also lowering your moving cost, which can be a very significant amount, especially if you are moving long-distance.
Once you finish with smaller items, you can move on to your furniture, which is the most significant in this situation. Naturally, your furniture dimensions will be the main determining factor deciding whether an item will stay or go. Still, if you are moving long-distance, you can also check whether you can simply buy a new piece instead of paying a similar amount to relocate it.
How to get rid of the excess items
Determining what items to toss is one thing. Figuring out how to do it is entirely another. Luckily, there are many ways to remove your unwanted stuff, so you just need to choose the one that suits your situation and plans.
A garage or a yard sale is the most complicated and time-consuming to organize, but it can bring the most significant profit. Naturally, you need to have a substantial number of items to be able to organize it.
⦁ There are many great websites and apps that you can use to sell your stuff as well.
⦁ If you have a lot of furniture to get rid of, find your local used furniture retailer to quickly sell your items. Just do not hope for a big return if you decide on this option.
⦁ If you decide to donate your items, you might become eligible for certain tax deductions in some situations.
⦁ To get rid of the junk quickly and easily, call a professional junk removal service to deal with it. It is the easiest way to get rid of the excess items, but you will have to pay them to do it.
Make a moving inventory list
Once you deal with the junk, you need to make a list of items you plan to carry with you to your new home. A moving inventory list will allow you to get accurate estimates from moving companies. You can use it to calculate the number of required packing materials and check your items once your movers deliver them to your new home.
Decide on a moving company
Finally, once everything regarding your inventory is set, you can start searching for reliable movers. Of course, the best way is to find a full-moving service that will handle your move from start to finish. Or you can hire them for basic loading/transport/unloading service, in which case you will have to deal with gathering packing materials, packing, furniture disassembling, etc. yourself. The choice is up to you.
As you can see, moving to a smaller home is a complicated and challenging task. Still, if you bear in mind all the benefits that will come out of this process, like lower costs, more money in your pocket, and easier maintenance, everything will seem more manageable.