Downsizing is a hot topic these days. It's not just retirees and empty nesters who are looking for smaller homes. Thanks to the tiny house craze more and more people are looking to do more in less square footage. There are a few key things you need to do to successfully downsize. Keep reading for downsizing tips and to learn how Stockpile simple home inventory solution can help.
- Plan ahead. Don't wait until the last minute to start going through your belongings. Hasty decisions often lead to regrets. You'll either pack too much or get rid of things that ultimately have to replace because you really can't get by without them. Starting early gives you time to really consider what you can and can't live without. A good test is to box up items that you think you can get rid of a few months in advance. If you have to pull them out of the box you'll know that you need to keep them. If you don't even miss them, it will be that much easier to let them go.
- Compare your new living space to your current one. You may want to consult floor plans for both spaces to see how the dimensions differ on a per room basis. Losing even 1,000 square feet is a big deal. Giving up half your kitchen space is an even bigger adjustment. You need to be aware of which rooms are taking the biggest hit. You'll also need to carefully consider whether or not your current furniture will even fit in your new home.
- Declutter. If you read our blog frequently, you know how we feel about this. Living with clutter holds you back. Free yourself from the chaos. Carefully consider what items you're going to bring into your new home. Let go of anything that you haven't used in years. Keep referring back to your floor plans to gauge just how much stuff you need to get rid of. If your bedroom is going to be half the size, you're going to need to give up 50% of the stuff currently in that room.
- Don't pawn your possessions off on your loved ones. When we start to declutter we all have a tendency to think that other people would be lucky to have the stuff that we no longer want. In some cases that may be true, but more often than not we're just cluttering up their homes. Ask your friends and family if they would like to have certain items, but don't pressure anyone into taking anything they don't want. Also, don't just drop by with items that you think they'd like to have. If they really want something they'll let you know.
- Multi-purpose. Look for items that can do dual duty. If you're not sure check out our previous blog post or just google multi-purposes for household items. You'll find tons of inspiration. When buying new pieces for your new smaller home carefully consider how useful each item is versus how much space it will take up. Buying smaller scale pieces will only get you so far. Choosing pieces that fill more than one purpose will be a huge win.
Downsizing is a great way to save on daily living costs. Most of your monthly bills will decrease when you have less square footage. Heating and cooling will cost less. Cleaning your whole house will be a much quicker task. Having less space can actually be very freeing and rewarding. In order to realize all the benefits you need to downsize successfully. Following the tips above is a great way to start. Using Stockpile simple home inventory solution is the icing on the cake. If you already have a home inventory in Stockpile it's easy to see how much stuff you have in each room. Forget guessing how much you have and how many pieces you'll need to get rid of to reach your ideal target. Thanks to Stockpile you'll have concrete numbers at your fingertips.
Often when we get rid of things we forget that we let them go. This can result in countless hours wasted trying to find something that we don't even own anymore. Don't let this spoil your excitement about moving into your new space. If you update your Stockpile records you'll know that you got rid of that item, and where it went in case you really do need it.
Packing up for a move is easier with Stockpile simple home inventory solution. You can actually 'transfer' items from their current location to a moving box and then to their new home within your home. Why stand in your new space scratching your head while you try to figure out which box has what you're looking for. A little careful labeling and good Stockpile records and you'll know right where to look.
Downsizing Is Easy with Stockpile Simple Inventory Solution
Stockpile makes it easy to track your belongings, even when you're on the move. Getting settled in your new home will be a less stressful as well.
Haven't tried Stockpile simple home inventory solution yet? This is the perfect time to get started. Less space and less stuff means it will take you less time to create records for your entire home. Try Stockpile today!
