Your Essential Guide to Downsizing

People make the decision to downsize for all manner of different reasons; whether the kids have moved out and the house is now too big for your needs, the size of the property is proving difficult to maintain or you simply want to move into somewhere smaller, the prospect of downsizing can be quite daunting as you have no choice but to dispose of some of your belongings as they won’t all fit into your new home.

However, to help you with this process, we at Hadley and Ottaway have devised your essential guide to downsizing with an abundance of information, hints and tips to assist in making your move more manageable;

#1- Measure Up

First things first, you need to measure up in your soon-to-be home to determine exactly how much space you have available, which will in turn help you when working out which items and belongings you have no choice but to get rid of. Having a clear understanding of the space in your new home will considerably help further down the line when sorting through your possessions.

#2- Structured Packing

Taking a structured approach to packing is essential as you will need to be much more meticulous than you would if moving to a bigger property. Work on one room at a time to avoid the whole house being strewn with boxes and belongings and develop a sorting system to help you decide on items you want to take with you, those that you are currently unsure about and those that you can definitely get rid of. Use stickers to mark those that are a yes, maybe and a no so you can clearly decipher what your plan is for each item you are sorting.

#3- Consider the Big Items

This is where the measurements of the new home you made earlier will come to fruition as you will easily be able to decide whether or not the big items you own will fit in your smaller property. From the couch and bookcases in the living room to the fridge/freezer in the kitchen and bed and wardrobes in the bedroom, if your current items won’t fit, you’ll have no choice but to replace them with smaller versions.

#4- Be Ruthless

You will find that with downsizing, you do have to be ruthless when deciding the items that you will dispose of. Carefully consider whether you really need particular items, how often you use them and whether they will be suited to your new home especially if you’re downsizing. If you are ruthless, you may even find that you have space in your new property to purchase a few new items to fit in with the style and decor.

#5- Use Space Effectively

When in your new downsized property, it is vital that you use the available space effectively as you will quickly become aware that there is not as much of it as there was in your previous home. With this in mind, be creative with storage by using any available empty space such as under the stairs, in corners of rooms, behind doors and on the walls.

Downsizing can be one of the best lifestyle choices you will make and here at Hadley and Ottaway, we are on hand to help. We can assist throughout the moving process from helping with your packing to storing items you can’t bring yourself to throw away and transporting all of your possessions from your old property to your new home. Give us a call today to benefit from an experienced team who all well versed in all areas of house moving, including downsizing.