This year, you probably have a few things you want to bring into your home. New appliances, furniture, and wall decorations can replace their old counterparts and give you a fresh start. You might find items you want to remove for good, or you may even decide to move into a smaller space. Downsizing has become extremely popular over the years and has helped many people remove physical and mental clutter to make room for new furniture and experiences. If you want to make the switch, here’s what you should keep in mind to simplify the process.
What to Toss
When you move from a big house to a smaller one, it’s almost certain that you’ll have to get rid of some of your belongings to accommodate the reduced storage space. That being said, there’s no need to take the extreme minimalist approach to figure out what you want to bring into your new place. Sure, you’ll want to keep the basics and necessities, but you should also allow yourself to take important items like art supplies, musical instruments, and skin care products.
The extent of downsizing will vary from person to person, so if cutting your belongings down to the bare necessities is what you’re looking to do, start there. Otherwise, it’s fine to throw away things that no longer serve a purpose for you, and things that are no longer usable.
Size of the New Living Space
If you’re moving to a new space, you should have a good idea of how much room you’ll have for kept belongings. Know how many items you have and where they’ll fit. This will allow you to start deciding the overall layout of your new home. If you can start moving in slowly, it’s ideal to move large pieces like furniture and dressers in. Even if you can’t, a sketch or a mental note should do the trick.
New Wants vs. Needs
Before you start going through your belongings, it’s important to take note of your current wants and needs for your new living space. They may have changed from previous years, or you may find things in your house that you knew you wanted but didn’t realize you had all along. Knowing what you’d like to keep helps make the downsizing and decluttering decisions easier. Even items that no longer serve you immediately might have a purpose that aligns with what you have planned for your home.
Your wants and needs can also extend to what you’re looking for mentally. Some people want to get rid of everything and start fresh, while others may want to keep most of their belongings and find inventive ways to adapt them to their new lifestyles. Either way, understanding what fits with your current mentality in the new year can help simplify the downsizing process.
How Much Time to Downsize
There’s no need to rush the process. If you have enough time before your move-in, approach the process slowly. In some cases, downsizing can also mean using up what you already have before tossing it. Reusing an item for another purpose is also a great way to slowly remove clutter and give you time to think about what you want to keep and remove.
Where Your Old Things Will Go
Throwing your unwanted items in the bin is an easy way to clear out your inventory, but there are other ways to give them a longer life span. You can always donate old clothes and toys, bring pantry items to a food drive, and sell furniture through online markets. How you choose to give your old stuff away will depend on factors like time and location, so take a moment to look around your area to see who might be willing to take things off your hands.