10 Great Tips for Downsizing to a Smaller Home

We can all be found guilty of holding onto our beloved possessions for longer than we perhaps should do. We keep buying more and more clothes, even though our wardrobes are crammed full and we can’t seem to find it in us to throw away old books, CDs, DVDs and videos, even if we have had them since school and no longer look at them – or even own a video player anymore!

But with 9 out of 10 regions in the UK selling their houses in order to downsize to a smaller property, although moving house can undoubtedly cause stress, one thing this is good for is that it forces us to sort through our past belongings and, for once, finally de-clutter and get rid!

As President of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), Mark Hayward, explains; “In a time of economic uncertainty, downsizing can make a lot of sense, especially for anyone who has an unused spare bedroom, or whose children have flown the nest”. For those of you who are able to relate to this situation of having vacant rooms, then this article may be of some use to you as we reveal 10 great tips for downsizing to a smaller size home…

1) Start as early as you possibly can

Months before your moving date, start sorting through all your belongings. Even if you only spend half an hour a day doing this, it will help ease off the pressure when you have more and more things to be doing the closer to moving day it gets.

2) Be ruthless
If you know you haven’t looked at it, or worn it, played with it, used it etc. in months or years, then there really isn’t much point in keeping it – especially if it holds no sentimental value to you. So try to think with a logical, practical head and ask yourself: do I really need to keep hold of this?

3) Damaged goods

It may be one of your favourite glasses, but if it has a huge chip in it then is there really any point in keeping it? Likewise, if something is stained or broken in any way then it probably isn’t worth keeping. No one will want damaged goods so there’s no point in auctioning it or sending it to the charity shop as they will only put it in the bin.

4) Saying goodbye
If you have a particularly sentimental item that you know you need to part with, but don’t feel 100% comfortable parting with, then take pictures of it. This may sound a bit silly but it can help some people move on yet still remember.

5) Auction Websites

If you find you have cleared out a few things that are actually in really good condition still and could be of interest of someone else, you should consider selling them on an auction website, such as EBay. Generally speaking it’s a quick and efficient way to dispose of your unwanted goods. A word of advice: make sure you package the items up properly to avoid any damage during the journey.

6) Car Boot Sales

This may seem rather old fashioned, but you can’t beat a good car boot sale for getting rid of your unwanted things, and many people still enjoy strolling round them on a Sunday morning. If you’re not too keen on the idea but know that it’s a good way to eliminate clutter, then it’s advisable to do your sale during the summer months rather than the winter when the weather is miserable and people tend to stay indoors and don’t want to be walking round car boot sales in the rain.

7) Donate to charity

If you have a collection of clothes, shoes, bags, books or DVDs that you no longer want but are in a clean and good condition still, then donate them to your chosen charity. If you have a couple of charities close to your heart, then there’s no reason why you can’t split the items up and send them to a few different charities. It’s an excellent cause and will make you feel better as well!

8) Plan Ahead

If you’re going to be buying new furniture that is better suited to your new house – i.e. the smaller room sizes – then remember to allow yourself enough time. Order them well in advance so you will have them ready for the move. You don’t want to find yourself in the unfortunate position of being left with no essential furniture during your first few weeks and having to eat your dinner on the floor!

9) Don’t de-clutter too much

Although it’s advisable to remove as many unwanted items as possible, be careful not to be too ruthless as you can easily end up removing traces of your personality and style from the house and find yourself buying back all the same things you got rid of!

10) The removal professionals

The best way to keep your move simple, well planned and on track is to hire a professional removals company, like Rylands of Manchester, to execute your move from start to finish. From help with clearance, packing, storage and the ‘man and van’ service throughout Manchester, you can put your faith in us.

For more information about our range of removals services, please get in touch with the skilled team here at Rylands of Manchester and let us assist with your downsizing move.