Downsizing the Family Home

There are different reasons for downsizing the family home. They may be of a financial or organizational/practical nature, but one way or the other: Downsizing the family home into a smaller version can be a challenge. It also comes with various benefits, so let us have a look at both aspects.

Tips for downsizing the family home

Downsizing, naturally, comes with a decrease in available space. This means less room for furniture and appliances, and maybe less closet space or less garage/storage space.

One of the first things to consider is what to do with the current furniture: It is likely that you cannot fit all of your old furniture into the downsized space. This means you might need to reduce the number of pieces to take with you. You also need to check the measurements of the furniture you are planning to keep to make sure it fits within the room measurements of the new home:

• Will the big sectional still fit in the new family room?
• Will the new master bedroom be big enough for the bed plus nightstands?
• Where will my large holiday decorations be stored?

Once you have more clarity about the furniture you can keep, you should also get a better idea about what to do with the smaller items.

One way or another, you will probably need to make quite a few decisions about decluttering/purging your home to get rid of some things.

It makes sense to do the main part of decluttering before the move into the new place. We have written a series of blog posts about the subject of decluttering before a move. There you can find useful information about what and how to purge before a move.

While we strongly recommend letting go of some of the items that have accumulated in your old place for years, we realize that this is not always easy and sometimes only possible up to a certain amount. In some cases, an external storage facility (e.g. self-storage for rent) can provide an interim solution for such a situation.

When it comes to smaller items, a clever and well-organized use of the available storage space can make a lot of difference. Little helpers like vacuum storage bags and container for under the bed, and even space-saving folding techniques for your clothes are just a few of the possible options.

The benefits of downsizing

There are many good reasons for downsizing the family home, even when it is not an actual necessity:

• Option to get a home for the same price, but in a better location and/or better amenities
• Less work and/or costs for the cleaning, upkeep and maintenance
• Decreasing the mortgage payments and getting debt-free
• Freeing up cash for increased financial flexibility, new investments, travels or an earlier retirement etc.

Keep in mind: When it comes to actually moving your belongings into your new home, a competent and efficient moving company can do much to make your move go as smoothly as possible. Contact us for more information and a free quote.

Further reading:

https://www.wikihow.com/Downsize-Your-Home

https://www.daveramsey.com/blog/3-money-smart-reasons-to-downsize