Your Stress-reducing Guide to Decluttering & Downsizing with Style and Grace
It’s likely indicative of my age and where I am in life, but it seems that more and more of my peers and those in my age group are actively downsizing or getting ready to do so. After spending so much of our lives upsizing, we’re now headed down the other side. In our 20s we left college and moved into our first apartments. From there we married and, as we began having children, moved into our “starter” homes which we quicky outgrew as our families expanded and upsized into homes that could comfortably accommodate our busy, varied, active lifestyle. And then life, as life does, begins to shift again and we find that we no longer need such large spaces as our children grow, leave for college and then on to begin lives of their own, moving into their first nests.
Whether you’re downsizing for the first or second time, whether your children are just leaving the nest or have long been out and have families of their own, or whether you’re downsizing due to the death of a spouse or divorce, I have designed this guide to make the transition to a smaller home easier and less stressful.
I’m in my early 50s and I first downsized 8 years ago after my divorce. I downsized again this past fall, from a small house to a condo, in order to simplify my life and curtail my expenses. Condo living, for me - at this stage of my life - is ideal. I have one at home on a full time basis and the older two who are off at college are really only around on the occasional weekend and holidays. I love not having to worry about yard and lawn upkeep, raking, snow removal, etc. And because I’m in a building my utilities have decreased substantially. This lifestyle may not be forever, but for now it’s perfect.
Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. – William Morris
I had been thinking of the second downsize for about a year before I actually moved and so there were steps that I took well in advance of the move that certainly helped.
Below are tips that should help ease your stress level from well in advance and through the move itself.
Downsizing and Decluttering Image Lonny June 2019
6-12 months before your move
Start decluttering - Walk through your home, room by room, and start looking for things to toss.
Get rid of the small stuff first - magazines, mail, unnecessary paperwork, etc.
Try to throw away 10 things every day. I try to subscribe to this daily, even post move. It really helps to keep the clutter in check.
As you make your way through the smaller stuff work up to larger items.
Take inventory of what you have.
Get rid of duplicates.
Track how often you use things.
Discard the things that you don’t use regularly - Start by purging drawers throughout your home. From bathrooms to bedrooms to kitchens, drawers tend to be catch-alls. Walk through the house with a large garbage bag.
Purge closets for clothes and other items that are no longer used or have been outgrown.
Donate, sell, toss or recycle these items.
We tend to collect books. Sift through your collection. Are there books that have no meaning, that you won’t read again, that are simply taking up shelf space? If they’re in good shape donate these books to places like Goodwill, schools, or pass them on to friends. Please don’t throw books away!
Eliminate rooms that you won’t have in your new home. Will you lose a dining room or guest room? Consider selling and donating items that won’t fit. Keep in mind that you may be able to repurpose some of these items. Perhaps a den will also become a makeshift office, dining or guest room.
Organize family photos, kids artwork, awards, trophies, etc. Toss duplicates and items you don’t want to hang on to. Carefully package up the rest. I suggest starting this 6-12 months in advance, because this can be a slow process. It’s fun to sit among the boxes and revisit old memories.
Most importantly, STOP ACQUIRING NEW ITEMS!
3-6 months before your move
Continue your purging by creating 3 categories for your items:
Yes, Maybe and No.For the No pile donate and/or toss the items you no longer want or need.
Repeat the same with the Maybe pile.
NOTE: If you are unsure with what to do with your Maybe pile, put said items aside and pack them up. While you don’t want to move too many of these items, I found that I had over purged and ended up needing to replace some of the items that I had tossed.
Start planning garage and yard sales as well as other means of selling your items, such as Ebay, etsy, Poshmark, etc
If you plan on placing items in storage now is the time to do so.
Now’s the time to tackle the items in the garage and basement that haven’t been gone through. Boxes of items stored? When was the last time these boxes were opened? If you’ve forgotten about them or haven’t missed them now’s the time to donate and toss.
Will you have a basement or garage in your new residence? If not, get rid of items you won’t need or have room for such as cans of paints, hoses, and large items that you’ll have trouble storing.
If you’re moving to a condo complex or apartment building you can donate items that you have used for landscaping and yard maintenance such as rakes, shovels, snow blowers, ice melt, large bags of potting soil. There will be plenty of people happy to take these off your hands.
1-3 months before your move
Start enlisting family and friends to help
Start gifting valuable items to family
Now is the time enlist and hire professionals
Price out and book your moving company
Meet with stagers and organizers to help your sorting and downsizing process
Visit your new home to get the floorplan
Measure your items in advance
Donate, store or sell furniture and larger items that won’t be moving.
Consider the details of your new home (are you moving to a smaller house, to an apartment or condo) to see which pieces of furniture and larger items will fit and make arrangements for those pieces that won’t be moving.
For those looking to update the look of their home now is the perfect opportunity to do so.
If you plan on purchasing new furniture start with the essentials - beds, sofas, etc., so that you can design your space as you settle in.
Line up a cleaning crew to clean up after the move.
Begin purging the kitchen. Go through pantry and refrigerator and toss all items that are near or past their expiration date. Toss items that are half used and that won’t be moving.
1-2 weeks before the move use up as many perishables as possible. Clear out the freezer.
Start packing up kitchen items and all non-essential household items.
Your Stress-reducing Guide to Decluttering & Downsizing with Style and Grace
1-3 weeks before the move
This is always the most stressful time. You’ll likely start to get very emotional as memories start flooding in. You’re likely to be exhausted and emotionally drained as well as a bit discombobulated with your life now dispersed in box upon box.
Make sure you have a support system in place so that you’re not doing this all by yourself. There will be emotional days ahead, especially if you’re doing this alone.
Make sure you set aside time for yourself to unwind and relax. Don’t use the move as an excuse not to go to the gym. You’ll find that your regular workouts will both energize you and help keep you calm.
Keep some nice clothes set aside so that you can socialize. It’s too easy to get trapped into the Moving Bubble. Enjoy some much deserved time away from the house.
Rely on takeout and UberEats if you are able. Don’t use these as excuses to eat poorly. Some great healthy takeout options are:
Sushi
Poke bowls
Salads/Soups
Personal sized pizza - forgo the large and get individual servings and pair with a salad
Chicken/turkey/veggie burgers (opt for sweet potato fries over French Fries)
If going with Chinese go for the steamed options and brown rice
2-3 days before the move
Pack an overnight bag that you can easily access for toiletries, sleepwear and clothes for the day after the move.
Make sure that the boxes you’ll need to unpack first are well marked and easy to get to
Go to the bank to get tip money for the moving crew
Have bottles of water and snacks on hand for the moving crew
Breathe
The big day!
Relax and start looking forward to your new, simpler, easier life!