Downsizing your belongings and your life takes hard work and time, but when you get into the groove, it feels amazing once it is done.
People downsize for multiple reasons, such as moving into a smaller home. Even looking for a smaller home can help you downsize because you know what you want. If you want to move to the sun and fun, you can look for smaller Las Vegas Houses for Sale so you can downsize and save money to spend on western adventures.
Whatever your objective is for downsizing, getting rid of materials has many benefits. Here are some tips on how to get started.
- Start Small
When you start decluttering, it’s important not to stress yourself out. Instead, set aside some time over the weekend to focus on one room at a time. Begin by sorting through your belongings, keeping only the things you truly need and that bring value to your life. If you come across old items that serve no purpose and are simply taking up space, you may consider reaching out to a residential junk removal company to rent a roll-off dumpster for their disposal. As for items that are still in good condition but no longer needed, donating them to an orphanage or a charity home can not only help others in need but can also simplify your space.
Now comes the cleaning part! Naturally, while sorting through your belongings, things can get a bit messy, and the room may become dirty. So, be prepared for a thorough post-cleaning session to restore order and freshness to the room. If you find it challenging to handle all the cleaning and organizing by yourself, consider seeking assistance from Atlanta house cleaning services (or a similar company), which can help save you time and effort. It’s important to remember that decluttering can be a lengthy process, so don’t feel discouraged if it takes longer than expected. Keep in mind that the end result will be worth it!
- Make Definitive Decisions
As you go along, what you decide stays, stays, and what you decide goes, goes. Don’t even start a “maybe pile” because one, it creates more work and two, it just turns into a larger keep pile. Make your decisions definitive and maintain your momentum. Even for something as big as selling your home, if you think it’s necessary, you should do it. Start looking at companies like Crawford Home Buyers who can provide a quick deal, and also start making plans for a smaller home purchase.
- Expect Emotions
You may get emotional as you go through your belongings and that is perfectly fine. It can be difficult to part with your children’s artwork or family heirlooms. In case your new home does not have enough space to store these items, you can hire Storage Post (or a similar firm) for the storage of these items in their large warehouses.
- Go Digital
You don’t have to dispose of family photos and memories to downsize your life. You can scan those photos and save them to an external hard drive. Or, if you like having the actual photo, make photo albums of the most important ones, and you scan or discard the other ones that are on the backburner.
- Paperless Billing
This a move that is always asked when you pay bills online, and checking yes can save you a lot of space. Eliminate clutter by having a spreadsheet of your bills and scanning them into documents on a hard drive.
- The One-Year Rule
If you haven’t used or worn a particular item in the last year, you are unlikely going to use it in the next, which means you are unlikely going to use it all. Be realistic and ask yourself what you use and what you need now and in the future. Keep items that serve a specific purpose and will prevent you from spending unnecessary money in the future, but get rid of items that you just don’t use or try on and never wear because they never look right.
