Are you ready for downsizing your home, but not sure where to start? Is clutter driving you crazy? Would you think clearer and work more efficiently if only you could find the space? Here are some top tips that will show you how to downsize successfully – from getting organised, to finding a secure self storage unit, to getting in touch with a reliable moving company.
1. Plan your new home
This is the fun, inspiring bit! Downsizing your home means you get to come up with a brand new interior for every room, if you want to. So, go ahead and enjoy the creative process. Rather than worrying and getting anxious, have fun. Throw around ridiculous ideas, contemplate unusual solutions, ask friends’ for opinions and stories, and check out the latest, greatest concepts from Australia’s best rated interior designers. Have a good think about what your dream home would look like and play with getting your new, downsized home as close to your vision as possible. Don’t hold back – the hard work is coming up next!
2. Make a list
Once you’re done playing at being the next Kelly Wearstler, you’ll need to get your head organised. The easiest way to do this is by making a list. Well, two lists, actually. On one, write down all the items you’re planning on keeping in your home. On the other, write down the ones you can live without. Not sure how to decide? 19th century poet William Morris’s advice might help. He famously said, ““Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” Walk around your home and consider each item in light of this tip.
3. Make another list
Once you’ve divided the necessities from the optionals, it’ll be time to sort out the latter group further, into objects you’re going to banish from your life for good and those you’re going to put into a self storage unit temporarily. Using self storage can make downsizing your home much easier – because it means you don’t have to worry about saying goodbye to well-loved items for good.
Reputable storage companies can also provide packaging supplies to protect your possessions during transport and storage.
4. Organise a schedule
Like writing a novel, downsizing is better executed in chapters, rather than in one, long, continuous go. After all, it’s a seriously big project, especially if you haven’t moved anything for years. So, give yourself a deadline (at least three months in advance of your move and longer, if possible), and organise a schedule around it. Commit a regular slot of time, be it daily or weekly, and plan to work through one room at a time. Are you the kind of person who has trouble disciplining yourself? Set the clock, work for an hour at a time without distraction, and give yourself a reward.
5. Find the right moving company
Everyone’s heard more than their fair share of horror moving stories, from broken and lost items to rude, unhelpful staff members. So, be careful who you employ. For a start, it’s a mistake to go for the quickest, cheapest or nearest option, just because it seems easy. Instead, ask friends – word of mouth can be the best recommendation – and do some research, by reading reviews online. When it comes to finding the best removalists, it’s crucial to use a company that is experienced and respected, to ensure your peace of mind. Downsizing your home can be stressful enough, without dealing with incompetent or careless movers.
Are you in the middle of downsizing your home? Do you have some how to downsize tips that you’d like to share with our readers? Let us know.
