Have you ever downsized? In case you haven’t — simply put, downsizing refers to moving to a smaller apartment or home.
Over the last few years, minimalism has become a trend among millennials and others attempting to simplify their lives as a reaction to the fast-paced, cluttered lives that we lead. People also downsize in order to use fewer natural resources. Or, they’d just like to focus and compartmentalize their lives based on their top priorities.
No matter what, downsizing requires a lot of organization. This post will give you a few tips on how to make downsizing easier. Read on for more!
This process can be difficult. After determining how much space you’ll have in your new place, you’ll probably realize that you need to get rid of a lot of your stuff.
The easiest way to make these decisions is to plan ahead. If you intend to toss or donate your excess personal items, you should give yourself plenty of time to track how much you actually use the things that you own. Observe the parts of your wardrobe that you didn’t touch for a month, six months, or a year. Do the same thing for the items in every room.
Which kitchen utensils haven’t been touched? What furniture hasn’t been used? Do you notice any items on your grocery list that you regularly don’t end up using?
After creating this list, bite the bullet and be ruthless about de-cluttering your space. Give away what you can and toss the rest.
This is pretty simple. Make sure you have exact measurements of every room in your new place. There’s no bigger pain than realizing your furniture won’t fit after you bring it up three flights of stairs.
This is a slightly different process than de-cluttering your home.
Imagine yourself in an emergency scenario — any other situation where you have to leave your house with a very limited amount of time to prepare. Or, simply keep the term “bare necessities” in mind as you meticulously take an inventory of your possessions.
These are the kinds of items to hold onto:
Another trick, suggested by House Beautiful Magazine, is to categorize your possessions and ask yourself this question about every category: “If I could only take 5 of these with me, which 5 would I take?”
The maximum number of items may change depending on the category. For example, a 3-item cap on paintings makes more sense than a 3-item cap on forks.
Moving to a new place is an exciting event. It’s a time for a fresh start, and sometimes we get carried away with trying to reinvent ourselves by changing our surroundings.
Something you want to avoid is buying items to complement your new home — and the “new you” — that end up ruining all the hard work you’ve done to de-clutter and optimize your use of space. For more tips on avoiding unnecessary purchases, check out this guide from Nationwide.
After all, it’s important to remember that “downsizing” means your home will be smaller. And you may have many reasons for your new lifestyle, but part of the process is acknowledging that you can’t fit everything you currently own into your downsized living space.
Contact us today to learn about our wide variety of locations and amenities, and let us help you find the perfect home in one of our gated apartment communities!
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
