In many cases, those who want to
transition to independent living facilities find that they can't bring all
their belongings along. If you are in such a situation, then you have to
downsize before you move. Downsizing is not an event but rather a process. Here
are some tips to help you downsize.
Downsize Gradually
Many people struggle to downsize.
You might have the same problem if you have accumulated many things over the
years and have grown attached to them. You might especially struggle if you
leave the job until the last minute when you want to move.
Start early, as early as a few years
if possible, to make the job easy. For example, if you want to move after your
retirement, start to downsize three or two years prior to your retirement.
Don't accumulate more stuff you won't need during retirement and get rid of
superfluous stuff you already own.
Eliminate Rooms You Won't Have
One of the best ways to downsize is
to get rid of the things that belong in rooms you currently have but won't have
in your new home. That way, you won't struggle with where to put the items, and
you won't clutter your new home.
For example, if you have a workshop
but won't have one in your new home, get rid of the items in your workshop. If
you have a gaming room now but won't have one in your new home, get rid of the
items in your gaming room. Otherwise, you might be tempted to squeeze them in your
bedroom (or any other room) and clutter your new home.
Eliminate Duplicates
Another decluttering tip is to get
rid of duplicate items. This tip works great if you don't need more than one
item. For example:
- You can get rid of one bicycle
if you have more than one
- You can get rid of a pool table
if you have two
- If you have four kitchen pots,
but you only use two, get rid of the extra couple
Assess the duplicate items and keep
the newest ones or the ones in the best conditions.
Digitize If Possible
Physical or analog items usually
occupy more space than digital items. You can save an enormous space if you
digitize your items. Below are some of the items you can digitize:
- Cassettes
- Pictures
- Documents
A dozen boxes of cassettes can
easily fit into a single thumb drive, computer hard disc, or external hard
drive. You can even upload and save some of the digitized content in the cloud.
Just ensure you don't get rid of critical documents, such as title deeds or
birth certificates, that you will always need hard copies of.
Involve Loved Ones
Involve your loved ones in the
process. For one, the loved ones can help you manage the stress of downsizing.
Secondly, loved ones can help you with the physical effort of downsizing.
Lastly, the loved ones can keep the items you want to get rid of that they
still need. For example, a child who wants to keep their childhood toys can
have them.
Think Long-Term
Lastly, you may be able to get rid
of many things if you think in the long term. Say you won't need your bicycle after
a few months. You can get rid of the bike and save its space for something you
will need in the long run.
Hopefully, the tips above will help
you downsize without much stress. Don't forget to use an experienced and
dedicated real estate company to help you with the transition. Robert
Cottingham Property Management Co has a variety of properties you can use for
your next phase in life. Contact us
today so that we can organize
how to show you the affordable properties we have.
