Downsizing Before a Move
By Jane Hodges
When Dave Brewer and his three sisters began talking to their octogenarian
father about his move from the 3,000-square foot family homestead to a
one-bedroom apartment in a senior living facility, they knew that their father’s
transition would take some work. Fortunately, the physical move wasn’t too
complicated (Brewer has three siblings so plenty of help was on hand), and their
father’s emotions about the move weren’t ambivalent. But because he’d been in
the home so long, culling what belongings to take, leave and sell was
complicated.
“The house was filled with furniture and collectibles accumulated over the
years, some of which came from his late wife, and he didn’t know where to start
in terms of dealing with it,” Brewer said. “So, with his permission, we divided
some of the family furniture amongst ourselves and then held multiple estate
sales for non-sentimental items. He was relieved when we started handling it.”
The Brewer family handled the move in stages. The most important thing was to
help their father get established with furnishings he wanted and needed in his
new space. Beyond that, the grown children dealt with the larger household
separately over a period of several months.
If you’re considering
downsizing from a large home to a smaller one because you’ve reached your
senior years, are now an empty nester with grown kids, or because you’re moving
from the suburbs or small city to a more-expensive urban area, there are several
ways to make the transition easier both emotionally and logistically. Here’s a
look at how to get organized for a smooth transition.
Why Are You Making the Change?
People downsize for many reasons—economic, philosophical, professional or
because they’ve encountered a life stage where trading more space for less makes
sense. Ask yourself why you’re making the change, and remind yourself of the
positive benefits of the downsizing so that these benefits guide your thinking.
This can be especially helpful if you’re moving with other family members who
may regret losing some of their space.
Downsizing for economic reasons? Remind yourself that while you’re losing
space you’re gaining disposable income by reducing your housing payment or
utility bills. Downsizing to relocate for a job or to get a shorter commute?
Remind yourself of the newfound free time you’ll gain.
Downsizing to
move from country to city? Remind yourself that the city is your new
“outdoor room”—a yard you never have to maintain—and that you will be closer to
cultural amenities than before.
Downsizing to a senior property? Remind yourself that you’ll be able to relax
and worry less about home maintenance.
If you’re downsizing for philosophical reasons—perhaps you want to live in a
smaller space because it consumes less energy—remind yourself that your smaller
home footprint home helps you achieve your personal goal to
shrink your carbon footprint, too.
Clear Out Clutter
Start your downsizing process as early as possible by identifying belongings
you’re ready, willing and able to discard. First, ask family members or friends
if they’re interested in taking the belongings. Set a date for a yard sale if
you want to sell some items. Then, turn to charitable organizations that haul
items away or to the Internet, such as
Freecycle to eliminate
the rest.
Even if you’re moving temporarily—say for a few years—to a smaller property,
it’s good to do a thorough clutter-clearing so you don’t spend money moving
furniture or belongings you didn’t want in the first place. But keep in mind you
can always rent a storage facility for sentimental or important items that
simply won’t fit in a new space or if you’re saving them for your children’s
future homes etc.
Accept the Change: Remove, Replace, Restart
After you’ve parted ways with belongings that were easy to discard, the hard
part comes: You may also need to give up some possessions that you don’t want to
forgo. It’s far harder to part with items you’re attached to than to “junk.” To
make the task easier, ask yourself if the item you’re loathe to leave behind
solves a problem you’ll no longer have at the new place by answering these
questions:
- Do I really need this item in my new space? If you’ve
got a 50-inch plasma TV that once fit in a large basement rec
room, and your new den in a condo or apartment is only 12 feet
by 12 feet, could a smaller flat-screen TV sufficiently replace
it?
- Can I replace this item with a smaller or different
version so its function is replaced in my new space? For
instance, if your former home had room for a separate guest room
with its own bed and you won’t have a guest room in your new
space, could a sleep sofa or futon in a den replace that bed and
provide the function of the guest room?
- Will I use this item as often in my new space? If
you’re losing a one-acre lot and moving to a smaller piece of
land, maybe that riding lawnmower isn’t necessary and a smaller
mower would work. Or maybe your neighborhood has a shared “tool
library” where residents share yard and hardware gear.
When in Doubt, Consider Storage
Not everyone who moves and downsizes in the process has time to cull their
belongings properly. Rather than hastily pitch sentimental or valuable
belongings because of a tight moving schedule you do have the option to place
them in storage. (That said, you will have to deal with those items eventually,
so don’t let storage become an excuse for this exercise.)
And not every downsizing is permanent: If you’re downsizing
temporarily—perhaps going to another city for a work assignment for a few years,
or heading off to graduate school and planning to return home, divorcing and
planning to move to a larger place again in the future—you may want to store
your belongings in a professional, climate-controlled environment or at a family
member’s or friend’s.
Hire Pros Before or After the Move
Depending on your age, life stage and reasons for moving, there are several
types of professionals who can help you make the transition to a smaller space.
Consider talking to these types of professionals to make your move smoother:
- Professional organizer: Professional
organizers specialize in helping people prioritize their
belongings and create more intuitive organization. They can help
you cull items to discard or help identify new ways to organize
before or after a move.
- Real estate agents: If you’re
downsizing because you’ve retiring or aging, consider working
with an agent certified as a Senior Real Estate Specialist
(Create link from underlined text to:
http://www.seniorsrealestate.com). If you’re looking to
downsize for environmental or philosophical reasons, consider
hiring an “eco-broker” who helps clients find sustainable
properties.
- Closet organizers: Once you’ve
arrived at your new, smaller-footprint home, you may find you
need to rethink how you store your belongings so they all fit
comfortably in your space. A professional closet organizer or
closet organizer system company can offer you options, or a trip
to a storage-focused retailer could help you start visualizing
the possibilities.
- Interior space redesigner: Can’t
decide how to layout your belongings in a smaller space?
Consider employing space-maximizing decorators known as
“interior space redesign” professionals, who typically charge by
the hour to help you organize the belongings you already in
intuitive ways.
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