Knowing that you can survive with fewer possessions is one thing. The challenge of actually getting rid of a substantial portion of your possessions is another. Only you can decide what you cannot do without, but the following suggestions can assist you in making an educated choice.
Go through Each Room
According to statistics, an average American owns up to 300,000 items. When you consider the scope of what you have to go through, it’s understandable that you’d be stumped as to where to begin. Instead of rolling up your sleeves and going through your whole house at once, start small. This means, going through rooms, and then specific areas of the room – one by one.
Breaking the process down into smaller, more manageable chunks would make it seem much more manageable. Just make sure you get started early enough that you have enough time to finish it.
Sorting the Objects
When it comes to downsizing for a move, it’s rarely as easy as making a “hold” and “toss” pile. More realistically, as you sort through products, you’ll end up with four different categories:
- 1st category: Things to Keep
- 2nd category: Things to Recycle
- 3rd category: Things to Donate
- 4th category: Things you are uncertain of or are possibly for storage and future use.
Remove any Duplicates
When you find that you have multiples of something, it is almost always shown that you can afford to part with the excess, particularly when it comes to those items you keep “just in case.”
If that “just in case” circumstance has not yet materialized, those extras are least like to be put to use in the future. With that, these are far more likely to end up in your donation pile.
If it doesn’t fit, it’s gotta go
If you’re downsizing your room area as well as your household goods, it’s better to get rid of anything that doesn’t have a designated home than to hope for a place.
If you’re downsizing, this is a sure sign that you need more space for your new home. This is a good rule to follow in general, but it is particularly critical when trying to conserve space. This is especially critical if you’re going to lose substantial storage space.
That said, it’s essential that you put your indoor storage areas like your basement or walk-in closet for things you truly need like emergency items, camping equipment, and the like.
In the video below you will some see some more tips and trick of how to downsize you home.
Ask for Help
Among the factors that contribute to the difficulty of downsizing while moving is the likelihood that many of your belongings are sentimental. The solution is to bring in someone who has no idea what they’re doing. If you enlist the help of a family member or a close friend to support you in your downsizing attempts, you will be able to look at your belongings with a much more serious eye.