People move into smaller homes for a wide variety of reasons. Empty nesters downsize when their kids have grown up and moved out, and retirees move from two-story homes to smaller ranches with safety and mobility in mind. Sometimes, families downsize to save on costs.
No matter your reason for downsizing, adjusting to a smaller living space can be difficult. You can maintain your quality of life in a smaller home, though. Here are 12 tips for downsizing without feeling like you’re losing any space:
1. Keep What Brings You Joy
First and foremost, downsizing should be a freeing experience, not a stressful one. You don’t have to get rid of all of your most precious belongings to downsize successfully. Identify which items truly bring joy and purpose to your life, and allow yourself to keep them. You’ll always find a way to keep the important things in your home.
2. Start Early
Decluttering should start as soon as you decide to transition to a smaller home. Even if you don’t plan to move for another year or two, it’s never too early to start downsizing.
Set a goal to get rid of 10 items per week or to tackle one room per month. Parting ways with your belongings little by little will be far less stressful than having to purge everything within a matter of weeks. It also gives you extra time to think deeply about whether or not you need to keep certain items.
3. Reach Out to Others
You don’t have to downsize on your own. Enlisting the help of your friends, family, or neighbors will make the process feel far less intimidating. Your trusted loved ones can help you stay on task while sorting through your belongings, and they can be a valuable sounding board if you’re debating whether or not to keep something.
Giving your belongings away to friends or family can bring you peace, too. When you know your possessions are going to a loving new home, you’ll find it easier to part ways with them.
4. Get Rid of Duplicates
One of the easiest ways to downsize without feeling like you’re losing things is to get rid of duplicate items. In almost all cases, you only need one of something. If you have multiples of the same tool, kitchen gadget, or personal care item, get rid of the extras. It’s tempting to keep duplicates as backups, but these items are taking up valuable space that could be better used for other purposes.
5. Downsize Your Wardrobe
For many people, decluttering the wardrobe is one of the most painful steps of downsizing. Your wardrobe is a reflection of your personality and style, and clothes can carry a lot of sentimental value.
However, downsizing your wardrobe can be freeing if you approach it in the right way. If you haven’t worn something in a year, you probably don’t need to keep it. Let go of clothes that don’t fit or clothes that you’re waiting to come back into style. Keep the items that you love and look good in, and you’ll have a smaller but more curated wardrobe that makes you feel great.
6. Switch From Paper to Digital
Paper can be a huge source of clutter, especially when it has accumulated for years and years. Going through all your documents is tedious, but it will free up a ton of space and help you stay organized.
Digitize as much as you can to free up space in your file cabinet. Switch from a paper calendar or planner to a digital one, and have your bills delivered by email instead of snail mail.
7. Go for Quality Over Quantity
With all of your belongings, choosing quality over quantity will help you avoid feelings of loss when downsizing. For instance, you might end up with fewer dishes in your kitchen cabinets, but if all your remaining dishes are sturdy, practical, and frequently used, your kitchen will feel more functional overall. The same goes for hair and makeup products, clothing, towels, and home decor.
8. Use Multi-Functional Furniture
Furniture that serves multiple purposes is vital when moving into a smaller living space. For example, you might have to sacrifice having a guest bedroom when downsizing, but you could purchase a sleeper sofa so that guests can still stay in your home.
Storage ottomans are another great investment when downsizing. They can function as seats, footrests, tables, and storage space for blankets, toys, or any other items you want to hide away in your living room.
9. Get Creative With Storage
Finding clever solutions for storage will help you avoid clutter and chaos when moving into a smaller home. One of the best things you can do to maximize storage space is to think vertically. Install tall shelves, store items on top of your kitchen cabinets, or install hanging racks on your doors. Most of these areas would probably go unused otherwise, so turn them into opportunities for storage.
10. Use Temporary Storage
While the long-term goal should be to get rid of your unneeded items, a temporary storage pod or storage unit could come in handy while downsizing. You might not know whether or not you’ll need certain items, or you may just not feel ready to part with something yet.
Putting items in temporary storage gives you a chance to try living without them while you adjust to your new house. If an entire year goes by without you needing something, you can get rid of it.
11. Reduce Your Consumption
Once you’ve successfully downsized and moved to your new home, it’s important to keep up with an organized and clutter-free lifestyle. Reducing your consumption and avoiding purchasing unnecessary items is the best way to stay happy and comfortable in a smaller space.
When you feel the desire to buy something nonessential, wait a few days before making the purchase to see if the impulse fades away. Avoid buying duplicates or purchasing things “just in case,” and look for high-quality items that are made to last.
12. Focus on the Positives
Living in a smaller space offers plenty of benefits, and focusing on the positives will help you adjust to the lifestyle change. A smaller home is easier to clean and less expensive to maintain. If you move again in the future, packing will be much simpler. Many people find that living with less reduces their stress and anxiety and improves their overall quality of life.
Downsizing requires some sacrifice, but the results will be worth it. If you declutter and organize carefully, you can move to a smaller home without feeling like you’re giving up any space. If you keep only the things you love and make the most of the space you have, you’ll settle into your new home in no time.