Here are some tips to decluttering your life before moving into a smaller home.
Assess Your Current Possessions
Before you start packing, take a good look at all of your belongings. What do you love and is a must keep? Determine what is no longer needed. Get dimensions of your new home and floor plans to determine what will fit nicely in your new space.
Time to Let Go
One of the most challenging aspects of downsizing is letting go of all those items you’ve accumulated over the years. Tr the 4 box method, “Keep”, “Donate”, “Sekk”, and “Trash”. As you go through belongings, this tool will help ensure you aren’t keeping unnecessary items. I like the “1 year” method; If you haven’t used the item in over a year, do you really need it? This rule is especially useful for clothing, kitchen items, and tools/supplies. Marie Kondo’s method asks you whether each item sparks joy in your life. If not, maybe it’s time to let it go. This method emphasizes only keeping those items that bring happiness in your life.
Sell and Donate
Once you have decided what to let go of, this is a great time to schedule that yard sale. We now have lots of other options that work as well, like Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji. These sites allow you to reach a large market and potentially help you make a nice profit on your unwanted items. For donations, look for local charities, shelters, and thrift stores. Organizations, like Goodwill, Habitat and Salvation Army are often looking for items and some offer free pickup, making it even easier to donate.
Adapt to a Smaller Space
Downsizing offers an excellent opportunity to enhance a minimalist lifestyle. Minimalism is about focusing on what truly matters and eliminating excess items in your space. This doesn’t mean you have to live with the bare minimum, rather, be intentional about what ou purchase and put in your space. Be mindful of your purchases, ask yourself if you have space for this in your home, and do you love it? Experience over material goods encourages you to shift your focus from accumulating items to creating memories!