Downsizing: Where to Start
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When it comes to downsizing an entire lifetime of items in your home, the task can feel very overwhelming. By breaking down the project into bite-sized tasks, downsizing will become much more manageable.
Be sure to ask (and answer!) a few important questions as you get started: Are you moving with young children? Are you moving nearby or across the country? Will you have overnight guests in your new home? Will you be working or retired when you downsize? Having clear goals in mind will make the entire process that much easier and will help to guide you as you decide what to keep and what to discard.
Once your family is ready to get the decluttering process started, Living. Simplified. recommends decluttering your home by category. What does that mean? Choose a specific item in the home to declutter and focus only on that particular item until you have decided what items you want to move with you and what items you are ready to donate or sell.
Categories that you might have in your home may include the following:
Paperwork
Electronics
Kitchen
Toiletries
Clothing and Footwear
Memorabilia
Toys
Artwork
Pet Supplies
Sports Equipment
Large Appliances
Musical Instruments
Home Décor
Tools
Holiday Decorations
Hobby Supplies
Outdoor Furniture
Cleaning Supplies
Lawn and Garden Equipment
Of course, you might not have musical instruments in your home or pets in your home. What’s important is the concept that you should focus on decluttering one area at a time. By gathering all of your holiday décor, you’ll be able to make reasonable decisions as to what to keep. This same process should be applied to all the categories of items you own, all with the goal of having a smooth and easy transition to your new, smaller home.
More Organizing Ideas
Need even more ideas on how to organize your home? Living. Simplified. is ready to help. Take a look at these blog posts or send us an email at lauren@livingsimplified.net and we can work together to reach your organizing and decluttering goals:
3 Tips On How To Store Your Holiday Décor