Now’s the time to sweat the small stuff
Downsizing to a smaller home requires starting the organizing and decluttering process at least a month before your move to sort through belongings without stress.
You can measure your furniture against your new space to confirm what fits comfortably, helping you sell or donate oversized pieces before moving day.
Adopting a decluttering method like KonMari or the Four Box approach gives you a clear system for deciding which belongings to keep, donate, or discard.
Hiring a local moving company provides support with packing timelines and logistics, making your transition to a smaller space smoother and less overwhelming.
So, you’ve bought or signed a lease for a smaller home, and now you’re stressing over how to fit eight rooms-worth of furniture and personal belongings into a four-room space. First, take a deep breath. Moving can be stressful, and it’s even more difficult when you must downsize in preparation to move into a smaller home.
That said, you can make the process easier with a bit of organization, planning, and a few tips from the tiny home community. Read on to learn our top tips for streamlining and simplifying the downsizing process.
The key to any successful move is pushing aside procrastination and starting the packing process early. You’ll need time to go through all your things, so start the decluttering and organizing process at least a month before you need to move. It also helps to create a schedule and block off chunks of time to work through different rooms in the house.
Will your four-piece sectional fit in your new home? The only way to find out is to measure it and compare it to your new space. This step is especially important for a downsizing move, since you’ll likely be filling smaller rooms than your current home. You should sell or donate anything that won’t fit comfortably in your new digs.
Adopt a decluttering method when parting ways with items you no longer use or love. If this process sounds wholly unappealing to you, consider hiring a professional organizer. Here are a few of the most popular decluttering tactics:
KonMari: Choose the items that bring you joy, and declutter everything else. Marie Kondo suggests working through each item by type, such as pulling out every pair of shoes, and spending a moment with each pair, considering if they still bring you happiness.
Minimalist Game: On the first day of a month, declutter one item. On day two, declutter two, and so on. By the end of the month (assuming it is 31 days long and you play the game every day), you will have removed 496 things from your home.
Four Box: Label four boxes as “put away,” “give away,” “throw away,” and “undecided.” Place items from your home in each of the boxes, process them based on their label, and continue throughout the house. Avoid using the “undecided” box as much as possible as it can create a clutter feedback loop.
Packing Party: This method takes the decluttering from your hands and gets you ready for a move. Invite friends over and pack everything you own into boxes. For the next month or two, only take out things you need; anything that still remains in the boxes at the end of the set period gets sold or donated.
Now that you have boxes full of unwanted things, what should you do with them? Here are some ideas:
Donate: Local charities and thrift stores should accept any clothing or household items in good condition.
Host a garage sale: If you have some items of value, it might be worth holding a garage sale to make a few extra bucks. Items often in demand at garage sales include furniture, children’s toys and clothing, power tools, and lawn equipment.
Sell online: If you don’t want to deal with a yard sale, sell things online on Craigslist, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace.
Give to family: If some items hold sentimental value for your family, consider giving them to your siblings, kids, or another family member to hang onto for safekeeping.
During the process of downsizing, commit to not buying any new or unnecessary things. This method also goes for gifts: If your friends and family are eager to give you something for your birthday, ask them to take you out for a nice dinner instead of adding more objects to your space.
In this day and age, you can easily digitize Important documents and photographs to save significant space and clutter. Start by scanning necessary paperwork and saving them to your computer (make sure to back up the hard drive!) and buy a digital photo frame to display your photographs in your new home after they’ve also been properly scanned and saved.
Going through an entire home of items can be emotionally exhausting and bring up all kinds of memories—happy, sad, and everything in between. Give yourself time to process these emotions and enjoy your final days in your current home before moving on to your next chapter.
My furniture was delivered today, and the whole move went smoothly. The final cost matched the original quote with no extra charges. The movers were friendly, professional, and handled everything with care. Even after the long distance, everything arrived in perfect condition. I’m very happy...
Moving of AmericaShowed up on time and cleaned carpets well, but didn?t move furniture.
Voda Cleaning & Restoration of ColumbusA reliable team for moves across state. My switch to a new place needed careful lifting through tight hallways. The movers checked the doorway first, then carried heavier pieces with slow, controlled movements. Their patience helped prevent damage, and I?d choose them again.
**Would rate a 0 if i could** NEVER USE THIS COMPANY!!!!! They shattered my tv console and dresser, lost a mirror, and never finished the move. The broken furniture cost me over $600 to replace. They left me with 6+ hours of personal labor moving my 1BR apartment, when I was quoted a FULL...
All My Sons Moving & StorageI could not have moved without the help of Jen Stover! I was in my house for nearly 20 years, so the thought of clearing it out while working full time was overwhelming. Jen takes great joy in sorting and organizing while asking the hard questions with patience and compassion. Jen is...
Go and Stow Home OrganizingExcellent experience for me! They helped me a lot with my move. very reasonable price. Good communication with the office manager is excellent.
Goodview Moving and StorageI was concerned about my possessions safety throughout the move but Bridge View Van Lines took all necessary security measures to make sure everything arrived in mint shape I am really appreciative of their effort and commitment They made my long distance move seem simple
Bridgeview Van LinesThis moving company is the best in Columbus, Ohio! They rescued me when my movers didnâ t show up. Do not ever use Plane Movers! They never showed up for my move, claiming that I never signed the contract. They didnâ t call me to follow up, communication was awful. The people that work for...
All My Sons Moving & StorageOzie and Tyquese were great and worked fast. It was a good move
All My Sons Moving & StorageJust moved from PA to Columbus in a studio apartment and needed help with some heavy furnitures because I couldn't do it alone. I called Hyremovers and they did a great and timely job and also left my apartment walls intact. Great service!
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