In our last article we covered the common mistakes when downsizing your home – that mostly focused on the financial aspects to downsizing your home. However, that’s just one piece of the puzzle – and like anything in life – making the decision to downsize is multi-faceted. In this article, we’ll cover issues related to the “logistics” of downsizing – packing, decluttering, storage, and moving. Read on to learn, watch out for, and avoid these common mistakes.
Failing to pack in advance of your move
First, it’s important to start going through your stuff and packing well in advance of your move. If you pack up a box or two per day for a few weeks, you’ll have a much easier time making your move when it’s time to downsize.
But if you wait too long, you’ll be in a panic – and your move is sure to be stressful, even if you’re working with a moving company. Prepare well in advance to keep your stress levels down!
Not decluttering your home aggressively
Too often, people who are downsizing their homes keep stuff that they “may need” sometime in the future. We recommend being very realistic about the stuff you do (and don’t) use, as well as how much space you’ll have at your new home. Do your best to declutter and get rid of all of the stuff you don’t use.
There are many ways to decide if an item makes the declutter cut. One of our favourite tricks is asking yourself “have I used this in the past 6 months? Will I use it in the next 6 months?” if the answer is no, get rid of it! Another trick is asking yourself if you were in a store looking at the item in question, would you purchase it again? If not, get rid of it!
Paying too much for storage space you don’t need
This is related to the above point. Ideally, you won’t need to rent a storage unit at all once you’ve moved to your new home if you can declutter properly. Lots of people who downsize end up just stuffing a lot of their old stuff into a storage unit – and paying hundreds of dollars while it sits gathering dust. Do your best to avoid using storage units or use them temporarily while you’re downsizing and decluttering.
Going through the downsizing process alone
Downsizing and moving to a new home can be tough, regardless of your family conditions and personal life. It’s a good idea to have a friend, family member or other loved one who can help you through the process and tackle it as a team! Doing so will make the process of decluttering and downsizing much easier.
Are you decluttering before or after downsizing your home? We can help!
At Kloos Hauling & Demolition, we can help you declutter your home by hauling away your junk and unused items. We’ll make sure that we donate, recycle, repurpose, or dispose of each item appropriately – ensuring you can downsize responsibly! Contact us now or make it a “Kloos” call – 204-955-1188 to receive a free estimate for junk removal or downsizing services.