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So you’ve decided to live more simply and downsize, whether that means purchasing a smaller home or getting rid of excess clutter. The good news is you’ll be able to reduce clutter by getting rid of some of the things you no longer need. The not-so-good news is you don’t know where to start. But here’s more good news: we’ve got you covered! Here are a few home downsizing tips that will help you as you navigate through what to keep and what you can live without.

Focus on necessities.

Be honest with yourself about what you use and what you don’t. If it’s not being used, you don’t need to bring it with you. If you use it multiple times, every day, that’s a necessity. If you’re not quite sure whether you need something or not, ask yourself when the last time you used it was; if it wasn’t recently, you don’t need it.

Forget about having a “maybe” pile.

While sorting through everything can be time consuming and a bit overwhelming, you can cut your stress (and increase your efficiency) in one easy step: Refrain from using a “maybe” pile. You know, that pile you put things you’re not quite sure whether you want to keep or toss. You promise yourself you’ll make a decision about it later and put it aside to sort through it at a different time. Make a rule that once you’ve started looking at something, you need to make a decision about it. That will save you time in sorting as well as the stress of knowing you put the tough decisions off until the end.

Simplify your questions.

Downsizing is all about questioning what you need or want to save and what should be let go. Instead of asking yourself or a loved one, “Which ones should we keep?” try framing it in a simple either/or, yes/no question such as, “Do you want the green cups or the blue ones?” This will give you the power of making decisions a little more easily.

Appraise the new space.

When you’re downsizing, the best indicator of how much you should keep and how much you should get rid of is the size of the new space you’ll be moving into. Take the time to actually measure how big the cabinets will be and know exactly how much closet space you’ll have. Then, as you’re sorting through your belongings, you’ll be able to fill containers that are comparable in size so you’ll know if you’re going to have enough room. That way, when it comes to moving in, you won’t be surprised by the new space restrictions.

Take it in small bits.

If you try to tackle your entire house at once, things can get out of hand. Downsizing will start to get overwhelming, and you run the risk of losing your focus. Instead, consider taking it one or two rooms at a time. That way, you can sort through your belongings, get rid of items you don’t need and pack your most-used items into boxes for moving. 

Sorting through your belongings when downsizing doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Instead, use these five home downsizing tips, and you’ll have everything sorted and ready to move in no time!

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