How to handle Downsizing. Moving always tends to sound stressful. Add downsizing to the mix. It can be downright daunting. Certain challenges come with downsizing, but that doesn’t mean it has to be more stressful. By changing the way you approach downsizing and moving, the experience can actually be a positive one. Downsizing allows you to eliminate things that no longer have a place in your life, freeing up room for what you love and what brings you happiness. Here are the steps to downsizing your property and keeping your sanity.
1. Take an inventory of what you own.
Often, we don’t realize what we have. Taking an inventory of what you have will force you to look at a list of what all you own, helping to you reflect on what you actually care about keeping. Using this inventory as a master sheet will also help you track what you’re moving once you’ve gotten rid of items you no longer love or need.
2. Get the floor plan of your new home.
If possible, this can be very helpful. Visualizing where your items will go can be extremely helpful when downsizing. Will that old dresser fit in the guest bedroom? Will you have room for that pool table? If you can’t find space for it when looking at your floor plan, it is probably time to donate or recycle those items.
3. Consider the details of your new home.
Are you moving to a different climate? If you’re heading to Florida or somewhere known for the weather, you may not need those full boxes of winter gear or that snow blower already collecting dust in your garage. Keep in mind what your life will look like in your new home, and take the time to decide where the items you want to keep will fit in.
4. Create a keep/donate/toss system when sorting your items.
Designate a room in your house for each category. Boxes in the living room are ‘keep’, the dining room has your ‘donate’ items, and so on. This way, there will be no mix-up and you will be able to visualize what you are hanging onto and what you are letting go of.
5. What if you still feel overwhelmed after looking at the list above? Well, that is where I come in!
Even the steps above can still feel daunting and overwhelming if you are making this transition on your own.
In many situations, the help of family and friends is not always available or even the best option. And the process of finding a company you can trust to help you through the move can be intimidating and confusing.
This is where I come in!
With me on your team, we can go through the options and figure out what will work best for you and your situation.
I have had the pleasure of working with a few clients that have gone through this process. Most recently, I worked with a client whose family had owned the home she had been planning to sell for over 78 years. There were years and years of items that had been stored in the home, and the project was proving stressful and never-ending for the Seller to handle on her own.
Together, we researched and found a fantastic company out of Louisville, Colorado, called Heritage Handlers. After meeting and interviewing the owner, we knew we had found someone special! Her fees were straightforward, and her care and attention to detail exceeded our expectations!
At this point in the process, I knew I could do one of two things. Step back and wait till the cleanout and organization are complete and then list the home, or I could partner with the Seller and work with her as her advocate. I chose the latter of the two. Often, when on your own, it is helpful to have someone to bounce things off of and also to keep you focused on the task at hand. That is the role I take.
Together with my client (the Seller), we made a plan and created a team to execute that plan! If you know of someone that would like one on one, side-by-side help selling their home. I am your gal!
In closing
There are many reasons a person is in a position of downsizing. Sometimes it’s not by choice, and loved ones must step in. Here is a great resource to check out, Independent Living in Colorado.
When you work with me, I will be your advocate and work to net you the highest and best possible. I will keep you focused on your goal, and together we will get the job done!