Photo Credit: baslow
Are you considering moving to a smaller place? If you are then taking the time to effectively downsize will ease a lot of the stress about your upcoming move. Over time we tend to accumulate a lot of stuff in our homes. This can make moving quite difficult, especially if we’re moving into a smaller place.
Below you’ll find a process that will help you effectively downsize into a smaller place.
1. Take Stock Of Your Current Items
Before you begin the downsizing process you’ll need to take stock of what items and furniture you currently have in your home. Make sure to check all of your typical storage areas, as well as hidden closets and cabinets.
This part can be very overwhelming as you’ll come face-to-face with items you’ve been storing and holding onto for years. However, keep in mind the stress won’t last long as you’ll be moving into a smaller place very soon.
It can be helpful to sort your new items and group them by category.
2. Measure All Furniture You’re Keeping
Once you can visually see everything you own it’s time to start sorting the items you’re going to keep, and the items you’re going to give away or sell.
Make sure you measure the dimensions of the items you’re going to keep, so you can be sure they’re going to fit into your new place. Anything that’s too large will have to move into the donation pile.
3. Assess Your New Space
Do you know the dimensions of your new space? If you don’t know the exact dimensions of your new place, or Woodbridge storage unit, you can make an approximation based upon how much space you wish to have.
This will help you pare down your goods to only the essentials. After all, there’s no reason to hold onto items forever if you don’t actually enjoy them, or use them frequently.
4. Donate or Sell Old Items
Now that you have your items sorted, and know which items you’re going to keep you can begin the process of selling or donating your goods.
Common methods of getting rid of old goods include listing them on eBay, or Craigslist. Or hosting a garage sale.
After you’ve attempted to sell all of your items you can take your remaining goods to a thrift store, or consignment shop.
5. Get Organized
Once you’ve successfully unloaded all of the items you no longer want to keep you can then begin the process of organizing your goods for your move.
Box up all of your items and use the necessary packing materials to ensure their safety. It can also be helpful to label everything by room, so you know exactly where to take each box.
By applying the strategy above to your downsizing process you’ll find it will be much less stressful overall.
If you need a self-storage solution throughout the duration of your move we hope you consider Gateway Storage.We love serving our clients and customers across the Alexandria, Woodbridge, Springfield, and Northern Virginia areas.