Why Downsize 

I think that less is more and I have some tips for downsizing that should be painless.

We all think about downsizing when the kids leave the house and we no longer need all the space in our family homes. Small families also must think about downsizing. Downsizing your life isn't just easier on the planet; it's easier on your wallet. It helps to avoid collecting clutter and keeping things no longer needed. It also assures that the home or space is still working for their lifestyle. You don’t have to be a senior to think about downsizing.

Survival Mentality Needed 

Don’t think of downsizing as a step back. It’s important to have the right mind frame in these tough economic times. Moving into a smaller home or condo is good for your wallet as well as Mother Earth. You won’t be wastingmore energy when heating a larger home .Fuel oil prices are crippling many local economies up north. The oil prices were so high last winter, that some locals in upstate New York, for example, had resorted to burning their furniture! They simple ran out of money as the price of oil had risen to over $4.00 a gallon.

I understand that wood burning stoves have come back into fashion, even in trendy Long Island suburbs. The firewood business is booming and people are also buying coal and those fake burning “logs” that are for sale at the local home improvement stores.

Closer to work

Another consideration is to move closer to work and or closer to a city, where resources are closer and the drive time is less. This will save time and money. You may even get by without a car, if you live in a city. Of course a lot depends on what are of the country you move to. Manhattan is extremely expensive to live, but Brooklyn is more affordable and the bus service and trains are close by.

One more item to consider if, you’re not doing so already is to buy in bulk. There are bulk mega stores springing up all over this country, such as Sam’s Club... I know, in rural areas, they have not close enough to shop, but there are Wal-Marts galore. Love’ em or hate’ em, they do save many families on their food bills and household necessities.

Now, if you’re moving on into your senior years, you may have thought about downsizing into a smaller houseor maybe a condo. Some seniors have elected to move into senior communities like Century Villages in Florida. Seniors can also find a roommate and share expenses that way. Whatever the reason, it can be a daunting task, so get some help from family or a professional .And a warning, don't buy smaller than what you need.

Plan

Plan your rooms on paper to see the size of the home that results. Try very hard not to end up with a storage building, thus just relocating items you don't need in the first place. Plan accordingly about what to take and what to leave. Visit the new home also to understand how you will manage with your furniture, where to put them and whether to keep huge furniture with you or not.

Start with areas of your home that you don't use that much, such as the attic, the basement, the laundry room or spare bedroom. Designate items for donating or giving to family and friends in a room or area of the house that you don't go very often because you will be tempted to pull items back out before they are given out. Starting with the largest items in your home and working your way down to the smallest of items will make the downsizing process much easier.

Eliminate Unnecassary items 

The largest items to eliminate would be your furniture.

Do you need two or three couches now? If you’re moving from a home that had a den, family room and a living room, you probably have that many. The new home will may have one living/den/family room. One couch is all that is needed. Sell or give the others away.

You may also want to sell or give the formal dining set away. The new , smaller home or condos will most likely, have an eat-in kitchen. One dinette is enough for a family of four.

Take the kitchen, for example; most people don't need 10 mixing bowls and won't get teary-eyed over losing a second spatula. . You may have special occasion dishes and utensils that are used only once or twice a year. Table placemats and table clothes, can also unnecessary.

If you're downsizing from a house to a condo, target the garage. There’s a lot of good stuff to sell in a garage sale. Make extra money, while cleaning out the home. The less you have to move, the less it will cost you to move. If you have a storage unit, take everything out and sell in your garage sale. You may be able to have people come to the unit to buy from it, but check with your storage management first.

If you can’t sell your present home

A larger family may consider sharing a larger home with a relative .This is not easy for anyone but with a lot of patience and planning you may have to be able to pull this off... I know family members that have made two family homes out of a one family home. You also can convert a basement into an apartment for extra income. Be sure to check with the neighbors and the town regulations beforehand.

New neighbors or friends may have recently moved.

Ask them about their experiences... Ask yourself, honestly, when was the last time you used this item? Will it really fit in with your new home and lifestyle?

In conclusion

To recap, downsizing your life doesn’t have to be painful. You can learn to live in a smaller house or condo, drive less or not at all, shop in bulk, use the same dishes and utensils everyday and de clutter your life. You’ll save money, be less stressed, save the planet and learn to be happy with less.

So less can be more and I hop you got something out of these tips for downsizing. 

You’ll have everything you need instead of, everything you want.