The time has come for you to downsize your Atlanta living space. Maybe the kids are all away at college and you don’t need quite as much house as you did before. Or perhaps a big house has just become too much maintenance – maybe you’re thinking you don’t really need all that space. The idea of downsizing to a smaller house might seem like a lot of work, but there are plenty of positives to it. Here are a few tips if you’re downsizing to a new Atlanta home.
8 tips for downsizing to a new Atlanta home.
1. Focus on the positive.
You might not be too thrilled at the prospect of downsizing, or maybe you’re hesitant because the prospect of choosing a mover, buying a house, and all the rest is overwhelming. That’s understandable. But looking at the good things about it might help you feel better about the whole thing. For example, downsizing means you won’t have as much maintenance. It’ll be easier to take care of a smaller living space. Plus, you’ll have less space to stick stuff, so you (hopefully) will train yourself not to accumulate as much clutter. You’ll also be able to choose where the new house is going to be, so you can pick a great location.
2. Know what you’re looking for.
It’ also important to have some features in mind that you’re looking for in your new house. What do you want to make sure your new place has? Choose the top priorities to help you narrow down the choices. It can also give you a place to start. That way you know what you’re looking for as opposed to going through a treasure hunt without knowing what you’re trying to find.
3. Start decluttering.
Okay, this is probably not something you’re looking forward to. Since you’re not going to have as much space, you need to part with some of your belongings – there simply won’t be room. Start easy – what items are the definite keepers? What items are no-brainers to get rid of (i.e. broken things, things you simply don’t need, things that are not being used)? Get those two ends of the spectrum sorted, then you can start working through the middle. (You can also start evaluating things you have multiples of – do you really need twelve plates, ten pans, eight pots, and so on?)
If it helps, you can set things aside and ask family and friends if they’d like any of the items you’re planning on giving away. Who knows, maybe a buddy needs a desk lamp you’re not planning on keeping.
Here are a few other tips for decluttering.
- Ask yourself what you really want to bring with you.
- Fight the instinct to keep things or hold onto things. (Yes, easier said than done, perhaps!)
- Donate gently used items to worthwhile nonprofits.
- Really think about the items that have literally collected dust and consider getting rid of them.
- Enlist the help of family and friends who can be more objective about things and ask, “Do you really NEED that?”
Anyways, you need to be pretty ruthless. Remember, you’ll literally be lugging these things with you when you move.
(You can ask yourself if you need to put anything in storage, but be careful with that! It’s expensive and you might be tempted to keep more stuff.)
4. Find your place.
The next thing is finding your new place! Check out different places, do some research, see what’s going to suit you. You can revisit the list you made when you were brainstorming what you want in your new house.
5. Add storage space to your place.
You can get creative and find crafty ways to add storage space in your new, smaller house. Whether it’s shelves, cabinets, under-bed storage bins, or creative closet organizers, find a way to incorporate storage into your new house. It’s preferable to have these plans in place before you move all of your stuff, but you can make adjustments and brainstorm storage sorcery as you go, too.
6. Do another clutter sweep.
Now, when you move in, you might want to take on declutter Round 2. Giving yourself some time and separation might give you more perspective on certain belongings, so you might have another round of items to donate. (Or perhaps you’ll discover that certain things, like furniture, simply aren’t going to fit or work in your new place.)
7. Be prepared to carry on with decluttering.
As you settle into your new place, be prepared to keep on with the decluttering. With less space, you can’t hold onto things as much. So, you need to be pretty vigilant with the acquisition of stuff. You need to be careful with bringing new items into your home – at least without sending other things out the door.
8. Re-evaluate your Atlanta home insurance.
When you move to a smaller house, it’s probably not a bad idea to re-evaluate your home insurance. Do you want to get some quotes to see if you can find better insurance rates or insurance that’s better suited to your needs? You’re going to have a new house in a new place, so it’s not a bad idea to get some quotes to see what options are ideal for you. Our team can help you get started on your Atlanta home insurance quotes. Just fill out our online form, give us a call, or message us on LiveChat. We’d be happy to help you get the insurance you need – we can even help you bundle your home and auto insurance if you’re interested!