When you’re younger and thinking of starting a family, it’s natural to move into a house big enough to fit all the kids. However, as life moves on and your children start to fly the nest, it might be time to think about downsizing. After all, it doesn’t make sense to still live in a house that’s now largely empty, and you could save a small fortune in maintenance costs by moving to a smaller place. While this process can be pretty daunting, the following tips will help make homeowner downsizing easier as you look for a new home.
First, you’ll need to determine just what sort of lifestyle you want to lead after you downsize. On the one hand, you don’t want to make the change too dramatic- if you’ve lived in a roomy five-bedroom house, then a move to a loft apartment might feel a bit too claustrophobic. On the other hand, resist the temptation to relocate into a home that’s only slightly smaller than your old place, or you won’t feel the benefit of downsizing. Remember, this might be the last move you ever make, so it’s the ideal opportunity to make the switch to the lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of, but never had time for before.
Once you’ve settled on a size for your new home, it’s time to start thinking about decluttering. With a lifetime of knick-knacks and mementos to sort through, you’ll want to start as soon as possible. It can be challenging to part with some of your old things, even if you have no use for them anymore, so it might help to get someone else to help you sort the things you need from the things you don’t. If there’s something that you just can’t bring yourself to throw away, like an old family heirloom, then you can always see if any of the kids can take it off your hands for you. Also, remember if an item is just sitting in a box in the basement or attic, why are you keeping it? Display it or get rid of it.
Finally, it’s essential that you choose the right time to downsize your home. Often as people age, they start to lose some of their mobility, meaning a multi-story house just isn’t for them. However, it’s hard to let go, and some people remain in their old house long after this turning point when an accident or illness forces them to make a sudden move. Don’t let this happen to you. Downsize while you can still do things on your terms. That way, you will be able to make the most of this new chapter in your life, and not have things forced upon you.
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