Downsizing means buying a smaller residence compared to the one you currently have. Although downsizing is a move typically made by retirees, soon-to-be empty nesters, or homeowners struggling with the upkeep of homeownership, more and more people have been looking to downsize due to lifestyle reasons.
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Checklist for Downsizing Your Home
Feeling anxious and overwhelmed at the idea of moving to a smaller home is understandable – after all, it’s a major life decision. Most of the stress you’re feeling likely comes from the uncertainty of how you’ll be able to navigate the entire process.
In addition to opening up an entirely new chapter in your life, there’s a lot to think about, including what to do with your possessions and how your habits, chores, and daily living will be affected by your decision to move to a smaller home. Whatever your reasons are for downsizing, you want to ensure you make well-informed decisions and be smart about how you go about the process.
To help you out, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind which you can use as your personal downsizing home checklist. By following these tips, you’ll be able to pare down your belongings, pack smart, and downsize with a strategy.
Deal with major decisions first
The best way to start is to go through each room of your home while jotting down all of the major decisions and the not-so-major decisions you’ll need to make.
As you do this, keep these key questions in mind with regards to larger, complicated items, and discuss these with other members of the family.
- Do you own any bulky items or large collections that have sentimental value? Are they worth holding on to, or is it time for you to finally let go of them? Is it better to sell them online or should you pass these on to family or close friends?
- Does your new home have existing washer and dryer sets? In case it only has hookups, is it better to take the washer and dryer you currently own, or is it time to purchase new ones?
- Does your current home have a hobby or recreational space such as a game room, fitness area, or woodshop? Will your new home have space to accommodate the equipment and items they hold?
- Does your new home come with a refrigerator, or will you need to bring along your current one?
- Will moving your existing appliances be worth it? How much will it cost to move your appliances to your new home?
Tackling these questions can be challenging, especially if you’re relocating to an apartment or condo. If you’re moving to a single-family home with less space, they can be more manageable, but will still require thought and careful planning.
Deal with one room at a time
Thinking about all of the things you need to do can make downsizing feel like such a daunting task, but there are things you can do to make the process more manageable.
Start by focusing on one room at a time. From there, you can break down the process further by creating mini projects for each room. In your kitchen, for example, you can start by decluttering your cupboards and kitchen drawers, collecting your utensils, and deciding which appliances to take with you.
Moving labels are extremely useful during this part of the process. Remember to affix labels on every box and container you pack, so you can minimize the need to open them up and search their contents once you get to your new home. You can also color code labels to make it easier to figure out which box goes where upon arrival.
Sorting out sentimental items
One of the biggest problems some people face when downsizing is letting go of items that hold sentimental value. Getting rid of sentimental items is a personal choice, and there are no rules when it comes to decluttering. You should, however, try to find a balance that works for you and your family when it comes to sentimental items.
Start by clearing out the “easy” items, or the things you don’t want or need. Go through each room with a fine-toothed comb to reduce the amount of clutter you’ll have to deal with. By starting with the simple items first, you’ll be able to gain momentum during the decluttering process, which makes it easier to part with sentimental items once you get to it.
Here are some tips to add on your downsizing home checklist when sorting out your sentimental items:
- Take time to cherish the memories attached to your items. Prepare to let go if they’ll only add to your clutter. Consider taking photos of the item if you want some form of remembrance.
- Offer the item to a friend or family member who might share the same memories you’ve had, but might have more space to display or store it.
- See if there are any sentimental items that will make great display pieces in your next home, such as your kid’s artwork, heirloom pieces, etc.
- For collections, consider holding on to one and then losing the rest. Displaying one elegant piece will be much better than keeping an entire collection stored away in your closet or basement.
- See if you can make some of your sentimental items functional. This way, you get to keep the item and have something useful for your next home.
- Give them away while keeping in mind that they will now be able to bring happiness and joy to others.
Designate areas in your home for decluttering
Don’t declutter without a strategy in place. Creating a plan helps you stay organized, so you can tackle the entire process quickly and more efficiently.
One extremely effective solution when it comes to decluttering is to sort out your belongings into four categories:
- Donations
- Giveaways
- Items for sale
- Trash
Once everything’s divided, designate specific areas in your home for each category. Collect items throughout your home and then place them in their designated areas.
Measure your furniture
You want to make sure the furniture you’re taking to your new home will be able to fit the space. To do this, you need to measure all of them before you move, and measure the dimensions of each room they’ll occupy in your new home. Don’t forget to account for the measurements of all entryways, doorways, and hallways – even if your furniture is able to fit inside the space, it might not be possible to get it in there in the first place.
Having a record of all of the measurements you need will also help you determine exactly which pieces you can take with you, and which ones you need to give away, donate, or dispose of. It’s likely that you’ll have no choice but to eliminate a few pieces. But instead of focusing on what you’ll need to leave behind or dispose of, make a list of the pieces that you consider essential, or those you’ll replace immediately in case they are gone.
For the rest of your furniture, determine which pieces you’ll sell, donate, pass on to friends and family, or put in a storage unit.
Take essential, everyday items from the kitchen
Compared to other areas of your home, the kitchen contains many items you use frequently on a daily basis.
Like your furniture, don’t dwell too much on what you need to get rid of. Prioritize all of the kitchen items that are essential to you, like your reliable pots and pans, silverware, coffeemaker, or food processor.
It’s perfectly fine if the boxes containing your kitchen items far outnumber the boxes for the rest of your belongings, especially if you love cooking. However, just keep in mind that you might have to adjust, especially if you’re moving to a home with a smaller kitchen than your current residence.
These are just a few things to keep in mind when you’re downsizing. There are no hard and fast rules, so feel free to add other tasks that might apply to you in your own downsizing home checklist.
Advantages of Downsizing
We live in a society that has been conditioned to think bigger is better. These days, “living large” doesn’t necessarily mean owning a large property.
It is the concept of “less is more” that drives most homeowners to purchase a smaller home – or downsize. And while there are different reasons to downsize – whether it’s due to a job relocation or a major life event – living in a smaller home comes with many advantages that you might not be aware of.
Here are some of the key benefits to downsizing:
A more streamlined lifestyle
Living in a larger home can lead to more stress because of the required upkeep and maintenance.
Having a larger space to clean, furnish, and maintain is costlier and can be tedious and time-consuming to deal with in the long run. Downsizing is an excellent way to streamline and introduce a minimalist way of living. Owning a smaller home will reduce daily chores and maintenance tasks, leaving you more time for rest, enjoying hobbies and leisure activities, spending more quality time with the family, and savoring the simple, quiet moments.
Better energy efficiency
If you currently live in a large home, then you’re well aware that energy costs are among its major disadvantages.
From water consumption to heating and cooling costs, running a large home is expensive. A smaller home, on the other hand, minimizes your carbon footprint by reducing your energy bill during both colder and warmer seasons.
If you want more in-depth information on the reduced impact of having energy-efficient systems and appliances in a smaller home, you can get in touch with your local home energy provider. They’ll be able to provide an audit of your energy and water consumption in your current home and estimate how much you can potentially save when you downsize.
More savings
There’s a tendency to fill up every inch when you have a lot of space.
One of the main benefits of downsizing is you’ll be less inclined to spend money on new electronics, furniture, appliances, and décor. Having less space will help you stay more organized by evaluating your priorities in life, encouraging you to add only practical, functional items.
An incentive to declutter
Relocating to a smaller home gives you an incentive to eliminate all of the clutter you’ve accumulated throughout the years.
Unless you consider yourself a packrat, cutting down on clutter and reorganizing your belongings can be an extremely satisfying task. And there’s no better motivation for accomplishing this task than downsizing. You’ll be surprised how much decluttering can help you think more clearly and give you optimism as you transition to an entirely new lifestyle.
The decluttering process should start as soon as you make your decision to downsize. This gives you more time to decide which items to keep and which ones to dispose of, which can be quite stressful especially if you own a lot of things.
Increased accessibility
As we age, even simple everyday tasks like going up and down stairs can be a challenge. Living in a home with a lot of space and multiple levels can become barriers that prevent you from enjoying life to the fullest in a home you love.
Downsizing offers an opportunity to have better accessibility in your home, especially for those with mobility considerations. This means you won’t need to worry about elements that may be hindrances as you age, allowing you to enjoy living in your home for years to come!
Aligned with the pandemic’s “new normal”
Uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have made people reassess their necessities and their lifestyle in general.
While having more space was considered more appealing before, some now view unused spaces as impractical or even wasteful. Additionally, the pandemic has drawn more families closer together, giving increased value to the significance of intimacy.
Although the world is gradually transitioning towards the post-pandemic, the fact remains that we still don’t know what to expect. Opting for a smaller home that can give you more financial flexibility, therefore, could turn out to be a very smart decision.
Great Reasons to Relocate to Kingston, ON
Kingston, ON is an ideal choice for anyone planning to downsize! A terrific selection of stylish and well-built real estate options are waiting for those searching for homes for sale in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Nestled on the eastern end of Lake Ontario, Kingston encompasses roughly 450 square kilometres. It’s a city that’s not too large nor too small, but is home to a range of top-rated restaurants, a vibrant arts and culture scene, and a dynamic university-town atmosphere just the same.
One of Kingston’s highlights is its lively downtown area, which features elegant historic buildings, expansive patios, a local farmers market, entertainment venues, and a stellar lineup of exciting festivals throughout the year.
Kingston is also well-known for providing top-quality healthcare. The city is home to the Kingston Health Services Centre (KHSC), the largest acute-care academic hospital in Southern Ontario. The centre consists of the Kingston General Hospital and the Hotel Dieu Hospital, both known for providing high quality, compassionate care.
Kingston residents also enjoy easy access to a variety of attractions and destinations in the surrounding countryside. If you’re looking forward to a relaxing weekend excursion, just travel a few minutes north to reach picturesque cottage communities along serene lakes. Prince Edward County is also located nearby, perfect for exploring scenic biking trails and touring different wineries.
All of these combine to make Kingston a terrific place to call home for those looking for a change of scenery and a new lifestyle!
Work With the Top Real Estate Team in Kingston, ON Today!
Once you’ve gone through all of the tips in this downsizing home checklist, the next step is to find the perfect home in Kingston, ON to move to.
By working with the team of experts from The Krishan Nathan Group, you’ll be able to enjoy a smooth, stress-free experience towards your real estate goals. As one of the top real estate teams in Kingston, The Krishan Nathan Group is known for their exceptional level of service and propensity for success, which has helped countless clients navigate the home buying and selling process with ease.
Get in touch with The Krishan Nathan Group today by calling 613.507.3711 or sending an email to info.ngroup.ca