There’s nothing quite like getting ready for a move. Scrubbing the walls, doors and windows clean, finding an odd assortment of treasures behind the fridge, packing every single item you own into a cardboard box, comparing quotes from removalists…okay, so it’s not exactly the highlight of anyone’s life.
When it comes to leaving your current home to move into your next, it’s a lesson in delayed gratification. All of your hard work planning and downsizing, ahead of the move, will pay off when you’re in your new home and you can relax!
Downsizing is all about tailoring your life to upsize the quality of it and getting through a move without getting too stressed is the ultimate goal, so it’s worth being as organised as possible. Depending on how long you have before moving day (months or weeks), there are lots of things you can sort out ahead of time.
The first is a task that sparks joy in some, and complete dread in others: decluttering
Take it slow with one room at a time, or one area of a room if you have lots of things. Have a couple of rubbish bags with you—one will be for things that can be tossed out (such as broken items you can’t repair) and the other will be for the op-shop, to donate anything you no longer want. There is lots of advice out there about decluttering, with different recommended methods, so do what works for you. If you know where you’re moving to, you may want to picture that item in the new space to see if it will make the cut.
For some of us, it can be really hard to part with sentimental items. Some downsizers still want to hold onto all of their old Christmas cards or children’s drawings, whereas others are ready to recycle these kinds of things. Having a friend or family member by your side can help you make decisions on what you want to keep and what to get rid of.
If you live with your spouse, encourage them to declutter their own things
Sorting through your own things can be a big enough job without having to do someone else’s as well. And if you’ve been moonlighting as a storage facility for your kids, it’s time for them to sort that out as well. Give them a date by which anything still in the house will be donated to charity—expect them to ring the doorbell very soon!
As you declutter, start boxing up your possessions
This of course depends on how long you have until you move, but packing non-essentials now will save you time later down the track. Try to clean as you go as well.
The final steps for your downsizing move
Check with family and friends to see if they can help you on the big day, otherwise you can book a removalist company. Contact your utility providers and transfer your mail. Then start dreaming about your new home and lifestyle! It’s just around the corner…
