5 tips for downsizing your home

Downsizing can be a daunting prospect.

You’ve spent a lifetime trading up to larger and larger homes, and collecting all sorts of mementoes, keepsakes and personal possessions that you love along the way. Suddenly, you’re supposed to purge yourself of all those things you’ve come to cherish virtually overnight so you can move into a smaller space.

But downsizing doesn’t have to be painful. If you’re thinking about moving into a smaller home, here are five tips that can help you make sure your move goes as smoothly as possible – and help you get a fresh start on the next stage of your life.

Tip #1: Remember why you’re doing it

Maybe the kids have all finally moved out, and you suddenly realized you have more room (or rooms) than you need. Maybe taking care of a large house is starting to take up more of your time and energy than you’d like.

Or maybe you just want to reduce your monthly expenses and free up some of that equity you’ve been building all these years to help out the kids or grandkids, do some travelling, or give your weekly budget a little breathing room.

Whatever your reasons are for downsizing, take a few moments to remind yourself of them whenever all that packing and purging starts to feel overwhelming. Simply remembering why you decided to downsize in the first place can make all those other tasks feel much more manageable, and help you make better choices each step of the way.

Tip #2: Find your new place to call home

Next, decide exactly what you want or need from your next home. Do you want a standalone house, a condo, or will you be looking into a retirement home or long-term care? Would buying or renting better fit your current needs and lifestyle?

Are there any accessibility concerns you need to plan for now or in the future? And do you want to stay in the same community where you live now, or are you planning on moving someplace that’s warmer, closer to family, or which has easier access to parks, services or recreation opportunities?

This is a big decision. So don’t be shy about asking a trusted friend, family member (or your REALTOR®!) for advice.

Tip #3: Sell, donate or throw away anything you don’t need

Remember Marie Kondo’s advice a few years ago about getting rid of anything that doesn’t spark joy?

That might be taking things a bit too far for most of us. But there’s no question that downsizing will inevitably involve some serious decluttering, de-personalizing, and giving away (or throwing out) of a lot of the things you own.

Start slow by going through each room, closet or drawer in your home one by one, and get rid of anything that either doesn’t have deep personal meaning attached to it, or that you haven’t needed or used in years.

This could mean digitizing or creating albums of old family photos, selling some of your more valuable items, giving others away to a local charity, and throwing away any old clothes, tchotchkes or other clutter you no longer have a use for.

Decluttering can take time. So let yourself go at a pace that works for you. Just remember that the more stuff you get rid of now, the more comfortable you’ll be in your new home later.

Tip #4: Get your home ready to sell

Next, get your newly de-cluttered and de-personalized home ready to sell. You’ve put a lot of blood, sweat and money into your home. Now’s the time to do everything you can to get the best offer possible.

Depending on the age and condition of your home, this could be as simple as booking a cleaning service and planting a few flowers in the garden. Or it could mean adding a fresh coat of paint, taking care of some overdue renovations and repairs, or hiring a professional staging company to make sure your home is looking its best.

Tip #5: Hire a REALTOR® you can trust

Lastly, whatever else you decide, work with a REALTOR® who has experience with downsizing, who knows the local real estate market inside-out, and who you feel you can trust.

In addition to walking you through each step of the downsizing process, a licensed REALTOR® can help you sell your current home, find a new place that perfectly matches your needs and preferences – and answer any questions you have along the way.