There are many reasons why one would want to downsize and move to a smaller home – getting rid of debt, learning to live with less, focusing on oneself rather than on the house are only some of them. That all sounds amazing. But, as we live in the age of materialism, and as that materialism constantly forces us to buy more and more, moving to a smaller home is not always easy.
To have a stress-free move of this kind, you have to know what you are doing. You have to know what mistakes you can make and how to either avoid them or fix them before it’s too late. But, do not worry! We are here to help you with that! Today, we will share all those mistakes to avoid when moving to a smaller house. Thus, keep on reading.
Buying a House that is too Small
As previously mentioned, downsizing has many benefits. But, when making this significant lifestyle change, that is, when moving to either a small house or a small apartment, you need to be realistic. If you have lived in a 5,000 square foot home your whole life, downsizing to a 1,500 square foot home might be an impossible mission.
So, think about your life and what you like to do. For instance, if you like entertaining, a home that is too small will not work. Or, if you plan on having more children, a house with a small number of rooms will not work. Moreover, think about your current home and think about the rooms you can do without. Put everything on paper! This will give you an insight into the square footage and the number of rooms that will work best for you.
Not Selecting a Floor plan That Works for You
Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes to avoid when moving to a smaller home is not selecting a floor plan that works for you. When it comes to homes, the floor plan is everything. So, choose one that fits your lifestyle, family, hobbies, etc. If necessary, make a list of must-haves and can’t-haves. Let those be your guide on what kind of home you need to look for.
Moreover, consider your existing furniture. Measure it, and then measure the home you plan on buying. You need to make sure everything fits! Avoid making a pre-move measuring checklist, and you might have to replace your entire furniture – something that will cost you a lot of your time, energy, and of course, money!
Procrastinating on Decluttering
Just because you are relocating to a smaller home doesn’t mean that you will be dealing with fewer things – you are not. Moving, either big or small-scale, is moving. Thus, don’t think you will be able to find everything in just a couple of days. Decluttering in itself is a process that will take you the longest. Just think about it – you will have to sort through all of your items, organize them, reevaluate whether you need something or not, consult the rest of your family members, and finally, decide how you want to get rid of them. So, yes, maybe you won’t need a lot of time to move your small amount of boxes and furniture pieces. However, you will need a lot of time to declutter your big home to fit into your smaller one.
The sooner you start decluttering, the sooner you will move in! But don’t rush and skip on decluttering certain things. Do everything you can before you start moving so that when you arrive, all you have to think about is making your small home more inviting and comfortable.
Not Decluttering Enough
Besides not decluttering on time, one of the mistakes to avoid when moving to a smaller home is not decluttering enough. This goes without saying – if you don’t declutter enough, your items will never be able to fit into your new tiny home.
So, start by getting rid of items that you forgot about, the items you haven’t used in a long time, and the items you don’t plan to use in the future. Then, call for a family meeting and talk about the family heirlooms, memorabilia, etc. Together, decide what is worth keeping and what is not. Finally, think about your furniture – there is no way you can take all the pieces with you to your new home, so choose only the ones that can fit. There are many secrets to arranging furniture in a small space, but none will help you if you have too much furniture.
Finally, think about your decluttering methods. First, we suggest asking family members or friends if they want to take something. Or, we recommend doing a good deed and donating the items you no longer need to a local charity. Of course, if you want to earn some money to help you move, you can also sell your items. Just organize a yard sale or post the photos of your articles on Craigslist, for example.
Renovating After Moving In
One of the last mistakes to avoid when moving to a smaller home is renovating after moving. Imagine bringing all of your items to an already small home and living with all the boxes and renovating tools until everything is ready for settling in. Doing this will not only prolong the actual process of relocation, but it will also make your life miserable. So, save yourself from that, and be sure to finish all the renovation projects before you start bringing your items inside. And, while you are renovating, it might be a good idea to also think about a renovation project that will add more space. That can be anything from storage under the stairs, a lot of vertical shelves, multi-purpose furniture, etc. It’s your choice, really.
Author Bio: Angie Collins
Since Angie became a mom of two boys, she started focusing on her blog more. She is interested in topics related to moving, renovating, cleaning, decorating, etc. In her free time, she enjoys doing fun stuff with her family.