Downsizing into a smaller home may cause stress and anxiety for those who love their belongings but dislike living in clutter. Senior citizens, empty nesters or those who are moving from a large home to a small apartment or condo, all face challenges of creating a new, smaller living space. If you create a good plan before you start to downsize, you can make a comfortable and stylish environment made for your lifestyle.
Here are five tips for organizing and/or downsizing your life to live comfortably in a smaller space.
1. Plan ahead
The earlier you start making plans to downsize, the better off you will be. Start planning your downsizing early and set goals for yourself. For couples and families, make sure you are all on the same page to eliminate any conflicts down the road.
2. Determine Lifestyle Needs & Wants
It's important to think about what type of lifestyle you want to embrace as you move forward. How much smaller is your new home going to be? Have you thought about the furniture that you currently have? Is it going to fit in your new space?
3. What is the Purpose of Your Downsizing?
Many people want to bring too much with them when they try to downsize. They don't always consider that every single corner could have a purpose. With some simple planning, a shelf can be your whole office or a corner can become an art studio.
4. Keep the Clutter Out
Try to eliminate extra cables and wires by using WiFi when you can. Choose a TV that mounts to the wall, so you don't need a media center that takes up valuable floor space.
There are smart storage solutions you can use to use in your smaller space. Try using a table cloth can you can re-purpose an older table - this will give you a way to "hide" things from plain sight. Or take a piece china that you no longer use as a pencil holder in your home office or for makeup storage in the bathroom.
5. Think of Quality and Multipurpose
Go for Quality over quantity. Choose one or two great pieces of furniture that makes a statement, instead of trying to squeeze too many pieces into a single room. If you're buying new furniture when you downsize, choose multipurpose furniture pieces. Get a nightstand storage and ottomans with tops that lift to give you space inside for blankets and extra pillows.
