While moving and downsizing is not an easy process, it is a simple one. The checklist of things to do is as essential as you might expect. The process of accomplishing the items on the checklist, however, may be difficult. Asking adult children, other family members, or friends may help throughout the process. It may also help talk to other seniors who have already downsized to help you remember the benefits of downsizing and why you decided to make a move.
Here is a checklist of what you will need to do.
1. Find where you want to live.
Before deciding how much stuff you need to get rid of, you need to know where you plan to live or how big of a place you are looking for. Downsizing can mean very different things to different people depending on how large your home is or how much stuff you own now. Deciding where you want to live will give you a guideline for the next few steps.
2. Downsize your possessions.
Once you know how much space you will have once you move, you can start downsizing your possessions. While there are a lot of articles online about how to downsize and what to get rid of, that is a personal decision. You know what possessions are most important to you. For example, your vremi air purifier may be a logical thing to move to your new place and something you wouldn’t even consider getting rid of due to the benefits it provides. Meanwhile, you may decide you no longer need a dining room table or chairs because you don’t sit there to eat any more anyway.
3. Sell your house.
Once you have downsized most of your possessions, you need to focus on selling your house. You can contact a real estate investment company and say “I want to sell my house now” to see if it is a property they would be interested in. You can also contact a real estate agent to see if they can help with the sale. You can ask them questions about the current housing market, home prices, mortgage rates, and interest rates to get a good idea of what you can expect from your home sale. You’ll also learn what your home value is and if your size is in high demand, which would allow you to get top dollar.
3. Pack up what you are taking.
Once you sell your house and have a new place to move into, you need to pack everything you are taking. Since you have already downsized your possessions, this should not be a difficult process. You can get moving boxes from a local truck rental company or ask friends and family for extra boxes. With most house sales, you have at least 30 days to pack up and move, so you don’t have to do everything in one day. It is best to start with the items you don’t use every day.
4. Move.
The last item on your checklist is to move. You can hire a moving company to load up all of your boxes and furniture and unload them into your new home. Then all you have to do is unpack your belongings and decide where they will all go in your new home. If you end up with too much, you may benefit from taking some things to a storage unit until you decide what to do with them. Seasonal items are ideal to go to a storage unit, especially if your new home doesn’t have a lot of storage space.
Downsizing and moving can be a fun process that releases a great deal of stress. Once your kids are grown and gone and you are getting older, it may be challenging to care for a large house or property. Moving somewhere smaller or to a place where the property is taken care of already will take a lot of stress off your workload.
