The reasons why people decide to downsize their homes are many and varied. Maybe it is for financial reasons, or maybe it is because of a change in your family circumstances. But whatever the reason, it means cutting down on your possessions to move into a smaller space.
Downsizing to a smaller home has many benefits, but reaching that stage requires dedication to sorting through all of your belongings, deciding on what to keep and what to get rid of, and eventually arranging them to your liking in your new home.
Understandably, this process could take a long time, especially if your current home is large, you have lived there for many years, and it is filled with memories. You may have never lived in a smaller home, and you are anxious that it will feel cramped. You will have a sentimental attachment to many of the items in your home in that you just love them, or they have been handed down to you. So it is necessary to mentally prepare yourself for the change.
The Positives of Downsizing
It is important to focus on the positive aspects of downsizing so that the process does not become too much for you to handle.
- Living in a smaller home means you will be saving money on your rental, mortgage repayment, utility bills, and the maintenance of a smaller home and garden.
- A smaller home means much less time spent on cleaning and maintaining it. This will give you more time to do those things that you enjoy doing.
- You will only have those possessions that are necessary, as downsizing gives you the opportunity to declutter. Being surrounded by things that you never use can be quite an emotional drain. That is why decluttering is such a liberating experience.
Downsizing – Where to Begin
When you have secured your new home you can begin the process of imagining where your things will go. If you have a floor plan you can work from this to decide what your essentials are – for example, your bed, TV, sofa – and where you will put them. You will be able to see from this what you actually need to get rid of too.
Do you have less cupboard space in your new home? This means that you will have to cut down on the number of clothes you own, or you may need to find a place to store them.
What is the size of your new kitchen? You may need to get rid of appliances and kitchen equipment so the decision must be made of what you can live without.
Going through your house one room at a time and deciding what needs to go will make downsizing seem reasonable and achievable. Taking your time with this will make the experience less overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from family members who offer – an extra pair or two of hands can be of great benefit.
How to Declutter and Get Rid of Those Unwanted Items
We all have those items in our homes that we seldom if ever, use, and when we move we cannot take them with us. This especially applies when you are downsizing. The more you declutter the easier your downsizing experience will be.
Once you have thrown out the junk, sort the rest of your belongings into three groups – Keep, Donate, and Store. Your Keep stuff is obviously the items that you are taking to your new home. Donate or sell any items from your home that are in good condition but that you feel ready to part with. This may consist of clothes, furniture, kitchen equipment, linen, and even garden equipment and tools that you will no longer need in your new home. Sell them online through Facebook Marketplace, have a garage sale, or donate them to your local thrift store.
Rent a Self Storage Unit
For those items that you cannot donate or take with you to your new home, think about renting a self storage unit. This will give you a place to Store the items that you don’t want to get rid of, but that you no longer have space for. You may have many items that are special to you, especially if the reason for your downsizing is that your children have left home. As an empty nester, you may have children’s toys, books, clothes, furniture, and crockery that have been passed down through the family. These are items that you wish to keep until your children are parents themselves and are in a position to take them on. But with no place in your new home, a self storage unit is a great option.
Stop & Store Fareham
Storing those special items that you cannot part with at Stop & Store Fareham means that you need not clutter up your new home. There are some other items that could be suitable for your self storage unit such as seasonal décor, seasonal clothing, and sports equipment such as golf clubs and fishing gear which you may not have space for in your new home.
At Stop & Store Fareham we offer a solution for when you need to store your goods, either short-term or even longer-term depending on your reasons for storing.
- We understand how valuable your belongings are to you, so our security measures are second to none. At Stop & Store Fareham our facility is fully secured with monitored CCTV and intruder alarms. Access is strictly controlled so you can rest assured that your goods are in safe hands.
- We will email you your individual PIN when we have received your payment, you can access your storage unit straight away. It is as easy as that.
- Our units vary in size from 12 sq ft to 200 sq ft, they are safe, dry, pest controlled, and ideal for the purpose of storing any of your belongings.
- You can hire storage space from 1 month to as long as you need. If you move your goods in the middle of a month, you pay a pro-rate.
- So when you need an easy storage solution to store your belongings, try Stop & Store Fareham. We will keep your belongings safely and securely.
- We are open 7 days a week, from 8 am to 8 pm.
- Please check our website for some genuine feedback from our customers.
We are conveniently located in the Fareham Shopping Centre, in the heart of the town. We offer easy access for you to load and unload your goods.
Tel: 01329 556174.