When moving from a home or condo into an apartment, getting rid of excess furniture, appliances, clothing and other items is essential to optimizing your new space. However, downsizing is easier said than done. Donating, selling or disposing all your extra stuff is a little daunting, maybe even painful at times, but it always leaves you feeling lighter.
If you’re looking for help on eliminating excess at your new apartment and starting fresh, here are eight downsizing tips when moving into an apartment—let’s get started!
It’s critical to set out your downsizing goals well before moving day. Don’t wait until the moving truck has arrived to start getting rid of things (although it’s not a bad idea to have a dumpster or room in the trash can for tossing things out last-minute. This will make the moving process easier and prevents you from having to clear things out of your new place.
Know the square footage of your apartment and draw up a rough outline of its layout. That way, you can decide which furniture and other household items you can bring with or leave behind. Plan out which furniture will go where on your sketch to give you a visual of how the apartment can be assembled to best fit your key possessions.
If you’re losing space by moving to an apartment, you’ll need to do some paring down unless you want to rent a storage unit. Be conscious of your new environment and how the space can be optimized to serve your lifestyle. If certain items can’t be brought with, sell them for some extra spending money – this will also dull the emotional burden of parting with sentimental items.
Moving into a new space gives you the opportunity to start in a clutter-free environment and keep it that way. Some things you can do include mounting your TV on the wall, switching to WiFi technology to eliminate cables and using smart storage solutions that give you a way to hide things from plain sight.
When choosing what goes to the new apartment and what gets tossed, remember that a few quality pieces of furniture will make a grander statement and provide a better flow, compared to having too many items crammed into a single room. If you’re investing in new furniture when downsizing, choose multi-purpose items, like pull-out couches, ottomans that have storage space and desks that can fold up, for example. Note: choose furniture with durable fabric, since an apartment often requires flexible spaces that have to do double duty as an office, extra bedroom or den.
While children may want to keep everything, some things must go. Speak with your children or spouse about what can go and what should stay. If they don’t provide much help, you can always hire a professional organizer who can offer an objective opinion when you’re trying to decide what you really need to throw out, sell or donate.
Unless it’s in very poor condition, there’s someone out there who could use your excess stuff. Goodwill, Craigslist and eBay are all good resources to donate or sell your furniture and other household items. Ask friends and family if they need the things you’re discarding. Have a garage sale or estate sale to get rid of extra stuff and make money off it at the same time. Additionally, you’ll most likely need to get rid of outdoor tools and appliances you won’t need in your new apartment. Things like lawn mowers, leaf blowers and rakes won’t be necessary now that you don’t have to do your own yard maintenance.
Always focus on the outcome – a smaller space will mean less to move, clean and maintain. All in all, owning too much stuff can be overwhelming. And obviously, you’ll save money on rent and utilities. Downsizing is an opportunity to scale back, start fresh and focus on what’s essential.
When trying to get rid of excess stuff in preparation for your move, follow these tips and you’ll create a better living space. While downsizing is never a simple task, it’s a worthy practice that ensures your new space is optimized to your lifestyle. Best of luck!
