Downsizing represents a profound lifestyle change and, ideally, you should take your time with it. Deciding how to organize your new home, what to take along, and what you no longer have room for. However, sometimes, due to unforeseen circumstances, like the ones we are facing right now, you need to downsize and move quickly.
The current coronavirus pandemic has created many situations where people needed to pack and move in just a few days. Many young people, including college students, are moving back to their family homes. Employees are relocating for new jobs, and numerous families are deciding to downsize in order to save money. So, moving definitely didn’t stop during this period.
It’s a little bit more complicated to downsize at the moment. Social distancing has made normal tasks challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic has created several problems for people who want to move. You can’t ask your friends or family to come over to help, you need to be extra careful about the other people you come in contact with, and getting certain products and services is more complicated. But don’t despair! Here are six simple steps that will help you manage the downsizing process faster and easier even under the current circumstances.
Get a Self-Storage Unit
Whether you’re moving to New York City for a new job or giving up on your large, expensive home and retiring to Tampa, Florida, one smart first step would be to get a self-storage unit in the city you will be moving to. This way, you’ll be able to ship your stuff as you pack it up, which makes the downsizing and moving process a lot more efficient.
A 10×10 self-storage unit in New York City costs, on average, $175 per month, according to Yardi Matrix, and it’s large enough to fit the contents of two bedrooms plus boxes of clothes and other stuff. The same type of storage unit in Tampa, Florida, rents for about $105 per month. There are other advantages associated with self-storage units, besides the affordable price.
You can generally rent and pay online for your unit. Also, self-storage facilities don’t have much foot traffic and you can access your unit to drop off or pick up stuff without physically dealing with other people, which is a huge plus right now.
A storage unit can be very useful even when downsizing locally. It could be difficult to decide what to do with some of your stuff, considering now it’s not the moment to organize a garage sale or to invite friends and family over to pick out some things they want. Storing your belongings for a few weeks buys you the time you need to decide what you’ll do with it.
Have a Video Call with Family and Friends
Your grown-up children might still have stuff at your place, or maybe other family members would be happy to receive some of the items you’re planning to ditch. Set aside the things that belong to them, and the items you are willing to give away, and then get all the interested parties in a video call. Show them around and label each item that gets picked with that person’s name. Then you can ship those items to those people or store them in your unit until they’re able to retrieve them.
Donate or Sell Online
You’ll probably still have stuff left after completing the previous step, whether its clothes, toys, books, furniture, or appliances. You could donate it to charity – and that’s probably going to be more helpful than ever, seeing as tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs recently and might be in need of clothes and toys for their kids, or perhaps an appliance or a piece of furniture to replace an item that’s broken. Pick some charities you trust and ship them the stuff you no longer need or want. You can also get a little bit of extra cash by selling some of those belongings online.
Group Your Duplicates, Pick Only One
Chances are you have several versions of the same item in your household. Maybe you own two vacuum cleaners, three pans that are the exact same size, and so on. Group those items together and decide which ones you want to keep. Also, make sure you use the things you really love – you know that nice set of plates and cups you bought a while ago, but never used, waiting for a special occasion? Well, use and enjoy them in your new home, and ditch the rest of the mismatched items cluttering your kitchen cabinets.
Give Up On Things You Don’t Really Use
You were probably really excited when you first purchased your fancy juicer, stationary bike, slow cooker, or bread-making machine, but how much have you really used them? It’s important to assess realistically whether you’ll be needing those gadgets from now on – otherwise, it’s not worth packing and transporting them.
The coronavirus pandemic changed priorities for many of us, and certain appliances suddenly became rather more important – maybe you are finally making the most of your bread-making machine and your stationary bike. What really counts is to analyze your needs and habits and to bring into your new, smaller home only the items you’re definitely going to use.
Pack Only Items That Have a Designated Spot in Your New Home
One sure way to ensure a successful downsizing is to only pack and move those items you’re sure will have a well-established place in your new home. Take pictures of the new house or apartment – or ask your realtor to send you pictures and floor plans, if you’re moving long-distance – and plan the layout for furniture, appliances, and other items based on the space you have at your disposal.
Circumstances might not be on your side, but you can still downsize and relocate successfully even if pressed for time and also having to deal with the quarantine and social distancing rules in place throughout the country.
Finding Help with Moving Professionals
We hope you found this blog on 6 Smart Tips for Downsizing Quickly useful. Along with downsizing, you may check out Tips On How To Declutter Your Things Before a Move. These tips will help your moving process during the pandemic much smoother!
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