Moving Into a Smaller Home – How to Adapt?

Changing the environment is never easy. New home, new city, new neighborhood – it takes time to learn more about them and adjust to the novelties. However, one of the rather uncomfortable changes happens when you need to downsize. It takes some serious organization and planning to ensure you can continue your lifestyle similarly as before. Lack of space is a common problem, and there are a couple of solutions for it. In this guide, you’ll learn how to handle moving into a smaller home. Maximize your storage space and find out some new tricks on using it more cleverly than ever.

Adapt your approach first

Moving into a smaller home isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Even though the first thing we think of is lack of space, there are some positive sides to this process. It’s easier to maintain and clean a smaller house or apartment – which means more energy and free time for you. More importantly, it’s cheaper. Smaller apartments and houses have lower prices and rents, and utility bills. Finally, the fewer items you own, the clearer your mind will be. Therefore, this change can only be for the better.

Know the details

Before you start making plans, know precisely how smaller your new home is. Compare the floor plans and sizes of each room. This will help you notice which rooms will undergo the most significant change. For example, your bedroom may still be the same size, yet the bathroom will be significantly smaller. Visualizing the changes will help you adapt much more efficiently.

Replace the items that no longer fit

After comparing the floor plans and room sizes, take the measurements of more oversized items in your home. These include the furniture, appliances, etc. See if they fit in your new home, and if they don’t, you can sell them online or on a garage sale. Use your social media profiles to offer them to the people you know. This way, you’ll make money to purchase new items that fit better in your new home. For example, you might need to replace your washer and dryer with a slim model or purchase two chairs instead of a big sofa.

Furthermore, your moving costs will be lower if you hire professional movers because you will have fewer items to relocate. Remember, the size of your load plays a significant role in the cost of your relocation.

Declutter

Clear house – clear mind! Decluttering your home should be a routine – something you do once in a while. And it proves to be very helpful when moving house. Removing items you no longer need will help you maximize the space in the new house and help with adapting to a smaller home. Go through everything in your home, section by section, and remove everything outdated, broken, rarely used, or long-forgotten. You will be surprised by how much space you can create from just removing the items you no longer use. Take your time with this task, as it is quite a process, and make sure you tackle every room, shelf, and a drawer for maximum results.

Go digital

Technology has given us a chance to save time and money and make more free space in our homes. Moving into a smaller home should also include going digital with most of the paper items. You can scan most of the documents, books, and other paper things and save them on cloud storage instead of making a mess in your home. Go digital and create more free space.

Bonus tip: Don’t just throw away items you no longer need. If they are in good condition, maybe you can find them a better home by selling or donating them.

Get a storage

If there are certain items that you don’t use daily but don’t want to part ways with – getting storage might be the right solution. Storage units are perfect for seasonal items, hobby tools, etc. Get a unit that is accessible enough, close to your home, and secure for your items. And finally, be sure to carefully pack the things you will store in it, so they stay intact for as long as necessary.

Prepare for the move

If you’re efficient and organized during the moving process, you’ll make less mess and spend less money. This is particularly important with long-distance moves, as they tend to be more stressful than the local ones. Start by scheduling your moving day – get a date to make other plans according to it. Also, be sure to prepare the budget – you may be moving into a smaller home, yet the relocation costs can get higher. Make a home inventory and get a precise moving estimate from a reliable expert. This will help you plan your budget better and avoid unpleasant surprises.

Reduce after-move mess

Another valuable tip for making less mess after your move is renting plastic moving containers. These are very practical as you only need to return them after unpacking, without too many leftover boxes around your home. Furthermore, try to be practical with packing – use items you already have as moving containers. Travel suitcases, gym bags, briefcases – there are several things you can use instead of cardboard boxes.

Adapt your old habits

As you’re moving into a smaller home now, you might have to change some of your old habits. You should focus on maximizing space now and think about space more when going shopping. However, remember that this is a good thing. Your living space will be mess-free, it will be easier to find items you don’t use often, and you’ll have everyday objects at hand and organized all the time. Furthermore, you can save more money by not buying unnecessary items, duplicates, and rarely used things. Instead, try to adopt some minimalistic habits such as regular decluttering and tidying, purchasing multipurpose furniture, etc. These will help you create a simple yet practical living environment that will allow you to clear your mind and be more efficient and creative.