Tips for Downsizing When Moving

With a moving day just a couple of weeks away you are probably wondering how to pare down moving expenses and reduce the amount of a lifetime’s worth of belongings. When sorting through your possessions prior to hiring movers, you are likely to come across a bunch of old and unnecessary items that won’t fit into your new home. Downsizing means dealing with a limited room while arranging your new living space.

If you are concerned about the amount of stuff you need to pack and transport to the new residence, which happens to be smaller than your current one, you need to figure out how to make the transition as smooth as possible. That’s why we prepared for you a few tips for downsizing when moving.

Guidelines for moving to a smaller place

Moving from a large home to a smaller place is a tricky undertaking and deciding what to keep and what to get rid of is easier said than done. While there are a lot of reasons why downsizing makes perfect sense, sorting through your belongings and choosing what to move and what to leave behind is never an easy task. Downsizing is a great opportunity to get rid of all the items that you no longer use or need. The sooner you accept the fact that you cannot move everything you own to a smaller place, the sooner you will figure out how to do that.

Stay flexible

Be ready to compromise. Can your new home accommodate oversized furniture? Instead of moving large furniture to your new place, consider investing in multipurpose furniture pieces that occupy less space. Downsizing will go much smoother if you are open to a few compromises.

Get rid of unnecessary items

When you are downsizing, you want to make sure that you bring only those things that are really useful and that you really like. Are you ready to let go of sentimental clutter before moving to a smaller place? Check each corner of your house including often ignored premises like the attic, garage, basement, and storage area since they usually accommodate lots of clutter and useless stuff.

Be mindful

Know your options. Completely useless or broken items can be thrown away or recycled at the nearest recycling center. Be mindful of your environment even when you are moving house! An eco-friendly household move refers to an environmentally aware and socially responsible attitude during an important life transition.

Stay humble

On the other hand, feel free to sell or donate items in good condition – people in need may appreciate your kind gesture. Not only you will do something nice, but you will also have less to pack and move.

Store your items for awhile

If you have to downsize at the moment, but your plan is to get a bigger place in the future, consider storing your household items until the time comes that you can use them again. Think of some effective storage options before you move into a new place.

Tips for hosting a moving sale when downsizing

Organizing a garage sale before the move will help you turn your clutter into cash and reduce the moving costs. Provided that you start moving preparations on time you may come up with an efficient plan for a profitable and successful moving sale. Hopefully, the following tips will help you make the most of your moving sale.

Check local regulations

Find out if there are any restrictions related to hosting a moving sale. If a special permit is required, make sure to get it in advance. You want to make sure that your event is law-compliant and avoid any incidents that could spoil your sale.

Make items affordable

Before displaying your items for sale, go ahead and make an inventory list of all the items you would like to sell. This will help you keep track of how many things you sell, and it will also help you to group them by price, style, or any other way you find convenient. After you have a list, assign reasonable selling prices to each item. Remember that regardless of how valuable the item is for you, your main goal is to get rid of it. After all, you don’t want to make a fortune, but rather make some extra cash, and have fewer things to move. Try not to overprice your belongings in order to sell as much as possible. The more affordable the items are, the more items you will sell, and the easier packing and moving will get.

Don’t be afraid to bargain

People will try to negotiate the prices with you, and that’s just fine. If they bargain, it means that they want to purchase an item for you. Make sure to be open to making a deal with your prospective buyers, and don’t be afraid to bargain. You may as well have some fun while you’re at it.

Display everything

Assess the content of your home and collect items you don’t want to move to your new place. Display every single item that you don’t want. Remember that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure – chances are that other people may find your possessions very valuable. Even if something is ugly or outdated for your taste, it might be quite the opposite for other people.

Set an early date

Schedule a moving sale for the first weekend of the month if possible. A sunny Saturday or Sunday is considered the most convenient period for holding a successful pre-move garage sale. Also, try to start your garage sale as early as possible in the day, as you want to take advantage of the daylight, and be “open” for the whole day. Some people might only be able to check out your event early in the morning, so give a chance to everyone to stop by and see your stuff. Another thing to consider is the parking space. There should be enough space for everyone to park nearby so that it’s convenient for customers who drive to your sale.

Marketing

The key to any successful event is proper marketing. The more people attend your event, the better. Advertise the big event so as to attract as many people as possible. An effective advertising strategy can go a long way towards holding a successful garage sale and making a significant profit. Use social media to spread the word about the upcoming moving sale and share all relevant details: location, date and time, contact number, and description of all items that may seem interesting to the prospective buyers. Make sure to post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any social platform that you have. Besides promoting your garage sale on the internet, consider posting your ad in the local newspaper. In addition to that, put up visible signs around your neighborhood. Simply print out flyers with all the details and make them visible to your neighbors.

Make a nice display

Display all items in an appealing way by classifying them according to the condition and type and putting similar items together, so as to make shopping easier. That way it will be easier for prospective buyers to find what they need.

Update prices as you go

Keep track of the sold items and offer a special bargain for the items that cannot be sold easily. Have your inventory list handy and cross out items that have been sold.

A few final steps

Secure your home and keep your kids and pets away while hosting a moving sale. Also, make sure buyers can test out electrical appliances so as to make sure they work properly. Clearly mark items that are not for sale so as to avoid misunderstandings. Have appropriate packing supplies at hand so as to make shopping easier for your prospective buyers. And eventually, make your visitors feel comfortable while shopping by creating an inviting environment and giving your shoppers enough space to look around the sale area without interrupting them.

The point is to declutter your home, so consider donating leftovers or selling them online if you have time. Choosing what to keep and what to toss is one of the most difficult aspects of moving to a smaller place. However, the ideal would be to embrace downsizing as a positive circumstance and consider it as a step forward, since it will boost your financial situation and simplify home maintenance projects.

While you are downsizing like a pro and making a few extra dollars at your garage sale, why not hire professional packing and moving services to assist with your upcoming move? Contact Dumbo Moving and Storage today.