Downsizing can be a difficult task.  Moving from a larger home to a smaller can be very challenging.  Most homeowners have collected valuable items and memories over long periods of time make it especially difficult.

How do you know what you need?  What are the most important items?  How do I downsize?  It can be overwhelming to some but there are steps you can take to help in this process.   The first step is space planning.

Space planning is critical.  When a person is moving from a larger to smaller home, space for all the persons items becomes an issue.  It is like putting six gallons of dirt into a five gallon bucket.  It won’t all fit.  Try these things to help with space planning.

• Subtract the square footage of the future home from the current home

• Add in new square footage like a den, deck, or sunroom

• Measure the furniture that you will be moving to make sure it fits

• Decide where each piece of furniture goes

Just because the furniture does not fit in a particular room does not mean it  has to go.  Setting up a new home can be different for everyone.  For example, I do not use a formal dining room – I might use that space as an office.  Someone else might use a formal dining room, as it is meant to be.  Before you get rid of anything, think outside the box and see if you can use it somewhere else in the house.  The last thing you want to do is to get rid of something of value if you could have used it elsewhere in the house.

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