Guide to Downsizing: How to Start Your New Home Journey With Confidence

Moving into a new home is the perfect time to downsize your belongings. Packing your belongings leads to an ideal opportunity to declutter. While downsizing can be exciting, it's also a challenging process. Many material objects have memories connected to them, making it difficult to donate or throw them away. 

If you don't know where to start, this guide to downsizing your home is for you. At Keystone Custom Homes, we've helped many households move into their dream homes, creating a beautiful environment where they can make new memories and enjoy the present. 

How Do I Downsize My Home? 

Downsizing is the process of reducing your belongings to a smaller number of things. It's easy to accumulate books, clothing, paperwork, cooking utensils, and many other items over time. Until you start going through cabinets, you may not even know how many things you have in your home!

When you downsize, you give away duplicate items and excess things that you don't need or use on a regular basis. This can lead to a simpler lifestyle where you don't have to take care of or make room for so many items. It brings focus to your life because the only objects you own are directly related to what you do on a daily basis. 

You can downsize your home in many different ways. Here are possible approaches to consider: 

• Going through one cabinet at a time.
• Sorting items by categories and donating the excess. 
• Keeping only what you use over the course of a month.

While some people enjoy having a minimal number of items, others prefer to have extra belongings like party dishes, vintage glass, or coin collections. The right balance for you depends on your lifestyle and the storage space in your home. Regardless of whether you're moving to a smaller home or simply want more space, downsizing is a good idea when you move. 

Tips for Home Downsizing

It can help to have a strategy before you start. Here are several ways you can make downsizing more fun and less challenging. Remember, the best way to declutter your home is just to get started. 

• Make a specific goal: Decide what your ideal goal is — how many items do you want to keep vs. give away? What is your reason or driving force for decluttering? Think about the storage space in your new home and how you would like the space to feel. This can help you stay focused during the process and feel successful when you're finished. 
• Start out small: If you feel overwhelmed by the thought of decluttering your whole home, start small. Choose a drawer or closet and go through one area a day. Every drawer you go through is progress!
• Sort by category: You may find it faster to take everything out of closets and drawers, sort them by category, and then decide what you'll keep. This method can help you find duplicate items quickly, since you can see everything of the same type at once. Decide how many items you really need, pick your favorite, and donate the rest. 
• Box up “not sure” items: As you declutter, you'll find items you're not sure about keeping or donating. Put them into their own box and close it for a while. Either right before or right after the move, you can make a final decision. Sometimes, keeping things out of sight can help weaken emotional ties and clarify the best decision for you. 
• Acknowledge sentimental value: Downsizing is difficult not because of how much you need but because of how much you feel. Some of your belongings have special memories that you won't want to lose, and it's OK to keep things for nostalgia's sake. You can also take a photo or journal about items so you'll remember them. 

Decluttering quickly can be difficult, so give yourself plenty of time to work through this process. If you can, it's usually best to downsize most of your belongings before the move so you can settle into your new home with fewer hard decisions to make. However, some homeowners may find that it's easier to fill their new cabinets and then donate items they don't use after a move. 

What to Do With Purged Items

Where should you take the items you no longer need? This is a common sticking point when decluttering your home. When you give away or donate unwanted belongings, you can feel even better about downsizing. Thankfully, there are several good options:

• Regift them: If you have kitchenware, clothing, or other items that are still in good condition, consider regifting them. Do you have family or friends who would appreciate a chance to look through them? Many younger people appreciate hand-me-down items that may currently be outside their budget. 
• Sell used items: You can also sell used items on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or locally with a yard sale. This option takes work, but it's a good way to recoup some of the costs. A yard sale is also a good way to let your neighbors know you're moving soon.
• Donate to charity: Most cities have charity organizations where you can donate gently used clothes, furniture, and other items. These organizations will sell your used things and use the proceeds to benefit a cause or group. 

Many people start with regifting, then move on to selling or donating the items their friends and family can't use. Choose the best option for you and allow yourself time to process downsizing. Selling or donating items is usually more final than regifting them, so you can always compile a “not-sure” box and wait until you're ready.

Some items may just need to be thrown away. If you can recycle them, that's an even better option. Always shred paperwork before you dispose of it, and ask local crafting centers or schools if you have a lot of art supplies to donate. Don't let yourself get stuck thinking about what to do with purged items — keep moving so you can create a peaceful home space.

Floorplans That Make Downsizing Easier

Having a well-thought-out floorplan can help make downsizing easier, as you'll create a space that perfectly fits your lifestyle needs. 

For example, having your key areas — Kitchen, Living Room, and Dining Room — all on one level means easier access. An Owner's Suite offers more convenience, as it's your private area blocked off from the main living space. 

Even 2-story homes can suit a downsized lifestyle if you choose a floorplan with a smaller footprint. The less space you have to fill, the easier it will be to avoid clutter and accumulating items you don't want or need. While smaller in size, you can create a spacious look and feel through smart design and organization. 

Start Your New Home Journey With Keystone Custom Homes Today 

Use this guide to downsize to prepare for your next move so you can enjoy a spacious and peaceful space. At Keystone Custom Homes, we're dedicated to helping you create the home you want. We offer dozens of different floorplans and design options to choose from so you can optimize your new construction home for your needs. 

When you work with us, we'll streamline the process of finding land, designing your home, and completing construction. Our homes can be found in communities across several states, and we can also help you build on land you've already purchased. Contact us today at 717-368-9831 to request an appointment and learn how we can help you realize your dream home.