Organizational Ideas to Help With Downsizing

Selling your home is one of the most significant decisions you will ever make. You have had many milestones in your home and held many celebrations, including birthday parties, holidays, and family gatherings. Your home holds many memories for you, but you are now at a stage where it is time to move on. It can be bittersweet even if you're excited for the next stage ahead.

Selling your home can also present many challenges, but downsizing is one of the biggest ones many homeowners overlook. For many, downsizing involves so much more than finding a lower-maintenance property. It also involves getting rid of items accumulated over the years. As you go through your belongings, you will need to figure out what's coming with you or what you are leaving behind, especially if you're moving to a brand-new home in Highlands Ranch.

So how do you declutter your entire home while keeping your stress at bay? The solution may be simpler than you think. By following these guidelines, you can cut down on the clutter without wasting hours doing so. Here are some foolproof tips for staying organized while downsizing your Highlands Ranch home.

When trying to downsize your home, going through all of your belongings can be overwhelming. Whether you have lived in your home for three years or 30, you will have accumulated a lot of items, including gifts, collections, and other memorabilia. And if you are the type of person who has saved everything, it can be even more challenging to go through everything. So where do you begin? How do you throw out years' worth of memories? Take inventory of everything you owe.

You don't need to do this all in one day. Take this project one step at a time. Choose one room and get started. A great place to start would be your attic or basement, where you keep things in storage. What are some items you want to keep but others you haven't needed in years? If you don't need it, get rid of it. If the item is valuable or is an antique, sell it. Otherwise, give it away or throw it out.

Once you have taken inventory of everything in one room, move on to the next one. Depending on how organized you are and how much you need to get rid of, this project could take anywhere from an afternoon to weeks. However much time you think you need, double it. If you are sentimental, you might find items that hold a particular memory for you, and you could get distracted. If you want to make the experience more fun, invite friends or family members to help you or even listen to some fun music while you work.

Downsizing means so much more than getting rid of clutter — it involves a whole new way of decorating your home. In many instances, when you are moving to a smaller home, the furniture in your current home will not fit the space of your new home. This is especially true for living and dining room furniture. If you have an oversized sectional that does not fit your new living room, remove it. Nothing makes a space feel cramped faster than oversized furniture. You will need furniture that's to scale for the space. By buying furniture that fits the space, you are making the space feel more prominent, and your home will feel more cohesive and inviting.

Check every room in your new home. Does your bed fit the new space? Make sure you leave enough space for maneuvering around both sides of the bed and try to leave room for nightstands if you can. Bedroom furniture will make your room feel more cluttered and less relaxing. In some cases, you might need to get rid of furniture for a room in your new property. Take only what you need and eliminate what doesn't work anymore. 

If you have decided to eliminate oversized furniture that doesn't fit your new space, now is the perfect time to buy brand-new furniture. If you used to have an oversized sectional, choose living room furniture that works for the space. You might find a luxury couch or an appropriately sized sectional for your new living room — the possibilities are endless!

If part of the reason you may have wanted to downsize was to begin the next stage of your life, what better way to celebrate new beginnings than with new decor? This is the perfect opportunity to buy brand-new furniture for the space or even decorate spaces you might not have had before. Choose luxurious materials and make the home your own. You have a blank canvas to work with, and your new home can be your masterpiece. 

While downsizing can simplify things, there can be some downsides to living in a smaller home. If you go from a large home to a smaller one, you might be concerned with keeping your new home clean and organized, especially if organization doesn't come naturally to you. So how can you keep your new home clutter-free? Try investing in some organizational tools.

Purchase shelves for some of the most essential spaces in your home, including your closets, laundry room, and garage space. The right storage solutions make it easy to stay organized. You can even invest in storage solutions for your kitchen cabinets and pantry, making your kitchen easier to navigate. You can purchase storage solutions at big-box stores or create custom-made ones to fit your new space. Remember, little changes can make a significant impact on the space.

Are you considering downsizing? Whether you are searching for Highlands Ranch homes for sale or you are finally ready to move into your dream home, you'll need to sell your home for top dollar to make your dreams come true. If you're ready to move on to the next stage, you must work with a Highlands Ranch real estate expert. When you need the best, you need Brian Grimm. Backed by over 20 years of industry experience and local market expertise, Brian will help you get your home sold fast so you can focus on what's most important to you. If you're ready to list, give Brian a call today.