A few recent projects have been for families moving to smaller, yet more custom homes. And while moving to a more refined home can be a huge blessing, it can be hard when you are used to more square footage.
It’s amazing all of the stuff we accumulate over the years. I feel like I am constantly cleaning out my house and I try to watch what I bring into it.
It can sometimes be overwhelming in deciding what furnishings to take and what to replace or give away when moving, so I thought I would give six helpful tips to streamline the process. Here goes:
1. Go Through Each Item and Decide What You Love Or Will Use. Simple enough- Do you love it or use it? If not, get rid of it. Life is too short to have pieces you don’t love taking up space in your home. No more storing things you “might” need in the future or because you feel guilty getting rid of them.
2. Are There Pieces That Can Be Repurposed? If there is a piece you LOVE but don’t have a place for it, can it be reworked? For instance, can the doors to the large, deep French armoires that were popular in the 90s be taken off, stripped and reworked to go somewhere else? Reworking pieces can be a tedious process, so make sure you LOVE the piece to make it worthwhile.
3. Unsure What To Keep And What To Give Away? Hire A Professional. A designer can curate through your things to decide what can be used in the new home. We have gone through storage units to measure and photograph existing pieces to see what can be included in the furniture plans of the client’s new home we are furnishing. An objective eye may be just what you need.
4. Simplify- When Looking At Your Pieces, Give Away The Extras Of The Same Items. After all, you might need a few extra sets of sheets, but do you need five sets for the same bed? No- so give away to someone who can use them.
5. Think Long And Hard How The New Home Will Work For You. There is something refreshing about simplifying your life and surroundings. But with less space, you need to think long and hard ahead of time to make sure the new home functions like it needs to for you.
If working with an architect, hire a designer before the plans are drawn. An extra set of eyes for how your family will live in the house is invaluable. Every square inch needs to work hard so you can have the pretty with a purpose.
6. Let Go Of The Guilt. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is hard to get your money out of furniture and rugs (and even some antiques) when selling. Just know this is the case and let go of the pieces…. Do not hold onto stuff for any reason other than you love it.
All aspects of downsizing can be a blessing if you allow it. Look at it as a way to lighten your connection to material “stuff” and create spaces that are customized and truly special to you.
Hope you find these six tips helpful. Let me know what you think-
Dana
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