Get Rid of Unnecessary Items
Downsizing is becoming popular, and for good reason. Living smaller is cheaper, easier, and quite cozy. Unfortunately, you probably can’t move all your stuff into your new home. Which means the first step is to….
Decide what you’re going to keep!
Downsizing your home mainly applies to furniture and maybe some appliances. Smaller items can usually be packed away in smaller boxes.
Honestly, this is up to you. Everybody has different preferences on what they like having around the house.
Remember to keep in mind what your new home looks like first. You’ll want to know furniture dimensions and where things might go.
To determine what you will keep, you can ask yourself these questions:
- Do I use this item?
- Does this item have any sentimental value?
- This item takes up a lot of space – do I use it enough to keep it around?
- Will this go well with my new home?
- Can this item easily fit in the house or be easily stored?
These questions can apply to many things. Here are a few examples to get your brain working.
Home Gym: You might have a home elliptical or treadmill. Do you use it every day? Maybe you use it once a month? Consider buying a pair of outdoor running shoes to replace these big and bulky things.
The Kids’ Rooms/Guest Rooms: Maybe you’ll have some visitors at your new home, and one guest room wouldn’t hurt, but bringing along furniture from two or three rooms hardly seems logical.
The Attic/Basement: Have loads of boxes that haven’t seen light for years? Maybe it’s time to get rid of them!
Getting Rid of the Things You Don’t Want to Keep
Now that you’ve decided what’s coming along, time to decide how to get rid of the things that aren’t.
You probably have a versatile arsenal of the things that are going, anything from fishing gear to a California-King sized bed set. Thus, you’ll need different methods to get rid of things. Here are a few good ideas for you. Some will be better for certain items.
Craigslist: This is good for a lot of things, but mainly for that big and bulky furniture.
The reason? Craigslist is full of money savers looking for anything they can. The best part is that you can get the buyer to move it for you.
For example, that 300 lb. metal desk sitting in the upstairs study is definitely not being moved by you. You could always try to get a few hundred bucks for it, but you’d need to figure out moving, dates, etc. If you have no problem putting it up for “$20 – move it yourself,” that desk will likely be gone the next day.
Call the Kids/Family: Is there any family in the nearby area you’d like to give some furniture to? The nightstand your great grandfather handcrafted might fit right in at your daughter’s home! Maybe the grand kids could use some fishing gear.
The best way to do this is to put all the stuff you’re getting rid of in the same area. Have the family come over to pick and choose!
Garage Sale: Now that the family has picked and chosen their new belongings, keep all the remaining things to get rid of together and have a garage sale. A garage sale is great for getting rid of electronics, clothes, trinkets, small furniture, etc. Remember to be reasonable with your prices and you’ll make a few dollars!
Donations: We highly recommend donations. Goodwill takes almost anything. ARC will pick up select items for you. You can do a Google search on nearby causes; look to donate for them. One example is Career Closet in Fort Collins, Colorado. They take business attire to outfit people looking to get jobs!
After trying the previous three methods, you’ll most likely have been able to unload all the rest of your useful items with a donation center.
Now that you’ve downsized your arsenal, time to move into the new place! Make it your own! Enjoy!