Is It Time To Downsize?

The population is ageing, households are getting smaller and home sites are shrinking – it’s no wonder we’ve been hearing a lot about downsizing. Even if you don’t need to move from a larger home to a smaller one for financial or lifestyle reasons, there are a lot of positives that come with downsizing – you can simplify your life by having a good clean out, you won’t have the big backyard to maintain, and a smaller home is definitely quicker to clean than a larger one. If you’ve been thinking that it’s time you downsized, there are some things to consider first:

• You’ll need to have a declutter. Let’s face it, most of us fill our homes with stuff, so unless you’ve led a minimalist life, downsizing will mean decluttering and donating or selling furniture, homewares and other accumulated bits and pieces. Start the decluttering process early, as you don’t want to leave it until the removalist van is on its way to decide what to hold onto and what to let go off. Every week, do a room or a cupboard or even a kitchen drawer and you’ll soon get on top of it.
• A really good tip when decluttering is to get rid of anything broken first (that dodgy toaster, chipped cups and ripped clothes you know you’ll never get around to mending) then cut back on duplicate or ‘just in case’ items – when you have a big home and plenty of storage, it’s easy to accumulate three extra doonas, multiple dinner sets and an extra vacuum cleaner. These are obvious things to cull.
• Consider renting a storage space – if you think you might move again in the near future, it might be worth putting those larger items or things you just can’t part with in a storage space. You can always clean it out in the future if you find a smaller home suits you in the long term. A word of warning through – choose the smallest storage space you need and set yourself a limit on how long you keep it as you don’t want to use it as an excuse to delay an inevitable clean out.
• Downsize your furniture before arriving at your new home, and treat yourself to new pieces (lamps, cushions and rugs) so you feel refreshed and excited about moving into your new home.
• Keep the goal in mind – whether you are downsizing out of necessity or desire, it can be disheartening when you start inspecting smaller homes and realise just how much space you’ll be giving up. So keep reminding yourself what you’ll gain rather than lose – perhaps you’re moving closer to the centre of town where you will be able to walk to local shops, the beach or your favourite restaurants. There will also be less upkeep and lower costs, giving you more time and money to spend on yourself.
• When attending open homes, keep in mind what is really important to you. Perhaps you’re happy to sacrifice a large kitchen but really want a spacious bedroom. Perhaps you want a plunge pool and not a spare bedroom. Or outdoor space is more important than an open floor plan. Knowing where you will and won’t compromise will help you decide on a new home you’ll be happy to live in for years to come.
• Head online for inspiration on how to style small spaces – not only will this give you practical tips on how to furnish and decorate a smaller home, but it will also keep you enthusiastic during the process of finding your new living space.
• If your new (smaller) home is lacking in storage, add some before moving day. Floating shelves in the living room and bedrooms, underbed storage boxes and extra drawers in the cupboards are all good investments.