Tips to Downsize During a Move

Whether you’re an empty nester moving from a large home to a condo, or a couple moving from the suburbs to a small apartment in the city, we’ve got some tips for downsizing during a move to help make the transition as smooth as possible.

Make a List

Take a good look around your home and start listing your must-have items. Do you really need to make room in your new home for that treadmill that you’ve been using as a place to hang your laundry? If you haven’t used it in over a year, consider getting rid of it.

Get Started Early

Don’t wait until the last minute. Several months before your move date, begin making time each day to go through your things and start thinning them out. Devote at least 20 minutes a day to organizing your closets, shelves and drawers.

Sort

Ideally, you should sort your items into three bins. You can label them: keep, sell, donate; or: must-have, can live without, can be replaced. Whatever labels you decide to use, try to stick to three.

Measure

Get the room measurements or floor plans for your new place. Measure your furniture and plan your room arrangements prior to your move. Remember to keep doors and windows in mind.

Sell

Once you’ve decided which items you can’t live without, begin selling the rest. You can have a yard sale, or if you want to get more money for your items, you can try selling them online. Large, heavy household items, such as appliances and furniture do well on local Facebook marketplaces and Craigslist.

Poshmark and eBay are good options for selling used designer clothing and accessories, or you could check with local consignment shops and see what they are accepting.

Donate

Whatever you can’t sell, consider donating it to a charity or secondhand shop.