The Ultimate Guide To Downsizing

There's moving and then there's downsizing. There's a negative connotation associated with the concept of "downsizing" because it implies the loss of at least some of your possessions, whether that's voluntary or not. Sometimes people downsize for the sake of simplicity or because their children have grown up and left the house. Other times, downsizing can feel more imposed, especially in cases of senior citizens transitioning to retirement or elder-care facilities. The point is, people grow attached to their possessions and it's hard to part ways with them, regardless of the reason. This guide aims to give some tips and pointers to make downsizing simple and less stressful.

Key Benefits

It might feel like you're losing space when you move to a smaller home but it can also be a freeing experience. Not only is there a good chance it'll bring your day-to-day expenses down, but you also have less to worry about in general.

Get your time back

If you're moving to a condo, it can feel a lot smaller than a house and it can take a while to get used to the new living situation. But think of it this way; the amount of time you'll need to spend on maintenance has gone down drastically. You probably don't have a lawn or outdoor space to take care of anymore and other issues can be dealt with by building management as opposed to you personally. Say goodbye to lawn mowing and snow shovelling and hello to more free time!

Big thrills from small bills

Big homes cost a lot to heat, especially during Canadian winters, and a lot of that money is going towards heating rooms that might not even be used. Moving to a smaller home will drastically bring down those utility bills. The savings will be immediately apparent and you'll quickly have more disposable income.

House poor no more

When you part ways with your larger previous home, you're also parting ways with a bigger mortgage and bigger property taxes. Living in a condo or significantly smaller home means there's a way better chance of paying off your mortgage sooner than later, if you even have one at all. The amount of financial flexibility you'll gain from not having to make these monthly payments will be huge.

Who needs clutter anyway?

Do you ever wonder where clutter comes from? New homes have so much potential. You might have had a lot of great ideas for what to do with some of those spare rooms. Now that a couple of decades have gone by, however, you're stuck with two or three rooms filled with an assortment of, to put it bluntly, junk. And while companies like Two Small Men can get rid of your junk, it can't get rid of the underlying cause of why the junk was there in the first place.

When there's too much empty space around, there's a natural inclination towards filling that space with stuff. Moving to a smaller place removes that temptation. When you have to be more selective about the possessions you can hold onto, it's make you more appreciative of the space you have and forces you to be more creative with how to use it.

Zen and the art of downsizing

When you downsize, you're not just getting rid of what you don't need. You're also forcing yourself to live a new lifestyle that will require some getting used-to. Think of it as simplifying your entire life, as opposed to just the space you live in. It will ultimately make you more organized and efficient in general because there is no more wasted space. Because sometimes our minds need decluttering too.

One wardrobe to rule them all

You ever see Batman's closet? It's got one thing in there: the bat suit. Sure there might be like a dozen of them in there, but it's still simplicity at it's finest. You open your closet, you know what you're getting, you put it on, you leave the house. No time wasted. No citizens of Gotham needlessly victimized. We're not telling you to go to the extremes of Bruce Wayne when it comes to wardrobe organization, but just ask yourself how much time you've lost over the years by gazing at too many outfit choices in your closet, only to eventually declare you have nothing to wear?

Keep what you actually wear and love. Don't keep dated items hoping that certain trends will come back. Don't keep clothes you don't fit into. Take everything you're not keeping and give it to charity. There are people out there who definitely need it more. You can use the leftover closet space as additional storage for all your bat-gadgets.

Unwelcome in a jungle

You might have gotten used to your mess over the years but that doesn't mean that your friends love coming over and seeing stacks of mystery boxes or generally messy spaces. In fact, it might be why some of your friends don't come over at all anymore.

Living in a clean and organized space means living in a much more functional and welcoming home. When your breakfast nook actually serves as a breakfast nook and not a make-shift storage area, you can actually have people over for breakfast! Or any other meal!

How to Make a Small Space Special

Just because you're downsizing doesn't mean you have to abandon your sense of style. With some creative planning and organization, you can maximize the space you have on hand and have it looking like your dream home.

Organized like an OG

Because space is limited in condos and smaller homes, all space needs to be used to its full potential. Nothing can be wasted. Proper organization is the best way to achieve this.

• Drawers and Closets: These spaces can be subdivided for better accessibility and to avoid simply tossing things in there.

• Decorative Storage Containers: Nothing is less attractive than brown boxes strewn around your home for years at a time. Head to any craft or home decor store and get some nice boxes or storage bins for those items you're not quite sure what to do with.

Functional Furniture

Furniture will inevitably take up the most space in your home, so if you live in a small space, you'd be best served by furniture that serves multiple functions:

• Ottomans with Storage: Not only will this be a great and comfortable centrepiece of your living room, but you can also use it as storage for blankets and linens or other items.

• Sofa Beds and Murphy Beds: Not only will you look like a cool detective from the '40s, you'll turn your bedroom into a much more useable space when you're able to tuck the bed away temporarily.

• Foldable Tables and Desks: If you don't actually need a table to be out at all times, why not put it away when you're not using it? If you need a large table, consider getting one that can expand and contract.

Let there be light

A space can be entirely transformed by lighting alone. When a room is properly lit, it can add depth and make it feel warmer and more inviting. Try a combination of floor lamps, wall sconces and smaller decorative string or pendant lights to create different effects. Other tricks to give off the impression of a more spacious interior include the use of large area rugs, accent walls and well-placed greenery.

Reflect on your space with mirrors

Mirrors can be used not only to amplify the lighting you already have in your home, but they can also create the illusion of additional room. And in these cases, seeing is believing.

Outdoor Space: Extend Your Living Area

If you have access to any outdoor space at your new smaller home, make full use of it. Depending on the nature of the outdoor space, you might be able to weather proof it to an extent and place larger units of furniture there that don't fit inside. Spaces like these can be used all year for entertaining and relaxing, especially in warmer climate zones

Do's and Don't for Downsizing to an Apartment

DO: Put some thought into your new space

Sure, moving is stressful and you probably want to be done with it as fast possible. But downsizing means reorganizing your life, so it's probably best not to rush the process and just shove all of your stuff wherever there's space. Instead:

• Visualize the Space: When you visit your apartment before moving in, imagine where everything will go and make note of it. Come up with a plan before moving day.

• Measure Meticulously: You don't want to get to your new apartment and find out that your favourite couch won't fit anywhere. Measure entrances as well as the intended spaces before hand to save yourself some heartache.

DON’T: Take What Should be Left Behind

Downsizing will be almost impossible if you can't be selective about what to keep:

• Purge Before You Pack: Don't pack anything you don't need at the new home or that you won't be using. Getting rid of a bunch of junk before packing will save you time as well.

• Give it to a Good Cause: If you get rid of certain possessions with the express intention of giving them to charity, it will make parting ways with those items easier.

DO: Embrace Simplicity

As mentioned above, downsizing means a whole new way of living.

• Visualize Your Ideal Home: Think of the kind of space you want to live in. Will it be cozy or clinical? It depends on your aesthetic.

• Prioritize Joy and Functionality: If it doesn't make you happy or serve a purpose, why are you keeping it?

DON’T: Forget About Your Neighbours

Apartment living means neighbours in close proximity. This may be a new scenario for you.

• Keep it down: Be mindful of the amount of noise you're making, especially if you have children or pets. If either of those are the case, aim for a ground-floor unit or else invest in some good floor rugs or carpeting.

• Be Friendly, Respect Boundaries: Introduce yourselves to your closest neighbours and get to know them a bit. You don't need to become best friends with them, but basic familiarity goes a long way. If they are quiet and want to keep to themselves, you should be respectful of that.

Cleaning out the Kitchen

There can be more clutter in a kitchen than any other room, and you might not even realize it. They tend to collect various gadgets and other implements over the years until you're suddenly inundated by a bunch of kitchen stuff you just don't need.

Knives: The Essential Trio

When it comes to knives, you really only need a chef's knife for general cutting and chopping, a paring knife for more delicate work and a serrated knife for loaves of bread an fresh fruit and vegetables.

Pots and Pans: Quality Over Quantity

It's great to have a good set of functional pots and pans but even the best ones degrade over time and eventually you have drawers and cabinets filled with unusable kitchenware. Here's what you absolutely need:

• Non-Stick Skillet: Good for cooking an assortment of food without it sticking or making a mess

• Cast-Iron Pan: Great for meat and other food and will last long

• Stainless Steel Saucepan: Great for sauce and pasta and is resistant to stains

• Stockpot: Good for boiling water or making sauces and stews.

Back to Basics

Unless you're the Queen of England, all you really need is a fork, butter knife, spoon, spatula, whisk and can opener. In addition to knives, cookware, and utensils, you probably also want to have oven mitts, mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a strainer, and a cutting board.

The Joy of Less

Downsizing isn't about following trends nor is it the end of the world. It's a way of doing more with less. It's a way of decluttering your space and your mind. It's a recipe for simple and easy living. If you need help with decluttering, you can always call on Two Small Men. Contact us today and tell us about your situation and we'll get you started with a free moving estimate.