When things worsened, and we had to relocate, I was forced to cut back. We had to give up our three-story country House and move to a cramped city flat. Then, a few years later, we had to move again to a ranch-style home. We had to pack up and move again after ten years to a bungalow in a different province. Once again, I found myself in need of streamlining and minimization. Here are nine lessons I picked up over my three relocations:

1. Purge

You should get rid of things before moving. When calculating the total cost of a move, it’s essential to consider the things we’ve accumulated throughout the years. One critical advice for decluttering is to start as soon as you know you are moving and not put it off until the last minute. Without help, it’s an impossible task.

When cleaning out, I found visualizing my future home and lifestyle benefits. Just imagine how much simpler your life could be if you spent less time and energy purging. For instance, I enjoy sewing. I had a great collection of fabric that I had amassed over the years, and we would have to move. About 70% of my fabric stash was donated to charity, while I saved the rest for special occasions. I’ve even given away half-done work. Make sure your goals for the next three months or years are reasonable. When it’s gone, you forget about it and finally feel liberated.

Purge and Reset

There wasn’t a typo there. When you move into your new house, you unpack the most important boxes first. Once you’ve unpacked the essentials, you can put the other packs in the basement or Garage and return them whenever you’re ready. In reality, that’s a sign that they need to be eliminated. I’m curious whether there’s a way to dispose of them without reading them first. Hmmmm. It would be fantastic if you could. I couldn’t do it. I reminded myself that I managed just fine without it when I was tempted to bring unnecessary items into the house. Keep the clutter out of your brand-new home.

3) Reduce Your Furnishings

Over time, we all amass many possessions, quickly filling up even the most prominent houses. Now that you’re downsizing and moving, you must pare your furniture accordingly. Many people sell their fully equipped homes before buying new ones in their recent locations.

Or cut back on the current quantity. You can do this by measuring your new home and each piece of furniture you intend to move there. On grid paper, I draw the room and the table to scale.

I used to have a U-shaped desk and three bookcases crammed full of books. After removing many books and consolidating them into a single desk and two bookcases, I set up an exercise station in the living room.

Create Shelving for Underutilized Areas

I don’t know how the original homeowners of our 1950s cottage got by with so few and such little closets. In all honesty, several shelves are only 6 inches deep. We solved the storage issue by installing more storage and display shelves in the cupboards, pantries, and cabinets.

5 Use the Space “Up” There

How much extra space can be created with some creative thinking is mind-boggling. There wasn’t much prep room or cabinetry in our tiny kitchen. Our breakfast nook wall was opened to the garage, and we installed a cabinet to store and show off our dishes. This item was passed on to my cousin when we renovated her kitchen years later. She did the same thing you did, only she made a hole that faced a closet, and she is delighted with her new storage space.

Our garage is tiny, so there was no place for us to keep all of our outdoor and underwater equipment. We constructed a hatch in the garage roof, installed a door and steps, and now all my canning jars and seasonal apparel have a great new home. A pulley and safety chain allows the ladder to move up and down.

After we had our kitchen redone, I used the unused area above the cabinets. This area is typically closed off with drywall or left open, where everything collects dust. Because my apartment is so tiny, I didn’t have room for a china cabinet, but I was able to construct one with glass doors and lighting.

Look “Down” for Storage, Number 6

Having extra stuff under my bed bothers me and makes the space congested. In the north, we are expected to have four complete sets of seasonal clothing and bedding, but when you’re stuck with a smaller home, you must do what you’ve got. As a result, I invested in several containers with covers to store things under the bed. My seasonal footwear, knitting, and wrapping paper are now all kept under the bed. They produce excellent containers with wheels and hinged covers to prevent dust accumulation and facilitate retrieval.

Look for furniture with concealed compartments, such as coffee tables, ottomans, mattresses, and chairs.

Seventh, Present the Planners

Always look for storage solutions that will work in your home. You can tuck them under your garments or into tight nooks in the closet. You wouldn’t believe how much they can store.

Shake things up; number 8

I had more lovely framed prints than wall space because my family and I used to own a photo-framing business. After sorting through everything and keeping just the best, I put half of the images in a storage closet and plan to switch them out in a year or two. This is also how I store my vases and ornaments. Not everything has to be shown at once. You won’t feel the need to go shopping as much if you switch things around in your closet.

9. Settle for Less

Downsizing has meant a more straightforward existence without luxuries like jacuzzi tubs and walk-in wardrobes. There will be more time and less anxiety if you simplify your life. Having fewer possessions means fewer items to clean, repair, and organize, giving you more time to focus on what matters. We’ve adjusted to living with less and couldn’t be happier.

Elvie Look is your professional organizing coach, offering straightforward advice to help you get your life in order. The keys to the organization may be learned in accessible, actionable, and manageable steps with the help of these methods, making them accessible to even the busiest mom, businessperson, entrepreneur, or student. She instructs her students on how to get and stay organized despite their hectic schedules. The author of “21 Easy Ways to Bring Order to Your Life,” she is.

Read also: https://cnnislands.com/home-improvement/