How to make downsizing work for you

So, you’ve decided to move into something smaller and more suited to your current lifestyle. It’s a big step — and can feel daunting as you look around at your accumulated possessions. What should (and shouldn’t) you take with you?

Clean Slate

Perhaps you’re considering a ‘clean slate’ approach. This can be fairly drastic, and I don’t actually recommend it. See my blog here on decluttering without regrets.

Even if you want to completely overhaul your style and — say — go contemporary and minimalist, you probably have a couple of pieces that have earned their place through being part of your family’s story. Making a hasty decision to part with them could be something you’ll regret. Then there are decorative pieces — ornaments, lamps, and pictures — that you might not see ‘working’ in your new home, but they deserve a chance. The key is to be discriminating about the piece’s quality, the part it has played in your life, and its future potential.

Heirloom pieces

Heirloom pieces can be reinvented in your new space. In the television series Frasier, Martin Crane’s favourite chair became a running joke. With its ugly upholstery (held together with duct tape) and clumsy appearance, it looked completely out of place in Frasier’s designer apartment. But for Martin, the memories it evoked made it a must-keep.

If you have a similarly nostalgic piece, it might still be possible to make it work. If it’s upholstered, change the fabric. A piece in a plain wood could be upcycled with paint. Perhaps the key is to locate it in a part of the house where it doesn’t draw too much attention to itself, while still being part of your new home.

Taking it all with you

If you happen to like your current furniture and want to keep it, take a critical look and first check whether it will actually fit in your new home. Work with the floor plan and check the dimensions of everything. New appliances (fridge washer/dryer) may be non-negotiable spends, as your existing ones simply won’t fit. But by keeping your furniture, at least in the short term, you have the opportunity to live in your new home, get a feel for it, and start replacing pieces as your budget permits.

You may think a smaller house or apartment calls for smaller furniture — but that’s not necessarily the case. Small furniture in a small space can just look mean, and the room can feel under-furnished. So don’t be afraid to include your generously scaled couch and larger bookcases in your moving plans — provided they’ll get through the door and you have a room for them.

Upgrading

One piece of furniture that does vital duty is your bed. Downsizing can be the perfect opportunity to upscale your bed to a more luxurious and functional model. Consider it compensation for scaling down your lifestyle in other areas.

The aforementioned appliances are another opportunity to improve your life with the latest technology. Washing machines that care for your clothes, fridges that make your food stay fresher and use less energy – there is much to be said for upgrading in this area.

Storage – there is never enough

If, after downsizing as much as you can, storage is still tight in your new home, there are a couple of additional things you can do:

• Maximise the storage space you do have with custom fittings and kits, available online and at retailers like Howards Storage World.
• Consider multifunctional furniture that does double duty — such as trundle beds, gas-lift beds with storage in the base, fold-out beds, and the like. I’d emphasise, though, that you need to look for quality here. Like all technology, pieces that try to do more than one thing often don’t do either well. We’ve probably all spent the night on an uncomfortable fold-out sofa.

In conclusion

Downsizing can be an emotional and challenging time. The rewards can be a simpler lifestyle and more opportunities to experience life. If you would like to book a chat about how you can make your new home feel like you , please get in touch,