06.20.2017

Downsizing

When people hear of a couple "downsizing," they generally picture empty nesters that don't need the space they used to with their kids no longer living at home. Rarely do they imagine a mid-20s couple selling their home to move into a smaller, overpriced apartment in Austin, TX. Well, that's the situation my husband and I have found ourselves in. We are leaving our hometown of Amarillo to go on new adventures down south. This means that our furniture and items that seemed uncluttered in our three-bedroom house might become a little too snug in a one-bedroom apartment. Hence, a cleanout has commenced. Here are some tips that have helped me so far.



Mark the Essentials

The first step in downsizing is to focus on your essential items that you have to have in your new space. This includes sofas, chairs, tables, beds, and any other items that are necessities. Once you have tagged those items, look at the volume of each. Is it worth it to you to keep both of your couches if it means that you might sacrifice comfortable walking space in your living room? Do you really need to keep your king size bed instead of the queen size bed if it will cause your bedroom to feel like the walls are closing in on you? Downsizing can be difficult, but think of the overall goal for your smaller space. You will find that a more open and uncluttered room can truly make all the difference in the world in the overall feel of a home.



Cut the Fluff

When downsizing, the last thing you want taking up space is unnecessary décor. I am an admirer of the arts, but a little bit of decoration goes a long way. Focus on keeping only the pieces that speak to your heart, and look at each item individually rather than as a unit. This will help you decide which pieces are essential to your overall aesthetic, and which pieces are wasting valuable space.



Make Some Sales

I have found that one of the best ways to sell larger items in your home is to put them online on places such as Facebook Marketplace, Buy, Sell, & Trade pages, or Craigslist. It is incredibly easy to upload pictures of the item you're selling, and you can reach a large amount of people in a few clicks. The one thing to be careful of is the fact that these people are strangers. However, what I like about Facebook Marketplace is that you can actually look at the person's profile to see if you have mutual friends, and if they seem like a legitimate potential buyer. I do recommend that you always have someone with you when the buyer plans to pick up the item and that you ask for him or her to pay you in cash. This gives you a little more peace of mind as you go through the transaction.

Finally, at the end of the day, I have been reminded that things are just that—things. They can be blessings to give thanks for, but they can also become idols if we become too tight-fisted with our belongings. My husband and I are excited to start this new chapter in our lives, and we don't need a couple of U-Hauls filled up to the brim in order to do that.