Tips for downsizing?

[butternutsquashsoups]

We are moving into a smaller home over the next few months and need to reduce our belongings considerably and find creative storage solutions.

Does anyone have any helpful tips please?

Following

In a similar situation

Moving from a large 6 bed detached to a bog standard 3 bed semi

I have been going through stuff and being pretty ruthless (clothes, kids toys etc)

And also, as I pack I will throw out anything we don't use, genuinely need need or 'sparks joy'

Still panicking though! :/

I like everything to be hidden and no clutter but I'm worried the house will look messy because there's much less storage
So if I have to get rid of a lot of stuff then I will because I find the less stuff I have the easier it is to keep tidy etc

Good luck

Skip!

I moved from a 5 bed 264 sq m to a 3 bed 100 sq m bungalow. Bought far too much stuff and still have it boxed up, and have to declutter further. I used to enjoy going to charity shops but now realise it's from people like me!

Kitchen Aid and big coffee machine are still on the floor in the hallway as there's no kitchen worktop to speak of - or cupboards!

What's the storage like in your new house? Measure your furniture and see how it will fit on the floor plan. The bathroom here doesn't have any space for a cupboard, I've had to buy a teeny tiny Ikea unit for the small space available - I used to have a huge armoire at my old house.

I've had a rethink and will be selling my beds and buying beds with storage underneath, as well as a sofa with storage, Snug do a nice one. I think everything has to be dual purpose from now on here - there isn't any storage at all.

Good luck and do photograph things you are fond of if you are rehoming them - I spent ages searching for something.

I have found that Dawn the Minimalist Mum on YouTube talks a lot of sense. She is realistic and understands the dilemmas we all face.

I did something similar recently. I was not moving into a much smaller house (already quite small) but I knew I was going to have less storage and also wanted to keep things clutter free to make a small house feel more spacious.

I think you have to be quite realistic and think about what you really need. For example, I had quite a large collection of crockery that I never used - a whole dresser full of it. I got rid of more than half of it. Also, lots of DVDs, cook books, various knickknacks, etc. But, on the other hand, I did keep my kitchen aid mixer even though I don’t use it very much, as I do like cooking and I am quite attached to it.

Mil moved from a three bed house she’d lived in for 50 years to a two bed flat. I’m not going to lie, it was difficult.

For the couple of years preceding the move, she kept trying to palm random bits of furniture, ornaments and stuff onto us ‘because it belonged to Nan/great aunt/cousin Dave’ (all dead). I was adamant that we wouldn’t take stuff because we simply didn’t have room. Eventually, she bit the bullet, got a skip and got ruthless.

Unfortunately, getting ruthless is the only way to do it. We sold two large items of good furniture on eBay (almost more trouble than it was worth). The rest went to the tip, the charity shop or local refuges.

Be totally ruthless. I thought I was but still like @Salome61have too much (fortunately have a garage which now needs a further cull) Luckily the new house could accommodate large IKEA wardrobe which has taken care of my clothes and other random crap I have not let go of.
However remember if you’re downsizing because of it being that time of your life(older) there are no storage options in a coffin.

DM - late 80’s - recently downsized from a large 4 bed with lots of storage to a retirement flat. House sold day it went onto the market with an 8 week completion. She was ruthless and as Flat came fully furnished all furniture in the house was either sold, given away, sent to charity shop or had to go in skip. Clothes charity shop and same with kitchen stuff. Very old items were sent to auction house. Helped by self and DH it was all done and she is so much happier as she has effectively sorted out everything she needed to.

Thi j about the space you will have in the smaller place and what you actually want to see and keep in the new space.

Also, consider clever storage, like ottoman beds.

I would start with the stuff that you haven't touched for months. Lofts, garages, understairs cupboards etc. I'd you haven't touched it for months, why do you keep it (Christmas decos aside!)

You are much more likely to need the everyday stuff, so I'd do that last. That said, if you have 60 plates, ask yourself how often you use all 60..same with 100 pairs of shoes, 20 pots and pans etc. You will need plates, shows and pots, do you need as many as you currently have.

Good luck.