How to Downsize Your House When Moving

Whilst the decision to downsize can be a significant one, it can also be a sensible and positive move for many homeowners.

Downsizing will free you from the responsibilities of a larger property, reducing your monthly outgoings and worries. Downsizing can also release equity to spend in other areas of your life. If you’re moving house, downsizing can also be a great opportunity for a fresh start.

Once you have found your new home, you may have a hard time deciding what to take with you as there is likely to be less space. This can especially be the case if you have lived somewhere for a long time and brought a family up – you are likely to have amassed lots of things over time! That’s why we’ve put together some simple tips to help you declutter and downsize effectively.

1. Make a Plan

Sorting out a lifetime of possessions can seem like a daunting prospect at first. Setting out a plan of action will not only help you stay organised but is also useful to refer back to when the move feels emotional. Make a schedule for dealing with different aspects of decluttering such as categorising, donating, and packing and check them off once complete.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can also make a floorplan of your new property so that you can plan if your existing dining table or favourite chair will fit into your new rooms. It can be fun to do, plus it gives you some much-needed confidence about your move.

2. Sort Out Your Possessions

Categorising items can help you decide what to keep and what to discard. You could also make a list of all your items and put down information such as size and shape to determine whether they will be useful in your new home. 

Once you have identified the different categories of items you have, go through each category separately. Sort out the items into ‘Keep’ and ‘Discard’ piles and repeat the process until you have covered everything. 

3. Discard the Unnecessary

Once you’ve embarked on the decluttering and downsizing process, you may discover items that are no longer in line with your home’s new aesthetic, are too large, or simply aren’t needed in your new place. Here’s how to part with things you’ve identified as a no-go:

Gift items to friends and family 

Feel free to offer some of your more cherished and useful items to family members and friends (but please do not get offended if anyone says no, as after all, styles and tastes do vary!). Some removal companies, like ourselves, will happily drop larger items of furniture to friends and family en route to your new home, so please do ask to see if this service is available to you.

Donate items to charity

Many charities will come and collect larger items from you so that they can sell them for much-needed funds. You can book a free collection service with The British Heart Foundation – but please do check their list as to what they are unable to take. 

As a professional moving company, we can supply you with stickers and bags to help you declutter and donate to charity. As part of helping local charities, we will collect your bags and deliver them directly to a local charity on your moving day. 

Car boot sales or online auctions

Gumtree, FridayAd, or eBay are all great places to list an item for sale, whilst car boot sales can be a great place to get rid of smaller items, plus make some cash at the same time to treat yourself at a later date. 

For more valuable items, many specialist auction companies can help you sell any antiques and collectibles, and most provide free valuations too.

House clearance services

Across the country, there are house clearance companies that will take as little or as much as you would like.  As in the case of selling items online, please do it safely, and maybe have someone with you when these individuals visit your home.

Whether you need to make a bit more space or are moving house, downsizing can be a cathartic and refreshing experience. It’s a good opportunity to focus on the things that you love, and maybe shed a few of those items that you never really liked in the first place, or now no longer need.

At Bishop’s Move, we have a dedicated home removals team with the expertise to handle every aspect of your move, from precious items such as antiques and even dealing with move day anxiety. We craft a bespoke package to ensure that your transition is smooth and swift.