If you and your family have made the decision to downsize, there are a few things you should do in the run up to your move-in date. Read on to find out more.
Store valuable furniture items into a storage facility
One of the most common pieces of advice given to those who are downsizing is to sell, donate or dispose of their larger pieces of furniture, as these types of items tend to take up too much space in a modestly sized house. Whilst this isn't bad advice, it's not necessarily the right approach for everyone.
If you only intend to live in a smaller property for a short period of time, or if you own a few items of antique or designer furniture which are very valuable, it would be wise to put these goods in a furniture storage facility, instead of getting rid of them.
If they are worth quite a bit of money (as most sofas, wardrobes and other large pieces of furniture usually are), the cost of placing them in a storage facility for a few months (or even years) is likely to be far less than repurchasing them in the future. This is because most storage units are priced very competitively.
This approach would not only allow you to hold onto your much-loved, valuable items of furniture but would also spare you the hassle of trying to replace them when you need them again in a few months' time; this is a particularly important to note if the furniture you currently own is quite rare, as it might be almost impossible to find exact replicas in the future.
Be ruthless when it comes to decorative clutter
A large collection of decorative items, such as table ornaments, cushions, candles and artwork can make a spacious house feel cosier and more welcoming.
However, these items can have a negative impact when used to decorate a small house; an excessive amount of clutter on the shelves, tables, windowsills and walls of a compact home can give it a chaotic, messy and cramped appearance. As such, it is best not to bring these types of items with you.
Whilst it makes sense to invest in a storage unit to safely stow away valuable, functional items like the aforementioned furniture, it is not really worth storing inexpensive, surplus decorative goods that are easy to replace.
Given this, it might be better to either sell them on an online auction site, donate them to a charity shop or simply give them away to family and friends.
