What Are Simple Ways to Make a Downsizing Move Easier?

A downsizing move gets easier when you plan the new space first, sort in short sessions, and make the first night in your new home simple. I am Sherrene Hagenbach-Winters, a Realtor with eXp Realty Oregon in Central Oregon, and I walk a lot of people through this transition. Here are seven ideas that take the weight off.

How do I start downsizing without getting overwhelmed?

1. Map the new home first. Get the floor plan, measure each room, and mark where your favorite pieces will go. Painter's tape on the floor of your current home can show the size of a new room better than any number.

2. Sort in short sessions. One or two hours, one closet or one cabinet at a time. Stop while you still have energy, and you will want to come back tomorrow.

3. Photograph what you cannot keep. A picture of the hutch or the workbench keeps the memory without the square footage.

Should I give family heirlooms away before I move?

4. If you are ready, give them now. You get to see the quilt on a grandchild's bed or the tools in your son's garage, and there are fewer boxes to move. Ask family what they truly want before you assume.

How do I make moving day calmer?

5. Label boxes by the room in the new home, not the old one, so they land in the right place. 6. Ask for help with the heavy lifting: family, friends, or a moving company. Many people also hire a professional organizer for the sorting stage.

What should go in a first-night box?

7. Pack one box that rides with you: medications, phone chargers, a change of clothes, bedding, basic toiletries, a few dishes, coffee and important papers. When that box is open, the first night already feels like home.

Thinking about a smaller home in Central Oregon? We can go at your pace. Start a conversation at sherrenehagenbachwinters.com.

Photo: stock image from Pexels. This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Sherrene Hagenbach-Winters, Oregon Broker, License 201258554, eXp Realty Oregon. Equal Housing Opportunity.