Downsizing? Want some tips for tackling the big task of going small?
Wonderful! Sometimes the best things come in smaller packages.
We’ve encountered hundreds of clients who’ve made the transition from a house to an apartment for just as many reasons. Maybe your move is temporary while you renovate, build or buy another house. Perhaps the kids have moved out and you don’t need so much living space. Whatever your reason, Australis is here to help you with the really big task of planning for smaller living.
Have a plan
Like most things, downsizing is easier when you’ve thought through your plan of attack. Is your move temporary, or permanent? Do you need to store belongings that won’t fit in a flat, or does selling or donating them make more sense? If you have an idea about your immediate and longer-term needs, you can make better decisions.
Sort your storage
If your move to a flat is temporary and you want to keep furniture that won’t fit in an apartment, research your storage options early. What medium to long-term storage options are available and affordable in your area? Could you ask family or friends to mind some items to keep storage costs down? Or, if you’re moving between Adelaide and Melbourne, are you better off storing your belongings in your home state or new state?
The sooner you know what you want to do with furniture that will not fit in your new, smaller home, the sooner you can negotiate with your removalist about how best to transport things. It’s more cost effective for you to move all your belongings at once, rather than make several trips to deposit items at different delivery points. So with that in mind, you’ll likely need to coordinate your moving day with your chosen storage facility and your removals company.
Will it fit?
Australis Removals always advises clients to know the measurements of their new home and to create a floor plan for placement of furniture. This is especially important when moving from a big to a smaller home. With many new developments featuring ever tinier dimensions, you need to ensure your belongings will fit. Make an inventory of all your large items such as your bed, refrigerator, washing and drying machines. Measure them and make sure they’ll fit into your flat. And what about closet space? If your move is a temporary one, do you need all your clothes? Can you store one season and transfer the rest? If your move is a more permanent one and closet space is an issue, take the time to declutter and downsize your wardrobe. If you declutter well before moving, you’ll also save on your moving as well as storage costs!
Make some extra bucks
If you’ve decided you don’t need or want to keep everything, why not sell your stuff? Having a garage sale, or listing items for sale on Gumtree or even Facebook can lead to handy extra cash to help pay for the cost of moving. Obviously, the longer your lead time, the more likely you are to sell things than need to give them away for free. But donating is also a great option — one person’s trash is another’s treasure and giving to charities is an awesome way to support recycling, help others out, and give you some feel-good fuzzies that money just can’t buy.
Book your removalist well in advance
When you are going from a house to a flat, it’s likely that your needs will be more complicated than going from one home to another similarly sized home. You’ll need to ensure your moving day is coordinated to accommodate any storage requirements which may involve multiple delivery points. It’s therefore advisable that you’ve got your removals company booked well in advance so you can both plan the day for a smooth move. This is especially true if you face a long haul or interstate move.
Feeling blue about it? Look at the great aspects of smaller living
If you’re accustomed to living in a bigger space, the thought of downsizing may get you down. But there are some awesome side benefits to moving to a flat. Firstly, your mortgage or rent is likely to cost you less. You’ll also save money on utilities as it’s far cheaper to heat and cool a flat than a large house. Smaller spaces take less time to clean, too, so think of what you could do with all that time that you’d otherwise have spent mopping floors and wiping surfaces. A good read, perhaps? Netflix binge? Extra sleep-in time on weekends? All sounds pretty gosh-darn good!
Ask us for help
If the idea of coordinating your move with suitable storage solutions and multiple furniture drop-off points is all a bit overwhelming, call us for a chat. We’d be delighted to offer insights we’ve gained from over 30 years of assisting people to move between Adelaide and Melbourne and from big to small.
And in our next article, we’ll talk about the flip side: tips on going small to big. That too has its challenges and benefits. Until then, get that moving plan underway so moving day is smooth sailing and stress-free!
