Whether you're moving to a higher cost of living area or just downsizing to save money, you may be taking inventory of your current residence and wondering what exactly you'll be able to fit in your new home. Sorting through all your belongings to pack can be overwhelming, and you may be concerned about your ability to adequately downsize before trucking your belongings across state lines. Read on to learn more about how to quickly sort through your items and discard the non-necessities, as well as when renting a storage unit may be a wise idea.
How can you quickly discard unnecessary belongings when moving to a much smaller home?
If you're struggling with what to keep and what to leave behind, take a mental inventory of whether you've worn, touched, or even looked at the item within the last year. If the answer is no, it's a fairly safe bet that you can discard it without losing much sleep. It can also be a good idea to discard large but inexpensive items that can cost more to transport during a move than to give away for free and purchase new once you've settled into your next home.
In some cases, you may be able to quickly sell your items for cash by listing them on a local yard sale or auction website. Many consumers are realizing the value of the secondary retail market, and you may find your old furniture or VHS tapes quickly snapped up for cash with little effort on your part other than meeting to deliver or supervise pickup of the item sold. After selling a few items, you may be encouraged to declutter even further, as each item sold is more money in your pocket and one less item to pack and tote across state lines.
When should you rent a storage unit to store items that won't fit into your new home?
Sometimes even major decluttering isn't enough to fit the contents of a large house into a small apartment or townhouse. You may wonder whether renting a storage unit for overflow belongings is a good investment. This generally depends on what is being stored and whether your future plans include expanding the size of your home. If your downsizing is temporary and you're planning to expand within a few years, selling off antique furniture or other valuable items only to purchase them again once you've moved doesn't make much sense.
On the other hand, paying to store items that are worth less than the storage fees you pay each year for years on end doesn't make much sense. If your downsizing is likely to be permanent, you may want to utilize storage only temporarily while you decide whether to sell these items or give them away to relatives or friends.
For more information and tips, talk with a moving company, such as Wheaton World Wide Moving.
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