The most helpful trick to simplify your moving process is to downsize. Not your acreage, but your possessions. How many times have you looked in your closet or kitchen this past year and thought, “I forgot I had this”?
You’re definitely not alone.
Moving is supposed to be exciting, not hectic! As humans, we tend to get overwhelmed by stuff, aka clutter. Packing will be so much more fun when you know that the items you’re bringing to your dream home are pieces that bring you joy and make you feel like your best self. Unpacking “just the good stuff” is even better.
A study by a popular personal styling service found that more than half of the population claims that they struggle to find something to wear, even though their closet is cluttered with clothing. Despite the feeling that we’ve got nothing to wear, most of us are due for a little spring cleaning.
Having your staple items is crucial so no need to get rid of that equestrian gear or even those skis that you only take out once a year; it’s different for everyone. Keep what makes you happy. There are no rules! Even if you only dig up some dirt every once in a while, if your shovel and your nifty gloves put a smile on your face, the job is done and that’s an item well-worth keeping.
When minimizing, the first step is to pitch the stained, ripped, or faded clothes that make you feel no bueno. If donated, your pre-loved belongings could be loved to pieces by many able organizations. Many of these facilities give your donated items to those in need. So, you get to declutter and give back to the community. A win-win.
Donating to charities isn’t your only option. If you have lightly used belongings that you feel someone else would buy, consignment stores are the place to go. There are even consignment websites so handy that all you have to do is snap a picture of your items, post, and pack/ship the item when it is purchased.
Garage sales are not only a fun way to get the family working together with fanny packs on, but a nice way to be outside and socialize with the neighbors outside of the small talk, taking the trash out-in-my-undies-mornings. Plus, you don’t have to leave the house!
Even if you’re getting your hands dirty with outdoor work, you deserve to be wearing clothes that make you feel like a rockstar.
Next up, those boots you got that lost all their traction are not worth keeping. Investing in a new pair of boots will help motivate you to work outside more. Not to mention, buying new boots is a great investment, especially if yours start to feel unsafe to use.
Along with safety, another side dish to investing in a nice, new pair of boots is confidence. Wearing gear that doesn’t make you feel 100% can compromise your priceless confidence.
Sometimes, one is enough. If you’re only using one riding helmet, stick to keeping that one riding helmet. If you feel as though you could use a new one, I’m sure you could donate your used one to a barn. This will clear up space around you and help to declutter your mind.
When you free up space in your garage, closet, or underneath that daunting cabinet beneath the sink, you allow more space for what you actually do love. Over the years, all that time we spend “organizing” our sock drawer could be used to find a new recipe or to go play fetch with the pups. Organizing is a temporary fix, a band-aid solution, to the real-deal issue: stuff.
Moving companies can ramp up their prices depending on the amount items that you have. So not only does downsizing clear your mind, but it saves you money. Another win, win. I’m sensing a theme here.
Finding a rule that works for you is key. For instance, telling yourself the hard truth that you only need one or two white turtlenecks. There’s no need to have a scarcity mindset with turtlenecks. I can assure you, there’s a good chance that they will continue to be mass-produced until the end of time.
Having this freeing, “less is more”mindset will make shopping for what you really need so much simpler. Then again, saving time and money.
With all of this saved time and money you could be shopping for your dream house.
Not only does downsizing your belongings make moving easier, but it will also save you money, energy, and our most valuable asset: time.
Thinking of buying or selling real estate in the Fraser Valley? Let’s talk!