If you’re about to move house you will need to consider downsizing your belongings. We all tend to accumulate things over the years and we’re often surprised by just how much stuff we have.
When it comes to moving home you may want to make the move as easy as possible. This is something you can do you just have to make sure you work out what you want to take with you and what you’d rather leave behind.
Andrew Anderson from Blackhawk Movers – East Bay moving company shares some tips so you can make your move easier by having to pack and carry fewer things.
Keep the Things you Like
One of the best ways to downsize is to ensure you only keep those things you like. Go through each and every room in your home and consider whether each of those items is useful or it has sentimental value.
If there’s anything that doesn’t check off either the ‘Useful’ or ‘Sentimental’ box you need to get rid of it. There is no point in that item being in your home, taking up space.
Getting rid of things is not always easy but it does have to be done. If you’re moving to a much smaller home you’ll have to be quite strict with yourself. Take an item and consider when you last used it. If you have not used it in the last 6 months to a year it’s unlikely you’re going to use it again.
Have a Yard or Garage Sale
Yard and garage sales can help you get rid of all of those things you no longer want or need. What’s more, is you’ll also make a bit of money in the process.
Advertise your yard or garage sale. Put a poster up outside your home, tell your friends on social media and place an advertisement in a local newspaper. The more people hear about your sale the more likely it will be that someone will turn up.
Get a few tables and stack those items on there. Make sure you label them with your desired price and be prepared to do a bit of bartering. If your sale takes place on a particularly hot day make sure you pass a few cold drinks around. This will ensure people stay at your sale a little longer. If your sale takes place on a cold day pass a few hot drinks around and heat your garage. People will be much more likely to stick around.
When the sale’s about to end you may want to consider reducing the price by as much as 50%. This will not only make sure everything sells but you’ll also get money for those things that may not have otherwise sold.
If you’re not sure you’re going to sell everything in one day consider having a sale that lasts two days. More people will have the chance to see what you’re selling and you’re likely to make more money too. Use the money that you make from your yard or garage sale to help pay for your house move.
Donate Those Unwanted Items
Donating any of your unwanted items is a quick and easy way to downsize. You can drop those items off at a charity or goodwill store or ask them to pick them up for you. The charity will make money out of your donations and someone will enjoy owning them.
If you don’t want to donate all of your items to a charity consider having a yard or garage sale. At the end of the sale, you could donate anything that doesn’t sell. You may also want to consider donating some of the money you’ve made from a sale to charity. More people are likely to attend your sale if they know money is going to a good cause.
Sell your Things Online
These days a lot of people like to sell their unwanted items online. This is a good way for you to make a bit of money. Make sure that you put your items up for sale in good time so they can be sold and shipped weeks before you move out.
There are many different websites out there that will let you sell your items on them. Don’t forget to put an advertisement or two in a local newspaper so it’s seen.
It is relatively easy to downsize when you know how. Try not to be too strict on yourself but make sure you get rid of those things you no longer need. Your move will be a much easier one.
