Prepare for Living in a Small Space: Declutter Now
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Are you preparing to downsize into a smaller living space? Start by decluttering now so you’re prepared when you do downsize! Decluttering and the transition to a small space can be tough, but tackling your clutter now will be worth it! Decluttering has other benefits too, not just to help you prepare for living in a small space.
Let’s look at some of the benefits of decluttering. For starters, decluttering reduces stress by making it easier for you to find items that you need. Also, they’ll be fewer things to sort through when you downsize! Another great benefit of less clutter is having less stuff to clean. Who doesn’t love to save time? Decluttering can also earn you some cash from selling your unwanted items. Bonus!
Starting to live with less “stuff” can also help with the transition to living in a small space. Let’s dive into these benefits in greater detail below.
Why Decluttering is Important Before you Downsize
Having decluttered spaces can actually help you get motivated to live a more simple life. Before decluttering, it is important to know that decluttering is not just about decluttering the physical space around you. It also can change your mindset and prepare you for living in a small space before you actually do it.
Most people typically have a lot of stuff. A lot more than they need and a lot more than they realize. Some of your belongings are just “stuff” and some of them have more meaning. The sentimental items will be harder to sort through and reduce. It’s all a process that takes time. Starting the process sooner than later will help reduce the overwhelm that comes with sorting through all of your belongings. For a majority of your belongings, decide now what you have room to keep and what don’t have room for.
Don’t wait until the last minute or even the last month before moving day. Start small and start now. You’ll be glad you did.
How Decluttering Will Help You Prepare for Living in a Small Space
Decluttering can make it easier to adjust to living in a smaller space because decluttering removes unnecessary, excess stuff. Especially, if you start with items you no longer need or want. Starting with these items will help get the momentum started and make it easier to move onto the belongings that have more meaning. This also means one less belonging that you’ll have to sort through when the time comes. This is a definite time saver!
Another way that decluttering can help you prepare for living in a small space is by having a mindset shift. As you start to get rid of your belongings, you’ll begin to realize that you really don’t need most of them. As you begin to be free of all the “stuff” surrounding you, you’ll likely look at your belongings differently. You’ll have a different take on what you “need” and what is just “stuff”. Focusing on what you actually need and letting go of the things you don’t, will really help with the transition to a smaller living space. Oftentimes, going through this process can feel very freeing and you’ll begin to like the feeling of not having a whole bunch of “stuff” shoved in every nook and cranny.
How You Can Make Money by Decluttering
Decluttering will not only help you get rid of unwanted things around your home but it can also earn you some money. A common way to do this is by selling items you no longer need online through local community sites, eBay, or Craigslist. Another idea might be to take your more valuable items or special collections to a consignment or specialty shop.
Going this route might be good if you need some help with pricing items appropriately. Either way, it’s a win-win situation because decluttering reduces the amount of stuff in your home and you can earn some extra cash on the side.
Another way to make some money when you are decluttering your belongings is by having a garage sale. If you’ve done this before, you already know it’s a lot of work to prepare for a garage sale. Hard work aside, we have found success in making some money while ridding ourselves of unwanted stuff, large quantities at a time.
I think the success of having a garage sale is having items labeled with prices up front so people know what you’re asking and also pricing items to sell. Just remember, a lot of times garage sale folks are looking for a deal and like to barter on prices. You can always be firm on prices at your sale but just keep in mind that higher-priced more valuable items might be better suited to be sold another way.
If you don’t feel like decluttering for cash, consider donating clothing and household items at a Goodwill or Salvation Army. I’m not an accountant offering you tax advice, but at the end of the year, you may be able to deduct your donations or at least a portion of them. Be sure to collect receipts of your donation just in case. If you are able to deduct donations from your taxes, you’ll be saving yourself some tax liability. Now, who doesn’t want that?
See decluttering can be rewarding in more than one way!
How Decluttering Can Reduce Stress and Feel Liberating
Decluttering can take a lot of time and energy, but it can also be quite liberating once it’s done. You may find that decluttering can reduce stress by clearing out all the excess clutter and unneeded items from your home. For example, decluttering will make it easier to locate items if they’re not hidden behind other items or in a pile on top of other items.
Do you have a project to work on? Decluttering can clear out areas of your home that can make working on a project a little easier. Likely, as you prepare for living in a small space, you’ll need to go through old photos and keepsakes. Having a dedicated space to start going through old family photos, organizing them and keeping the best ones to cherish forever will help reduce the overwhelm of this task.
Regardless of why you are decluttering, it can be a way to reduce stress and feel liberated from too much clutter. Decluttering can also help you realize that living with less, truly is more.
Why We Should Have Started Decluttering Sooner
Once I began decluttering my home to transition to living on our sailboat, I was surprised to see how relieving it felt to declutter. I wish I had started it sooner! I found myself becoming more mindful of things that I actually needed and I was also able to declutter without feeling remorse for letting things go.
Decluttering also takes time. I waited a bit too long to start my decluttering process and it became overwhelming. Knowing we planned to live on our sailboat, I wish I would have been actively working on decluttering my home long before I actually started. As we started to pull items out of closets, cabinets, drawers, the shed, and attic, I realized how much stuff that we were hanging onto that we didn’t even use or need anymore! All of these items could have left long ago and I would have never missed them. My small house also wouldn’t have felt so cramped!
Learn from me, don’t wait to start decluttering your belongings. Start decluttering now and prepare for living in a small space!
Prepare for Living in a Small Space: Start Decluttering Today
Even though decluttering requires a lot of time and effort, it provides many benefits like reducing stress and making it easier to find items around your home. Decluttering your belongings can also earn you some money – whether by selling your unwanted items, selling them at a consignment store or by having a garage sale. Regardless of why you are decluttering, it’s worth it to feel liberated from too much clutter!
If decluttering your home sounds like something you would like to start now, declutter one box or one drawer at a time. Start small. If you’re decluttering to prepare for living in a small space, save yourself from the overwhelm of moving and get started today!
What are your reasons for decluttering? Email us at [email protected] and let us know!
To help motivate you to get started, join our 50 in FIVE Downsizing Declutter Challenge. It’s a great place to begin!
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