How to downsize your home: Practical steps
If you’re wondering “how do I downsize my home” we’ve got you covered. My Home Move Conveyancing’s practical steps will set you on the right path for a successful downsize.
Consider if you’re downsizing for the right reason
Since the process involves both financial and emotional costs, you’ll first need to feel confident that this decision will benefit you and improve your quality of life. Our article on when to downsize your home might help you make sure if now is the right time for you.
Decide if you want to stay in your neighbourhood
Downsizing is the perfect opportunity to move to a location that’s suited to your needs, now and in the future. Think about your proximity to friends and family, and local amenities such as green spaces, hospitals, and transport links. If you decide moving to a new neighbourhood is best for you, research locations based on your needs.
Think about the type of property you want to downsize to
As you age, your priorities and lifestyle will change, so you’ll need to find a flat or house that’s right for your current and future needs, especially if you’re approaching retirement.
Decide a budget
Do you want to be mortgage-free? Do you want a certain amount of equity released from the sale of your current property? Making these decisions will help you work out a budget, even before you put your existing property up for sale.
Prepare your home for sale
Before your home goes on the market, take some time to get it ready for potential buyers. This might include:
A well-presented home not only attracts more interest but may help your sale progress more smoothly, find out more about how to prepare your home for the market.
Sell your home
You can buy and sell at the same time, or you can choose to sell your home and rent temporarily, or stay with friends or family while you look for your next property. Either way you’ll need to choose an estate agent to put your home on the market and instruct a conveyancer to complete the legal work.
Check our complete guide to selling your home, to find out the full steps in detail you’ll need to follow when selling.
Start decluttering
When downsizing home, you probably wont be able to take all your belonging’s with you. Start going through your belongings to decide which items are essential and which ones you can donate, sell or recycle. Below are some tips to help get you started:
Take your time and start early: Start decluttering once you list your home on the market, giving yourself a bit of a head start for when you need to start packing.
Be practical about storage space: Be mindful of how much storage space you will have in your new home, especially if you currently have an attic or a garage.
One room as a time: Decluttering a whole house can seem overwhelming, however breaking it down to each individual room will make it feel more manageable.
Start small: Decluttering and going through belongings can be overwhelming, begin with bitesize chunks, and pieces/ rooms that are easier, ramping up as you go.
Organise your piles: As you decide what items you are keeping, pack them directly into boxes, ready for moving. The “go” items can then be put into separate bags ready for their new homes.
Ask family to sort their own things: If you have children or family members that have things in your house, ask them to sort it out themselves. They may want to keep hold of them, otherwise they might be thrown out.
Reduce the number of items: If you are moving from a larger family home, you might have lots of plates, bowls, towels, bedding, etc. Now might be the time to consider if you will need so many in your new smaller home.
Make sure you don’t throw away any important papers such as a marriage licence, medical records and insurance policies as well as items with sentimental value.
Plan your move
Once you’re further along in the process:
Measure your furniture to see if it will fit in your new home, checking floor plans and room sizes
Book storage space if you’re moving to a temporary location before buying your next home
Compare removal companies and get quotes
Gather packing materials
Planning ahead can reduce stress and keep your move organised and manageable.
Pack for your move
Once you’ve decluttered, and you know what you’re taking with you, you can pack for your move. Start by packing non-essentials and pack more important items closer to your move. For the day of your move, keep an essentials box separate for anything you might need access to in the first 24 hours of your move.
Read our guide on how to pack for moving house, for a step-by-step guide on how to does this efficiently.
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