{"id":5208,"date":"2016-05-02T12:02:10","date_gmt":"2016-05-02T12:02:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.movoto.com\/foundation\/?p=5208"},"modified":"2016-05-02T12:02:10","modified_gmt":"2016-05-02T12:02:10","slug":"downsizing-your-home-what-to-throw-away-and-what-to-keep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.movoto.com\/blog\/downsizing-your-home-what-to-throw-away-and-what-to-keep\/","title":{"rendered":"Downsizing Your Home: What to Throw Away and What to Keep"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes time to move, whether you are downsizing your home<\/a> or just need to scale things back a little, the hardest thing to do is trying to determine what you need to keep and what should be thrown away.\u00a0 Some people don’t have any problem downsizing, but for most, moving is already a stressful time full of many changes.\u00a0 But then you add in the fact that you have to “get rid of” so many of the things you hold dear, this could easily lead to an emotional disaster.\u00a0 So let’s take a few minutes to go over some tips and tricks for downsizing your home that will help you get through the entire process quickly and easily without losing your mind.<\/p>\n

How Do You Begin The Downsizing Process?<\/b><\/p>\n

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If you are like most people, getting started is the hardest part of downsizing your home<\/a>, but it doesn’t have to be.\u00a0 Here are some guidelines that will help get you started with just a few simple preliminary steps.<\/p>\n

Sorting Through Everything<\/b><\/p>\n

You don’t want to accomplish the sorting process by trying to go through your entire house all at one time.\u00a0 Take small baby steps by only trying to sort through one room at a time.\u00a0 As you begin, you need to have a few clear-cut guidelines in place such as, only allowing yourself to handle each piece once by giving it a yes (to keep) or no (to throw away) answer.\u00a0 The maybe’s will only encourage further emotional ties and turn your sorting into a long, hard, drawn-out process.\u00a0 Every item you pick up, determine how often it’s used.\u00a0 If it has been used within the last six months, you should probably keep it.\u00a0 Everything needs to go.<\/p>\n

Dealing With Emotional Attachments<\/b><\/p>\n

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It’s extremely hard to part with memorabilia and all the other items you have so carefully collected over the years.\u00a0 Therefore, in order to make it easier, choose three of those things that are the most dear to you, then take pictures of the rest and put them into a scrapbook or onto a piece of digital media<\/a> for future enjoyment.\u00a0 Anything of high value should be gifted or donated.\u00a0 If it’s too hard for you to go through the sorting process yourself, hire someone to do it for you, after you have carefully chosen the three keepsakes you will be taking with you.<\/p>\n

How Do You Determine What To Throw Away When Downsizing Your Home?<\/b><\/p>\n

Once you know the size of the space you will be moving to, you can then decide exactly what you can and can’t take with you.\u00a0 You would be surprised at how many things you really don’t need.\u00a0 For example, do you really need a hundred pairs of shoes, boxes of books and cd’s, drawers full of old concert t-shirts?\u00a0 What about all that sporting equipment you don’t use anymore?\u00a0 Now let’s talk about your kitchen.\u00a0 Do you use all those kitchen gadgets you’ve collected over the years and how about the many gifts you’ve acquired from friends and family that you’ve never used?\u00a0 Do you really need multiple sets of dishes\u00a0and cabinets full of Tupperware?\u00a0 Really, how many bowls of Tupperware can you use at one time anyway?\u00a0 Get rid of it, all of it!\u00a0 Only keep the items you use on a daily basis or at least once every six months or so and only keep them in the quantities\u00a0you actually need.<\/p>\n

Now to take the downsizing process a bit further.\u00a0 Go around and look at everything you have in your home and decide whether or not you need it and how it makes you feel. This is especially helpful when it comes to deciding about your home decor. \u00a0If you don’t need it, get rid of it.\u00a0 If any given piece doesn’t give you a warm fuzzy feeling, get rid of it.\u00a0 You can replace these items later with something that does make you feel good, if you have the room.<\/p>\n

Are There Items You Should Never Throw Out When Downsizing Your Home?<\/b><\/p>\n

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Knowing what to keep can be as equally as confusing as what to get rid of when downsizing your home.\u00a0 What if you accidentally throw away something you will need later?\u00a0 Taking a few minutes to learn some of the items you should never throw away will help keep you from getting rid of something you might need going forward. Here is a list of some of the items you should never throw away.<\/p>\n