Whether you’re an empty pocketed, young whippersnapper, an empty nesting, well-lived retiree or someone living in between those significant stages of adulthood – you’re likely to benefit from learning about home downsizing. Downsizing is a very practical decision that impacts very personal aspects of one’s life. Therefore, it is good to be aware of what downsizing will mean for you – since the decision to downsize depends on your individual lifestyle and needs.

If you are new to the concept of downsizing and want to gain a general understanding of the advantages and disadvantages, check out this article Home Downsizing: Trading Down in Home Size. If you’re knowledgeable about downsizing and want deeper insight on the subject, you may find the article Downsizing Your Home: 10 Pros and 10 Cons to Consider Before Moving beneficial.

For those of you who are wondering, “Is the trouble of downsizing really worth it for me?” – check out the article, Downsizing Your Home: 3 Money Benefits, which breaks down and shines light on the financial benefits of downsizing. On a more personal note, it may also be helpful to ask yourself these questions found in the article Should I Downsize My Home? as you are considering if the undertaking of downsizing is right for you.

Step 1: Your Goals

Perspective, prioritize, plan

Before making a substantial life decision, like downsizing, it is always a good idea to get back to the good ole’ drawing board and gain some fresh perspective on your circumstances, prioritize your time and finances and plan how to implement your endeavors – i.e. revisiting and revising your goals is a great place to start before getting into the nitty gritty of downsizing. For a solid refresher and to gain some inspiration on goal setting, take a look a look at these articles for how to make S.M.A.R.T. personal goals as well as how to establish Long Term financial goals.

Step 2: Your Home

Where you’ve been, where you’re at, where you’re going

So you’ve looked over the benefits as well as the downsides of downsizing, you’ve set some personal and financial goals for yourself and you’ve decided downsizing is the right decision for you. Here’s what I recommend you do next:

Step 3: Your Things

What you have, what you need, what you need to let go of

Decluttering

Having a decluttered home simplifies your life, relieves you of the weight of unneeded stuff and makes room for more of what brings you joy. Sifting through your prized possessions and probably mostly, your unused or unnecessary possessions and deciding what to give away and what to take with you to your new home, is a significant aspect of downsizing that shouldn’t be avoided or underestimated. If you are in need of some help on how to declutter your things before packing up the boxes and moving, take a look at this article to find Creative Ways to Declutter.

Packing and Moving

Packing and Moving can be daunting but it doesn’t have to be if you are well planned for the tasks at hand. Here is checklist that consists of pretty much everything involved in moving that one could think of: Moving Checklist.