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The children are grown, the house is large and maintenance has become a burden. You find yourself daydreaming about warmer weather or transitioning to a more manageable home. Well, it may be time to downsize and move to your next chapter in life.
Whether you have lived in your home for decades or long enough to know it is time to move on, here are some tips to consider when preparing to downsize.
- First, prepare well in advance of your move. It takes a considerable amount of time to go through the decades of items that have accumulated throughout your life, and the more time you have, the less stressful the moving experience will be for you.
- Budget for updates and repairs to your current home prior to listing it. Do you need to remove wallpaper, refresh the carpet or paint? Updating your home will add value when you go to sell.
- Letting go of personal possessions is difficult because they are often connected to special memories. When downsizing, it is important to know where your items are going. Donating is a great way to give your possessions a new life and help those in need.
- Be realistic about what you will need in your new home. For example, can you sell your gardening equipment now that your new place is maintenance-free? Also, consider what will reasonably fit into your new home. It may be time to let go of excess furniture, knick-knacks and underutilized hobby supplies.
Kira Vanderlan owns Zestful Design, a home organizing, staging and interior design company based in Maple Grove. Design more at zestfuldesign.com.
