How To Downsize And Declutter

Your youngest has finally moved out of your house for the last time (or so you think), and now your home is feeling big, and well … empty. Or maybe you’ve just gone through a divorce and you’re looking to move into smaller digs. Whether you’re ending a relationship, experiencing empty-nest syndrome, or going through another life change, downsizing may well be in your future.

While some people worry that downsizing may mean compromising on their standards, it shouldn’t be thought of as a bad thing — in fact, you’ll find that decluttering and simplifying things will improve your quality of life. As wildly popular decluttering guru Marie Kondo told The Boston Globe, “The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living in that environment.”

Once you’ve decided to downsize, it’s important to take your time and create a plan so that the process is as stress-free as possible. After all, moving to this next stage of your life isn’t a decision to be taken lightly and shouldn’t be something that you just rush through. Use the following checklist to help you downsize and make your new, smaller living space feel like a fresh start — and like home again.