Over the course of our lives, we accumulate a LOT of things. From memories to mementos, our homes can quickly become cluttered with all of the things that make our lives our own. Whether you’re retiring this year or want to downsize to make living simpler, these tips can help you scale your live down to a manageable size.
Decide on the things you need. Go through everything you own and decide what you can and can’t live without. This includes any and everything you own: clothing, kitchen utensils, electronic devices, photos, books, movies, shoes. Making yourself aware of all of the things you own gives you a better idea of the things you actually need to keep. Your kid’s college textbook from years ago and the pair of sneakers that don’t fit you anymore can be donated to charity. Everything else deemed important can go with you when you move.
Move into a smaller home. Sometimes, the best way to save the most money is downsizing on your home. An affordable and easy way to downsize on a house is to have a custom home built. Contrary to popular belief, having a home built from scratch can save you money in the long run. You’re able to customize the home to meet your needs, leaving you with less space for you to manage and more time to enjoy your retirement.
Rent out space in your existing home. If moving is not an option for you, there are still ways you can downsize in the space you currently reside in. Or, if you want to move to a smaller home but still want to maintain your current way of life, renting out your home is always an option, too. For those people looking to stay in their homes, a basement can easily be converted to a small apartment space that you can move into or rent out to add to your monthly income.
Be more frugal with your spending. Once you’ve purged yourself of things you no longer need and/or move into a smaller space, you might start to feel bored. It can be easy to convince yourself that you deserve a night out, but hitting local eateries every night of the week or shopping sprees every now and again can quickly add up. Whether you’re entering retirement or simply trying to save, it’s important to monitor your spending. When you do have to shop, find sales in your area or use coupons to make your dollars stretch a little further. Take advantage of early bird dinners or weeknight specials. Many places offer discounts to civil service men and women, as well as those who have served our country. Always keep your eyes
Don’t rush it. Downsizing doesn’t happen overnight. If you can put even the smallest dent in getting rid of the overwhelming amount of things you own, or pledge to only eat sushi once a month instead of once a week, you’re taking a step in the right direction.
No matter what your reason is for wanting to downsize, it can change your life in a lot of positive ways and when it’s done right, downsizing can save you a lot of time, money, and frustration.
