We all have different reasons for wanting to declutter and downsize and get rid of extra stuff in our lives. Whatever the reason, downsizing can be extremely challenging and stressful, and at times it can even feel impossible to make decisions and just get it done.
Over the years we ourselves have done everything from decluttering small piles of stuff right up to the extreme of getting rid of almost everything we owned at one point. We’ve learned a lot from these experiences and wanted to pass along 5 tips that help get us through every downsizing project, big or small.
#1 - Set a Goal
To get started, set a clear goal for why you want to downsize to help guide your decisions throughout the downsizing process. It’s also good to remember that we’re all different, and we all have different ways of living, and different amounts of stuff. So make sure you listen to yourself and do what feels right for you.
#2 - Downsize Strategically
There are a lot of different ways to downsize. Some people like to go room by room, some people prefer to do it by category like clothes, books, or kitchen stuff, some people like to sort their stuff into piles, like a keep pile, a donation pile, recycling and garbage piles, and probably an undecided pile as well if you’re like us.
With each item, you can also ask yourself some questions like:
Does it serve a purpose?
Does it have sentimental value?
Will I need this in the future?
Would I benefit from getting rid of this?
#3 - Don’t Buy it Again
Try to be realistic about the things that you need in your life and make sure you don’t get rid of things that you might need in the near future. Because if you give something away and then have to buy it again, it’s going to cost you time and money.
#4 Avoid Regret
It’s ok to keep things that are important to you. Especially certain items that are sentimental or irreplaceable. You probably shouldn’t go to extremes in the short term if it’s going to make you unhappy in the long run.
#5 - Expect it to be Challenging
Most of us get attached to the things we own and when it’s time to make the decision to keep an item or get rid of it, it can be SURPRISINGLY challenging!
These feelings of attachment are completely normal but they can contribute to something we call “downsizing paralysis”. When this happens, it’s usually a good time to refer back to the goal you set, which might help put things in perspective and make decisions more obvious. Or you might just need to take a break and come back to it later on.
Even though downsizing, decluttering, and organizing stuff is pretty hard, the results can have quite a positive impact on your life. Whether it means you actually have space in your drawers to put laundry away, or you can finally stop paying for storage and use that money for something else, or that you can live in a smaller space that takes up less of your time and money.
We really hope that the tips we shared in this video are gonna be helpful for you in your downsizing process and if you have any other ideas or suggestions for things that have worked for you, please share them in the comments!
Thanks for watching!
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CREDITS
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Music Credit: Exploring Alternatives
Editing Credit: Exploring Alternatives
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#downsizing #decluttering #minimalist