Moving from House to Apartment — Downsizing Tips

You are ready to start over in a different place, moving from a house to a space-effective apartment. Downsizing when moving to a new place can be difficult emotionally, particularly when you leave your house due to financial reasons. Look at your relocation and appreciate the benefits of downsizing: having a smaller square area contributes to lower costs (gas, electricity, and water bills) and fewer chores to keep the place clean and organized.

How to move to an apartment from a house

Relocation, be it across the country, to another state, or downsizing within the same state, often results in changes in your environment and lifestyle. It is like a new chapter of a book.

No matter why you have decided to move to apartment from house, the main challenge is how to downsize your belongings to fit a new, smaller space. The downsizing tips listed below should help you make the entire transition process seamless and stress-free.

Tip 1. Time Management and Planning.

Strange though it might sound, begin with time management. Outline the key steps you will take to relocate with no panicking and enjoy your new place. Planning will help you focus on the practical side of moving from house to apartment; hence, the entire process will be less stressful. Make a list of actions you need to take and set up a schedule.

Tip 2. Floor Planning.

Get a detailed floor plan for your new apartment. Floor plans provide an illustration of how your space can be furnished and organized. Architects and interior designers usually deploy more complicated software for drafting projects, but to get an idea of what furniture can fit (or cannot fit) into your new apartment, you can make use of free online tools, such as:

• Floor Plan Creator (the platform allows creating 1 project free);
• FloorPlanner (the Basic plan for individuals is free);
• Sweet Home 3D (recently known as Coohom, also offers a free plan Basic for personal use);
• SketchUp (there is a free plan with the web-based 3D modeler).

Actually, online representation of how you can set up the space is fun, so don’t get carried away as you still have to take care of some other things.

Tip 3. Size-checking.

Obviously, the next step that follows working with the floor plan is measuring and double-checking your furniture size. First of all, you will have a clear idea of what will fit into the new space, style, and design. Second, you have a chance to reduce the load weight and, consequently, costs of your relocation because weight is one of the key parameters determining the cost of moving services.

How to downsize your home

The anxiety you experience while considering how to organize the process and what items to take to your new apartment is pretty normal. Before you get busy creating a new living space, you have to take on the challenge of filtering all your belongings.

Tip 4. Decluttering.

For decluttering, try the KonMari Method developed by Marie Kondo, a Japanese organizing consultant and author of four books. KonMari Method provides downsizing tips for moving based on the re-evaluation of your belongings, category by category (clothes, books, kitchen utensils, etc.) Ask yourself if every specific item “sparks joy”: if the thing makes you happy — keep it; otherwise — throw it.

Another interesting approach to decluttering is the Four-Box method. In fact, this method has a widespread application all over the globe as it explains how to downsize your home quickly with minimal hassle. Arrange four boxes, marked “Keep”, “Sell or Charity”, “Storage”, “Throw away” for sorting your stuff.

And one more practical approach states: If you don’t use an item (clothes, devices, kitchen appliances, or furniture) for a year, it is very likely, you will never use it. Hence, these items can be sold or given to charity.

Anne Michaelsen, the owner of a design company, offers to turn decluttering into fun by hosting a “moving out” party to use excess food and decorations. This can be a “give out” party: participants can choose and take gifts — some items you don’t plan to take with you. You can prepare wrapping paper to make the party even more festive.

House items you won’t need when you move to an apartment

Once you have begun decluttering, you know that some stuff takes up a lot of space in your house. Some apartments have patios, but the outdoor space is obviously smaller. When you move to an apartment, definitely you won’t need many space-occupying things, such as an outdoor grill and dining set, garden equipment, and garage tools.

Tip 5. Selling and Giving Away.

Items that you won’t need anymore can help you make some cash. You can arrange a garage sale or put them for sale on eBay, Facebook, or Craigslist. Mobile apps, such as Nextdoor, OfferUp, or Letgo, are also helpful and designed for selling things in your neighborhood. Money from sales you can use to cover moving costs or spend on furniture and décor for your new apartment.

If you don’t feel like selling some items, you may consider sending them to charity institutions, such as Goodwill or Salvation Army.

If you wonder how long it takes to declutter and pack, there is no single answer. On average, most people clean out and pack within a week. If you have a large house and several kids, you probably need more time, though.

Things you need when moving into an apartment

Once you have tidied up your belongings, it is the right time to think about things you need when moving into an apartment. This is a chance to create a new, stylish, and comfy environment you’ve been always dreaming about. Limited space of an apartment is not an obstacle. Ergonomics in home decoration and multi-purpose furniture are the forefront trends. Relocation with downsizing helps to put an emphasis on the functionality of items. You will learn step-by-step how to make the most of your apartment by keeping it roomy: folding furniture or furniture with hidden extra storage, floating shelves, expandable tables, and various organizers.

It is unlikely to hear that people wish they had more things around their homes. Quite the opposite, it feels great with a lighter load. At the long last, we all realize that so many items we considered necessary aren’t vital or important.

Tip 6. Interior Design.

Become a designer. As busy and stressed as you can be while moving from house to apartment, save some time to take inspiration from recent interior design trends and styles. Having tried a couple of online floor-planning tools, you should have a vision of your new apartment and available (or existing) furniture. Surf Pinterest or online interior design magazines for ideas and inspiration. Your floor plan with some furniture items makes it much easier to create a new, spirit-boosting environment.

Tip 7. Select a moving company.

And one of the crucial stages of downsizing from a house to an apartment and any other relocation is the choice of a moving company.

Finally, do research and compare rates offered by moving companies. You can contact them beforehand and inquire for more detailed information and special offers. Every so often, California-based movers, such as TrekMovers, offer a free quote via the online form. The company’s dispatchers will assist and recommend the most suitable option in line with your requirements.