Tips for Rightsizing

At some point, most people will decide to move to a different size or style of property, which will require them to re-assess their furniture and other household items that may not fit in their new home. Whether you’re right-sizing due to children flying the nest or moving to a different style of property and need new furnishings to complement the space, here are some tips for decluttering and repurposing unwanted items.  

Take your time 

Reducing household items to allow you to move home isn’t done in a day. We recommend you begin decluttering some items before you start making enquiries for properties, this way you can do it at your own pace. You can also be sure that you want to let go of the item and not rush into letting go of something you later regret losing.

Deciding what to keep 

When deciding what items to take to your new home, there are two areas to focus on – the practical and the sentimental. 

Practical 

• Will it physically fit in the new property? 
• Is it in-keeping with the property style? 
• Is it still needed? 
• Is it still in good working order? 

Sentimental 

• Does the item bring you joy? 
• Do you regularly look at/ use/ enjoy it? 
• Would you really notice if you lost it? 

If the answer to these questions is no, then you can probably live without it! 

Getting rid of the items sustainably 

There are plenty of sustainable options for getting rid of unwanted furniture and furnishings. Some of the easiest and most sustainable options are:

• Donate items to charity shops - many charities provide free collection services for unwanted furniture 
• Gift the items to family and friends 
• Resell items on sites such as Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Schpock, free of charge 
• Recycle any items you want to dispose of
• Visit https://www.recycle-more.co.uk/ to find your closest recycling facility and the items they will take  

Organising remaining items 

Moving home is always an opportunity to bring more order to your belongings, large and small.  Take the time to overhaul your storage and filing, so you start life in your new home feeling organised and uncluttered: 

• Digitise any physical paperwork; scan and keep digital copies 
• Use vacuum storage to utilise more space 
• Use reusable boxes that you can store in your new home to reduce waste 

Moving home is an exciting time; it presents a great opportunity for you to create a peaceful home to settle down in. The aim is to create a space filled with items that make you happy, without any unnecessary things taking up space. Take your time and enjoy this process, it should be about prioritising what is important to you in your home.