Moving can be stressful, and having more stuff than you can take with you doesn’t help. If you have more things that you want to take with you to your new home and wish to reduce your belongings before getting moving estimates and booking movers near Pheonix, then keep reading for some advice on taking the stress out of downsizing.
Start Early
Just like with packing, downsizing is not a task that you should put off until a few weeks before your move. Instead, once you know that you’re moving and that you need to reduce, then you should go ahead and begin the culling process. Starting this job sooner rather than later can help prevent it from becoming a daunting and stressful task.
Create Criteria
One reason why some people find it difficult and stressful to downsize is that they don’t have a system established for determining what should stay and what should go. Without criteria in place, you may spend more time than needed on each item when deciding whether to let it go. Also, you might find yourself moving things back and forth between the keep and donate piles, which can be both anxiety-producing and time-consuming. For these reasons, before you begin the downsizing process, establish a set of criteria that you can use to determine whether something should be kept or tossed. When formulating these guidelines, factor in things such as your needs at this stage in life, what sport or hobbies you still participate in, and the climate of your destination.
Work Systematically
Finally, instead of approaching the downsizing process in a haphazard way, which can make the job more stressful than it needs to be, you should systematically go through your belongings. To do this, start by creating a list of all your categories of belongings. Then, work through these categories one at a time. Also, consider beginning with things that can be easier to let go of, such as clothing and home décor, and reserving sentimental items, like keepsakes and gifts, for last.