If you’re like most people, you’ve probably accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. Like most people, you are likely to be determined as to what to do with it. For many people, downsizing is a difficult and overwhelming task

To help you get started, I’m sharing 5 important steps to downsizing, but also to figure out what to do with your stuff.

Step 1: Map Out Your Downsizing Project

There are a number of tasks that go in to downsizing. And it all starts with a plan: narrowing down your possessions, donating/selling, putting your home on the market, renovating your new home etc. Whatever your situation may be, it’s necessary to create a plan that assures that all of these tasks get done. By breaking it down into bite sized chunks helps to make it a more manageable process.

Step 2: Visualize Your Future Space

How will you use your new home? Are you downsizing or moving on to a retirement residence? Will you entertain or do you plan to host kids and grandkids? Do you plan to eventually retire there? It is important to establish this. Giving this a lot of focused daydreaming will help you with the next step

Step 3: Planning Your Fresh, New Space

Once you’ve established how you will use your new home, you will consider space planning. Will it need any additional construction or motorized treatments? What about remodeling? Perhaps a fresh coat of paint. Or maybe you just need the help of a designer to help establish furniture layouts.

Step 4: Selecting Your Furnishings

Following the space planning is selecting the furnishings. I recommend prioritizing function first and establishing what it is you need. From there you can determine what you want to hold on to based on it’s meaning or aesthetics and how it will fit into your overall décor.

Step 5: Your Project Begins

The last and final step, is paring down your belongings. You have several options for this. Will you choose to donate or sell? Many people ask their kids what they want or you can donate to several different organizations that take household items. Host a garage sale, or you can even enlist the services of a company like Sell My Stuff, where they will sort, organize, list and sell the contents of your home. I recommend inquiring for further information as they may have a minimum.

There is no doubt that downsizing is a daunting, not to mention a stressful task, but these 5 steps will help break it down to a more manageable one. I assure you, it will be a fresh new start, and in many ways feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders for a life that is simpler and more relaxing.

What is your biggest hurdle when it comes to downsizing? I’d love to hear it. Leave us a comment below!

Until next time,