Moving to a new living space is never easy, but when you have to relocate to a smaller home or apartment, things can get really tricky. In such cases, you’ll need to downsize, or drastically cut down the number of objects in your possession. Getting rid of items you’ve paid for or collected over time can be challenging, but it’s essential before such a move. Use the following tips to make the experience as smooth as possible.

How to Downsize Before Moving

1. Avoid Duplicates

From soup ladles to toothbrush holders, every household needs a least one of each essential tool or organizational feature. However, if you’re moving in with a significant other, family member, or roommate, you may end up with two or more of everything. To avoid unnecessary duplicates, sit down with your new living partner and make a list of who has what. If both of you write down broom or plunger, keep whoever’s is nicer!

2. Establish Essentials

If you have to weed out an excessive amount of belongings, you’ll have to be dramatic about the elimination process. The clearest way to set a boundary line is to ask yourself a question: if you lost everything due to a natural disaster, which items would you immediately replace? Whether you said your sofa, toaster, or washing machine, these are the objects you should definitely keep. Everything else is up for elimination.

3. Sell the Rest

Another incentive to minimize your belongings is to remember that whatever you don’t keep, you can sell. If you were never in love with that TV, armchair, or carpet, sell it and use the money to buy something you really enjoy. In most cases, the idea of receiving cold, hard cash will convince you to let go of the items you were holding onto.

Once you’ve worked up the gumption to get rid of a portion of your belongings, hire Becker Movers of Rochester, NY, to help you relocate them. This respected team offers residential, commercial, and international moving services, and they can even transport massive items like pianos. To set up an appointment, call them at (585) 458-5480. You can also visit the website to learn more about their wide range of offerings.