Reaching retirement can be a fulfilling period in many people’s lives, offering you free time to finally step back from working life and partaking in your favourite hobbies, pass times and maybe even ticking more things off your bucket list!
Whilst this can be an exciting new chapter, you may find that there are certain aspects in your life that may need changing to fit in with your new lifestyle. One common example is the need or desire to downsize your home.
If this is something that you’re considering, then read on as we discuss all you need to know in regards to downsizing during retirement.
Why Consider Downsizing in Retirement?
There are various reasons why you may decide to downsize your home – some personal and some practical.
For example, you may find that a smaller home would be more manageable to maintain than your current one, or you could be looking to reduce your monthly outgoings so that you have more disposable income to enjoy.
Another reason you may consider downsizing is due to your physical health. As you age, you may find that your mobility becomes limited and getting around your home and carrying out household chores become more difficult than before. Downsizing to something like a bungalow, then, could be a practical option when keeping your health in mind for the future.
Regardless of your reasons, it’s important to consider these when looking for your new, smaller home, so that you can make an informed decision on which home to choose based on your personal needs and requirements.
The Advantages
Downsizing can offer numerous benefits, even those that you didn’t intend on moving for! Here’s an example of just some of the advantages downsizing offers:
- Reduced maintenance and upkeep
- Reduced costs (e.g. lower mortgage, tax, bills etc.)
- More choice on location
- Opportunity to move closer to family
Preparing to Downsize
Arrange Your Belongings
Before you start packing up your belongings ready for the move, you’ll first want to think about arranging them based on what you’ll keep and what you won’t.
Moving home is the perfect opportunity to declutter, rather than taking all of your belongings with you to your new home. A good idea is to separate items into separate categories:
- Keep
- Donate
- Discard
Whilst it can be hard to part ways with some of your belongings, think realistically about whether or not you will need or want items at your new home (or if there’s space for them!). Any items you decide not to keep can then either be donated to friends, family or charity, or simply discarded if they aren’t in good enough condition to be rehomed.
It might be a good idea to keep a list or a spreadsheet so that you have a record of what will happen to each of your belongings, which will help streamline the packing process.
Pack Your Belongings
When it comes to packing, we recommend you do this in stages. By packing little and often, rather than trying to do everything at once, you can keep your items organised and ensure that nothing is missed.
Consider packing one room at a time, maybe doing the kitchen one day and the bathroom another, leaving an empty box for everyday items that you’ll still be using till your move-out day.
Remember to also label boxes clearly, for example ‘Kitchen: Dishware’, as this will make your life much easier when it comes to unpacking in your new home, as you will know exactly what’s in which box rather than having to rifle through them all to figure it out!
We recommend wrapping items up in paper and/or bubble wrap for protection, then using ‘fragile’ tape or clearly marking boxes as ‘fragile’ if they contain breakable items.
Arrange a Removals Service
When it comes to actually transporting your items to your new home on moving day, the best option is to arrange a removal service with some professional home movers. They will be able to help with the bulk part of your move, loading your belongings into their large moving van, transporting them and unloading them again at their new destination.
This not only frees up space in your own vehicle, but saves you from having to make multiple trips, otherwise. You may also find it a struggle to move large and/or heavy boxes on your own, so having the extra manpower on hand to help can make the process much easier and less physically demanding on you.
Our Top Tips to Consider When Downsizing
Prepare Early
Moving home is a lengthy process, especially the packing part. With this in mind, it’s best to start preparing early. By arranging and packing your belongings sooner rather than later, you will take a large amount of stress off your shoulders compared to if you leave everything till the last minute. This will also mean that, come moving day, you’ll be ready to go, allowing you to focus on other important aspects of the move.
Think About Storage Space
Whilst you’re decluttering your home, it’s important to be mindful of the storage space you’ll have at your new home. If you’re downsizing, then chances are your storage space also will be. As such, you want to ensure that you’re not overly ambitious with the amount of belongings you take to your new home with hopes of putting them into storage.
If you’re still not ready to part with certain belongings, especially if they hold great sentimental value to you, then a great temporary solution is to put them into self-storage. Not only does this free up space when it comes to unpacking at your new home, but it also gives you time to decide what to do with your additional belongings after you’re all settled with the move itself.
Know Your Measurements
Make sure to familiarise yourself with the floorplan of your new home and all its measurements. By knowing the measurements you’ll be working with, you can determine what furniture will fit and what might need to be sold or given away before move-in day.
This can also give you an idea of where you want to place big items, so that these can be arranged in your new home first, before unpacking the rest of your belongings.
Ask for Help
Moving can be a long, demanding and stressful process, especially if doing it alone. That’s why you shouldn’t be afraid to ask others for help.
Being in retirement, moving can be a lot more physically demanding than perhaps it once was. Not only that, but you may also find it to be rather mentally challenging, also. Downsizing from the home you’ve lived in for many years can be rather emotional, as you will have likely made many memories there.
Having physical and emotional support can help to make the move less overwhelming in all aspects, instead making it more of an enjoyable experience.
Hire Professional Movers
Hiring professional home movers ensures that your belongings are moved safely and securely. Here at Essex Removals, for example, our experienced movers will handle all of your items with care, packing them into the moving van precisely and logistically.
We also offer packing services and supplies to help streamline your move and ensure all your belongings are safely protected. By letting professional movers focus on the packing and transportation aspect of your move, you can focus on less of the stress and more of the excitement.
Why Essex Removals?
If you live in the South-East, then Essex Removals is the removals company for you. Along with our domestic removals service, we also offer specialist removals, including antique removals – helping to move those special items you own with the utmost care, whether that be a piano, antique sculpture or piece of fine art.
Offering a comprehensive service, you can count on us to help make your downsize as seamless and stress-free as possible.
If you’d like our help with your move, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today to discuss your requirements.
