How to Downsize Efficiently When Moving from House to Apartment

One of the top five reasons people relocate is because they want to change their home or apartment. But shifting from an apartment to house is easy while moving from house to apartment demands certain modifications in lifestyle, habits, and mainly in the number of things we own. Downsizing from a house to an apartment is an emotional and difficult task, but it is still something people do all the time.

No matter your reasons to move, moving from a house to an apartment and adjusting to new surroundings can be difficult, especially getting used to having so little space. But with some little tricks and organization, you can downsize a lot and still have a commodity of big house living. You just need to get creative in using all the space you have. But before you even start making adjustments to your apartment, you will need to figure out what you will bring with you there. Follow these couple of rules, and your downsizing will be quick and efficient.

Downsize Your Home – Checklist for Efficient Decluttering

If you plan to move a piano to a new apartment, think again. Unless you have space for it, you will probably have to get rid of it. And not only will your piano have to go, but some smaller items that occupy much space, as well. One of the benefits of moving is the chance to get rid of all the items that have been in your way for so long. Here are grand rules you have to implement once you begin to downsize for a move:

• Get rid of everything you haven’t used for some time – If there is an item you haven’t used for more than two years, you probably never gonna use it. Downsizing is an excellent opportunity to get rid of those things.
• Let go of the guilt – Learn to let go of some items you don’t like but feel sorry to throw away, like gifts from somebody or something you bought but then regretted it.
• Keep only good memories – You don’t need to keep all the souvenirs from your vacation. Keep only those that actually remind you of some events. And you certainly don’t need all your kids’ school projects. Keep only the best pieces.
• Picture your new place – When downsizing to a smaller residence, you need to get creative and imagine where certain items will go. When getting rid of things, make sure you include this in your consideration.

Go Room by Room and Start With Sorting

How do I move my house into an apartment? To answer this question, we will have to talk about packing and decluttering a bit more. Downsizing for the move is always a good idea because you will have fewer things to pack and your new place will be free from all unnecessary things.

The best packing tip is to go room by room and to start with sorting things. The same goes for decluttering. Place stickers on each piece of furniture you plan to bring. Take all your belongings and start making two piles in each room (throw away and keep pile.) While doing this, you can make a household inventory list as well – an important part of the price estimation of your cross-country moving services. When hiring cross country movers, especially if you’re hiring them for packing services, knowing exactly what you will keep when moving and bring with you is an excellent negotiation start. So, begin early with your downsizing. You will have more time to adjust to living with fewer things, and, with less stuff inside, you will prepare your home for sale much faster.

Downsize Your Garage Before Moving Day

Probably the hardest part of every downsizing is the fact you will not have a garage and so much storage space in your new apartment. But this doesn’t necessarily have to be true. With some creative storage ideas, you can have a garage even in the tiniest house. But you will have to make some smart decisions and cut some things out.

For example, will you keep Christmas ornaments or the garden hose from your garage? Obviously, a hose will be utterly useless. The same is with tools and other things that will occupy more space. Move-out cleaning is never easy, and if you have a lot of valuable tools in your garage, start with sorting as soon as possible. That way, you’ll have time to figure out will you sell it or give them to someone. Furthermore, you will have time to organize a garage sale and a large clean space where you can pack belongings you decide to keep.

Purchase Some Packing Supplies at the Nearest Marketplace

If we have to give some long-distance moving tips, it would be to buy some good quality moving materials. Your long-distance movers will appreciate it if you buy medium-sized boxes, as they are easier to carry. Get some packing paper and bubble wraps, moving straps, and dollies.

Still, the most significant thing for a stress-free move is to be organized for relocation and know how to pack properly. If you hire movers, they will pack a moving truck for you, disassemble and reassemble all your furniture and protect and pack all your electronics.

But if you opt for a DIY move, you will have to follow some packing rules to prevent breaking your items. First, pack heavy things first and then lighter ones on top of them. When packing fragile items, put extra cushioning between each layer. Buy sectioned boxes to pack glasses, and when packing dishes, make sure you place them vertically.

Figure Out What to Do With Items That You Are Not Bringing With You

It maybe looks the same, but there is a difference between downsizing and decluttering your home. And the most important one is the fact that, in downsizing, you might have to let really valuable things go. For example, maybe you bought a brand new sofa that can not fit your new living room. It would be a shame to just leave it on a driveway. For this reason, you must start with downsizing on time to decide what to do with certain items. In this case, there are three options – to sell, donate or give, and to throw away.

Sell, Donate or Throw Away

When it comes to things you are not bringing with you, the best solution will be to sell them if you can. You will get extra cash for your moving budget, and you will be able to buy something else for a new apartment. For example, your house appliances will probably be included in your house price when selling. But if you have some expensive furniture that can not fit into your new house, try to sell it.

The same is with expensive tools, antique items, or collections. Put them on eBay or some other online platform. If there is no enough time for selling, donate it or give it to your friends and family. Clothes, food, or unneeded pots and pans you can donate to your local charity organization.

Rent Storage for Your Items

On the other hand, if you don’t have time to deal with any of this right now, consider renting a self-storage unit or ask your cross-country moving company to use their storage facilities. Most companies offer this kind of service for a pretty affordable sum or even for free.

Feel Good About Your Move

Monthly costs and better location aren’t the only reasons people decide to downsize. The energy and time you have to put in house maintenance can be huge. On the other hand, condos are everywhere, and you get to choose not only your location but your community, proximity to a job, and if you’re moving with pets, a pet-friendly neighborhood. Embrace the new chapter of your life and enjoy the simplicity of living in an apartment.

Soon you will realize that you never really needed most of the things you gave away. If you are still struggling with smaller storage space, there are so many smart ways you can store your belongings in a small apartment. And best of all, nowadays furniture is designed to be used as storage but yet to look minimalistic. Moving cross country will open a door for new opportunities, and living in an apartment will give you a new kind of freedom. Check out this video for tiny house storage ideas which can be applied to flats as well.

Moving From House to Apartment Will Save You Some Time and Money

Is living in an apartment better than a house? Should I move from a house to an apartment? To answer these questions, we will have to list some pros and cons of living in an apartment compared with living in a house. Let’s start with cons first:

• Rules are more strict – you can’t throw a party all night long
• Less privacy – You will hear your neighbors and guess what – they will hear you to
• Smaller space – There will definitely be less space here. But it will be less cleaning as well.
• Parking is not guaranteed – This will depend on where you bought your apartment. So think about how many cars you plan to send with a car shipping service.

Now we can speak about some pros:

• You will save money – Bills and utilities usually cost less.
• If something is broken, you are covered – Maintenance is taking care of it, you don’t need to do anything but call your landlord.
• Security is better – Depending on a building, there can be a security guard, video surveillance, and alarms.

How Do I Adjust to Apartment Living?

Long-distance moving is stressful enough without dealing with a change of habits and commodity. But when you settle in, try to embrace your new way of living. Explore your new city and your neighborhood. See what kind of perks this building has to offer. Maybe there is a pool or gym, both excellent ways to meet new people. Or some lounge where you can relax and read some books. Decorate your apartment or maybe plan some renovations. The most important thing is that you made this space feel like yours. Don’t forget to use all the space you have. This way, you will see how convenient it is when every item is just a couple of steps away.