6 Tips on Downsizing From a House to a Flat

 

There is no doubt that moving from a three-bedroom house to a flat is a big change which can take some getting used to. Whether the move is out of necessity or want, you still have to face the fact that you will have less living space and will need to get rid of some of your belongings.

This can be a difficult task for many people, especially if moving to a flat is not the choice they would’ve made in an ideal situation. If you are faced with the task of downsizing from a house to a flat, there are several tips that can make things easier for you.

1. Know the size of the space you’re moving to – You can get an idea of the dimensions of a property from the seller’s or landlord’s advert. It’s also a good idea to take a tape measure when you view, so that you can see the exact size of the property you’re dealing with. This information helps you to work out what items you can take with you and how many of your belongings you will need to dispose of.
2. Concentrate on the positives –  If you’re moving out of necessity, and you are not looking forward to leaving your current home, you may be feeling negative about the move. It’s important that you start to recognise the positives, so that you can put all of this positive energy into the move. There are several benefits to be had from moving to a smaller property including:
   • Less time spent on maintenance and decoration
   • Reduced mortgage and bills
   • Less chance of hoarding items you don’t need
   • Reduction in maintenance costs
3. Keep only what is necessary – You cannot fit all of the contents of a medium to large home into a smaller one. No matter which way you look at it, you need to get rid of unnecessary items. For instance, you will not need a lawnmower or gardening equipment if you are moving to a flat where there are no gardens or where you pay a service charge for them to be maintained. You need to be practical and ruthless when you’re making this type of decision. You are unlikely to be hosting large dinner parties in a small flat so you do not need several sets of crockery and you cannot afford to waste space by keeping that rowing machine that you will get around to using “one day”. 
4. Make the most of your unnecessary items – It’s not a good idea to simply throw items away, unless they are worn out or broken. Even then, you can make the most of local recycling opportunities. Think about selling your belongings on sites such as eBay or Gumtree. You may also want to consider donating them to charities such as the British Heart Foundation. 
5. Consider self storage in the short term – There may be times that using self-storage in the short term is a good idea, if you are moving from a house to a new flat. However, it’s important to remember that self-storage costs money and should not be used as a means of keeping hold of items “just in case”. Think about using self-storage in short-term situations such as:
   • To give you time to decide on whether you can keep items or you need to dispose of them
   • You are downsizing temporarily and will be moving into a larger property again
   • You are waiting for a friend or relative to take the items off your hands
6. Think about storage solutions for your new home – The most important storage decision you will make is how to optimise storage space in the flat you’re moving into. You may want to consider solutions such as:
   • wall hooks and clips
   • open shelving instead of cabinets in the kitchen
   • storage crates which can be pushed under beds

It’s important to be creative with storage if you are moving to a much smaller space.

Moving from a house to a flat is the perfect opportunity to remove clutter and live in a more minimalistic way. You may be surprised at how happy this can make you as you start a new chapter in your life.

If you’re think about downsizing from a house to a flat and would like a quote or further advice on removals and storage, please feel free to contact us. We’d LOVE to help you!