Downsizing a House is Challenging But it Can Be Done

By Jeff Thoreson 

I am homeless. I am not houseless, but I am homeless. There’s a difference. A couple of months ago I accidentally sold my home; just sort of stumbled into a deal. 

I had finally come to the realization that it was time to downsize, 12 years after the last of three children left for college. I initiated some projects to get the place ready to sell at some as-yet-undefined point in the future and mentioned that to a Realtor who lives up the street. Mine is a desirable house on a desirable lot in a desirable neighborhood, but the place wasn’t ready to sell being that the main bath was in the midst of a total re-do. 

A few days later, the Realtor texted and asked if he could bring a client by. 

I figured there wouldn’t be any harm in that. They could envision what the finished product would be and maybe come back later if they were really interested. But they made an offer and said they would finish the bathroom themselves and wanted the place as is, without me ticking off the punch list of projects that, in my estimation, needed to be accomplished before selling.

In that light, their number looked quite good, so the next day I was clicking and docu-signing. There is time built into the contract for the new owners to sell their house and, therefore, plenty of time for me to excavate my accumulated detritus. 

Content with the decision, I spent a couple of days thinking about what the next phase of life might be like and then set to the formidable task of assessing the contents of my house item-by-item as to what can be sold, given away, scraped for any cash value it might contain, or simply be junked all together, the latter forcing me to the realization that for some number of years I have found it necessary to keep something that I now determine that neither myself nor any other human could possibly use. 

As one day of this project faded to the next, then one weekend to its successor, I found myself at once astonished, awed, and dismayed at the sheer volume of things collected over the years. And I am impressed by the staying power of junk—the once-pitched tent from that era when the kids thought camping might be a good idea; the orange life preservers from years ago when we owned a boat; parts to lawn mowers and garden tools I once thought I could salvage something from; long-hardened bags of asphalt patch leftover from a driveway project so far back that it again is in need of repair.

I found it hard to believe that my life once found necessity for this impressive pile of detritus, but apparently a home comes equipped with some sort of check valve or diaphragm that allows things to slide in quite easily but getting them back out requires surgical rerouting.

I attacked the 20 years of accumulated papers and records in my home office, and then the storage room clutter left behind by three kids who are off on their own lives and accumulating their own stuff that will one day be their very own flotsam. Then I would attack the workshop with tools I will never need again. 

It seemed a simple and easy plan to attack it one room at a time. But then I delved into the papers and records in my downstairs office and realized the dreadful extent to which mere stuff can grow. Things, possessions are like ivy—left untended they take over in such a subtle manner that the next thing you know your nice brick façade is dripping with greenness. 

On the surface, my task should have been no problem. As I look around my 200-square-foot-home office, there are two short bookshelves and one full-length bookshelf. There is a two-drawer file cabinet and one of those L-shaped desks where I can work in front of me or to the side. It has a few drawers and cubbies that I now realize hold more than they would appear to hold.

So, the task at hand was simple—pack the books neatly in boxes, go through the shelves and drawers and discard what is no longer needed and pack only what really, truly needs to continue on with me. 

But like every other project I have done in this house in the last two decades, this became much more complex than what I envisioned. There is material in all these places that date back to a previous century. Probably more than 90 percent of it can be chucked, but in going through the first drawer I found a newspaper from when my son made the all-county golf team, and then some high school graduation programs, and then college graduation programs, and then a coupon book given me by my kids for some long-past Father’s Day. The crayon-drawn coupons are good for things like one breakfast in bed, one car wash, or one golf club cleaning. (Hey guys, I don’t see any expiration date on these coupons.)

Now my quick-and-easy plan to shed and move was bogged down in a wave of sentimentality. Each thing I came across that was not easily discarded with a “why the heck did I ever need this” became a flood of memories—good memories. I wanted to sit there and dwell upon them and smile and chuckle to myself about all the things that happened in this house—this home where I have lived across two centuries.

Now an evening has gone by and I’ve been through only one drawer and part of a second.

I am not second-guessing my decision to sell. It is time. I understand that. This is a great family home, and a nice young family is taking over. I am—sort of—looking forward to a smaller place where I don’t have to clean bedrooms that are rarely slept in; where I don’t have to walk through a game room where not a single game of billiards or ping-pong has been played in a half a decade or so; where each memory becomes a short film in my head, like those old 8-mm snippets of kids growing up and doing the silly things kids do.

Maybe I’m just trying to convince myself that selling is the right thing to do by telling myself I’m looking forward to a new start. Or maybe I am anxious to walk through a new front door. But I’m not looking forward to walking out of this one for the last time because from that point on I may be living in a nice condo, but it won’t be my home. 

Tips for Downsizing Your Home

Start as Early as Possible

You don’t accumulate a house full of stuff overnight, so you can’t expect to figure out how to downsize in a day either.

Take A Full Inventory

It’s helpful to have a list or spreadsheet you can look at to help you decide what’s important. 

Determine Your Essentials

Even though you’ll be shedding a lot of items, you can’t let go of everything. You’ll need a core set of belongings that helps you live a comfortable life. So, before you get rid of everything, make a checklist of essential items that must go to your new home.

Consider Your Sentimental Items

You’ll probably want to keep some sentimental items, such as family photo albums or an heirloom from your late grandparent. While these keepsakes may not serve a functional role in your day-to-day life, they’re still important and valuable.

Take It One Room at a Time

Just the thought of decluttering and downsizing your entire house will likely cause your stress levels to rise, but here’s an approach to reducing it: Don’t think of it as downsizing your entire house. Look at it one room at a time. 

Get Rid of Duplicates

Many of us probably have a few items in our homes that are duplicates or even triplicates. For example, do you have three slow cookers in your pantry? Have you ever used all three at the same time? You likely use one regularly, so it’s probably safe to get rid of the extras.

Digitize When Possible

If you’re like most people, you have stacks of photos and important documents stored in different places in your home. As you prepare to downsize, consider ditching the hard copies by digitizing them. Consider enlisting the help of a digitization service that can handle it for you.

Measure Your Furniture

Before hauling all your belongings to your new home, make sure they fit. It’s important to measure any furniture you plan to bring to see where and whether it would fit in your new home.

Donate, Sell, or Give Away Items

Once you’ve decided which items won’t make the trip to your smaller home, it’s time to say goodbye. Rather than banish your belongings to a trash can, consider: Gifting to friends or family members; donating to charity; selling on an online marketplace; hosting a garage sale.

Consider Storage Options

Once your furniture and appliances have a place in your new home, think about storage for the rest of your belongings. Do you have adequate cabinetry and closet space? If you need more storage in your new home, don’t worry. There are lots of creative ways to stow away your stuff.