More and more Americans are downsizing, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders. It found that 53% of respondents consider moving to a house that’s less than 600 square feet.
Among the younger population, more than 63% are interested in moving to a tiny home. After all, living in a smaller house, especially if you’re single, may be optimal. You’ll spend less time cleaning, as there are only a few rooms. Plus, you’ll have lower power bills too, since you only have to heat and cool a small space. And because you’re using less energy, your tiny home in Broward County is also better for the environment.
Despite these advantages, tiny homes do have their fair share of drawbacks. A prominent one is downsizing. People often find it difficult to sacrifice some of their possessions, either because they have sentimental value or that they may need it in the future. However, this process is necessary to make sure you fit comfortably in your new, intimate space. Here strategies you can apply while downsizing.
List Your Must-Keeps and Can-Live-Withouts
Clear up an hour or two of your day to list an inventory of your must-keep items. If possible, let your roommates or family members do this, too. Go from room-to-room and inspect each item in them. ;
When you have duplicates in apparel, try to discern whether you can get rid of two to three of them. For example, if you have a uniform for work, it’s best to have a lot of them. But if you have clothes for seasonal activities or short-term hobbies like jackets and yoga pants, you may be better off with just one or two pairs. ;
When it comes to electronics, it may be best to keep multiple spares of small items like chargers and USB cables, just in case you lose them. When it comes to larger ones like extra TVs or monitors, let go of the older models.
For prints, try limiting your books and magazines to four or five favorites. After all, you won’t have much shelf space in your new home.
Apart from gaining precious space in your tiny house and getting better prices from your moving service provider, you could also earn extra money from getting rid of your extra stuff. List them on reselling platforms like Craigslist, OfferUp, or Facebook. Make sure you add detailed descriptions and clear photos of each item to make sure they catch the eye of your buyers.
Find Smaller Versions of Your Stuff
There are some items you just can’t live without, but they may be too big for your tiny house. An example of this is a high-quality sound system. If you don’t want to let go of the deep bass and immersive stereo from your system, replace them with smaller systems like the ones from Yamaha and Sony.
If you can’t live without your La-Z-Boy, there are plenty of small recliners out there that are just as comfortable. And if you have a decked-out gaming PC, you may have to lose a monitor or replace it entirely with a gaming laptop. ;
Keep Digital Copies of Your Physical Media
If you have a physical collection of movies or albums in CD and DVD format, it may be smart to say goodbye to them too. However, you can always transfer their content onto your computer or an external hard drive. Windows Media Player has a “Rip CD” option that lets you do this easily. Though the process may take a while, getting original digital copies of your favorite films and records is definitely worth the effort. You may not find your rare picks on streaming services. ;
Moving to a tiny home is both exciting and overwhelming. For one, it’s an entirely new experience, and you’ll save a great amount of money. However, it’s also hard to get rid of your extra stuff. Give these suggestions a try before you start your move. You may sacrifice many items you hold dear, but at least you won’t have to play dodge-furniture every time you need a drink from the fridge in your new tiny home.
