Downsizing Before a Long Distance Move – the Best Ways to Do It
A great way to save money when moving is to downsize before a move. It can help a lot and make a big difference. And it will also make your long distance move much easier and faster. And while downsizing can take a lot of time and effort, it is definitely worth it. And it won’t be that hard if you are well organized. It is also important to start downsizing early so that you have enough time to do it properly. And you will have to take care of other important things for the move too. For example, you are going to need to take some time to do the research and hire good long distance movers. Here is the best way to take care of downsizing before a long distance move.
Here is why you should downsize before a long distance move
Before we get to how you should do it, you should know all the benefits and why you should downsize before moving home. Long distance moves can be tricky, and they usually cost much more than regular moves. So you are going to save a lot of money when moving long distances if you downsize and move fewer things. And bringing fewer things with you means that you are going to need fewer packing supplies to pack your things, so you are going to save money on packing supplies too. If you have time to do it then you definitely should downsize before your long distance move, and here is how to do it.
Prepare for downsizing
Same as you are going to be needing packing supplies for your move, you will need them for downsizing too. Since you are going to pack all the things that you have decided that you don’t want anymore. So make sure that when you are getting packing supplies, you also get some for downsizing. Everything from boxes to packing tape and all the other things that you are going to be needing. And you also need to prepare emotionally for parting ways with some things to which you are emotionally attached. This is one of the harder parts of downsizing, and you need to be ready for it. So that when the time comes, you can downsize efficiently and won’t waste time deciding what to do with certain things.
When downsizing before a long distance move, try to be efficient
When you are going through your things and deciding what to keep, ask yourself: am I really going to use this, and do I need it? We often keep many things we don’t really need or care for anymore. And they can add up quickly and take up a lot of space. So go through everything from your clothes to furniture and try to look at it objectively. And also, try to see how it would fit in your new home, and if it won’t, then you can leave it behind. You also need to know what are the things that long distance movers won’t move. Those things too you are going to have to leave behind or transport yourself.
There are many ways to get rid of your things while downsizing
This is one of the biggest questions you are going to have when downsizing is what to do with all the things that you are leaving behind? The first thing that comes to mind is to throw it all away. But that is just one option. There are many things that you can sell, and that is a great way to make some money when downsizing before a long distance move. And one of the best tips to reduce house moving costs would be to sell as much furniture as possible. Since it is the heaviest thing you will be transporting, it will cost a lot. So you will save a lot of money if you move less furniture. As for the ways to get rid of the things that you don’t want anymore, you can also:
- Donate
- Recycle
- Gift some things to friends and family
You can digitize a lot of things
Instead of bringing a bunch of documents, photos, CDs, and other things. You can digitize it all and keep it on a flash drive or external hard drive if you need a lot of space. Getting rid of a bunch of CDs, VHS tapes, documents, and other things will save you a lot of space. And it is a great way to downsize before your long distance move. And this will be a good way to prepare kids for a long distance move. You can let them help with digitizing everything. They will have fun going through all the old pictures and videos. And it will keep them busy while you are taking care of packing and other things for the move.
Ask your friends and family to help you with downsizing
Downsizing your home before a long distance move is going to be a lot of work. And then you are going to have to take care of packing too. And a lot of other things like changing address, for example. All of it can be very tiring, and getting some help can make a big difference. They have all moved before, know how hard it is, and will gladly help. Some can help with downsizing, and some with packing too. And having friends and family around you while you are getting ready to move away will also help you deal with moving. Make sure that you get some refreshments and snacks for everyone while they are helping you with downsizing and packing. They will appreciate it and it would be a nice thing to do to thank them for helping you with downsizing before a long distance move.