How to Downsize Your Home: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide for Moving

Why Downsize?

There are several reasons to downsize, from lowering monthly living expenses and increasing cash flow to minimizing the time and effort required to clean and maintain a home. Some people choose to downsize when moving to cities with higher costs of living as a way to minimize the impact on their monthly budget. Others simply want to feel less tied down to their larger home and the responsibilities that come with it, opting instead to live a more minimalist lifestyle.

People Who Commonly Downsize

• Seniors transitioning into retirement
• Empty-nesters whose children have moved away
• Professionals relocating to a big city
• People who are trying to reduce their monthly expenses
• People seeking a more minimalist lifestyle

How To Downsize Your Home, Step by Step

Downsizing can be both emotionally and physically taxing, especially when it comes to downsizing a home for seniors. As a rule, assume it will take longer than you think. If you live in a 1- or 2-bedroom apartment, start downsizing your belongings at least a month before your move. If you’re downsizing from a larger home, give yourself at least two to three months.

Assuming you’re able to put in between two and four hours a day, five days a week, here are rough estimates for how long it might take to declutter homes of different sizes. Keep in mind that it could take a lot longer if you have an unusually large amount of stuff or find it difficult to let things go.

How Long It Takes To Downsize Based on Home Size

Step 1: Decide Why You’re Downsizing (and How Small You Should Go)

There are several reasons to downsize, some more pleasant than others. But having a clear idea of why you’re downsizing will help you keep your eye on the prize and stay motivated during the process.

Common Reasons To Downsize

• Financial freedom: Downsizing to a smaller home almost always means lower housing costs and cheaper utilities — and those mean extra money in your pocket each month.
• Less home maintenance: Trading in a three-bedroom detached home for a one-bedroom condo means no yard work, much less vacuuming or other cleaning, and plenty of time for what you really want to do.
• Retirement or partial retirement: Now that your time is your own, you may want to move closer to family or simply make the most of your monthly retirement benefits.
• Loss of a spouse or life partner: It’s hard to live alone in a home you shared with a late spouse, which is why widows and widowers sometimes choose to downsize into a new, smaller house.
• Divorce or separation: Not only can divorce be expensive, it also means one less person living in the house — two reasons why divorce and separation sometimes lead to downsizing.
• Empty nesting after the children move away: While some empty nesters choose to keep those extra bedrooms available, others jump at the chance to downsize and minimize expenses.
• Minimalist lifestyle: A lifetime of accumulating trinkets and other items can create a physical and even emotional burden. Letting go of all but the necessities and reducing the space you’re responsible for can have a freeing effect.
• Health issues: Sometimes trekking up two flights of stairs just isn’t realistic anymore, and relocating to a ground-level, single-story home is the best way to maintain independence.
• Upgrade surroundings: If you’ve always dreamed of living by the coast, it may be possible as long as you don’t mind downsizing from a 4-bedroom suburban home to a 1-bedroom beach condo.

Having a specific goal in mind will allow you to focus your downsizing efforts. Otherwise, you’re just getting rid of stuff to get rid of stuff. Consider why you’ve decided to downsize and what you hope to achieve. More space and free time for your kayak-building hobby? More money for family vacations? Less stress? A richer social life?

Get as specific as you can. If your dream is to move into a 1,000-square-foot apartment in the city center, that tells you how much stuff you actually have to get rid of to make your dream come true.

Weighing Cost vs. Comfort vs. Clutter

Once you know what your ultimate goal is, it’s time to decide how small you want to go by comparing three important downsizing aspects: cost, comfort, and clutter. This is a great way to determine the best balance to support your downsizing goal.

• Cost: How much money will you actually save by downsizing? Consider monthly rent or mortgage, utilities, and maintenance costs, and don’t forget annual expenses like property taxes. And, once you’ve done the math, ask yourself: What will you do with the extra money?
• Comfort: Is it realistic to have just one bathroom, or should you downsize a little less and opt for a bath and a half? Are you going to miss working in your garden if you move to a condo? Ideally, you won’t have to move again for a while (or ever), so consider what will work best long term.
• Clutter: Are you willing to get rid of enough stuff to make downsizing worth it? If not, paying for a monthly storage unit could offset the savings of moving to a smaller place.

Step 2: Make a Master Plan

With a clear goal in mind, the next step is to formulate your master plan. Investing a little time to plan things out in the beginning will pay off in the end. Start by getting a moving binder or folder to keep track of everything, and then be sure to include the following in your master plan:

• Use a moving checklist to keep track of all the big stuff and all the little stuff.
• Change your address (mailing and billing) before you move.
• Cancel utilities at your old home and set them up at your new home.
• Decide how you’re going to move (use these tips for how to choose a good moving company).
• Use a moving cost calculator to put together a moving budget.

HireAHelper’s Downsizing Checklist

When you’re downsizing as well as moving, there are extra steps to keep in mind. Stay on top of the process every step of the way with HireAHelper’s printable downsizing checklist.

Step 3: Measure Before You Move

Moving from a 3-bedroom house to a one-bedroom apartment means that some of your furniture won’t be making the trip with you, and it’s up to you to decide what stays and what goes. That three-part sectional might not fit in your new place, and it's best if you figure that out before paying movers to transport it across the country.

Once you’ve picked your new abode, take measurements of each room as well as the pathways in and out, or get your hands on the floor plan. Then measure the furniture you want to bring along and map out where everything will go. You can also use a furniture layout app to help you visualize where things will fit.

If you’re used to having a lot of in-house storage (e.g., attic, basement, garage), compare your current space to your new one to determine if you’ll need to rent a storage unit to make up the difference or declutter even more. If you decide on off-site storage, this step will help you determine what size storage unit you need.

If you have larger pieces that you’d rather not part with — grandmother’s piano or an antique table, for instance — consider rehoming them with friends or family, even on a temporary basis.

Step 4: Declutter With Purpose (Keep/Donate/Sell/Trash)

The next step is figuring out how to downsize your belongings. While this can easily become overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips for how to declutter before moving in a manageable way.

How To Downsize Your Belongings

• Use the four box method: Get four cardboard boxes and label them with a Sharpie: Keep, Donate/Sell, Toss, and Storage. As you work your way through your house, sort items into the four boxes.
• Add a fifth box, if necessary: If it takes you longer than a few seconds to decide which box to put an item in, put it in a fifth box: the “Undecided” box. The last thing you want is to lose steam while decluttering, so tackle these items last after you’ve gotten yourself into the decluttering groove.
• Tackle one room at a time: Declutter one room, start to finish, before moving onto the next. This helps contain the process and make it easy to see how far you’ve come and how much you have left to go.
• Make tax-deductible donations: Wondering how to get rid of an old couch that’s still in decent shape or bags of clothes that don’t fit anymore? Donate them! Many donations are deductible in the U.S. (just be sure to get a receipt for tax purposes). You may not even have to go anywhere since some charities offer furniture donation pick-up for free.
• Earn some moving money: Moving can be expensive, but selling furniture, clothes, and appliances that you no longer need can at least help cover the costs. Consider having a yard sale or posting things on Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, eBay, or Craigslist.

Criteria for Decluttering

If you’re having a hard time deciding what to do with specific items, try adopting some rules to follow while sorting through your things. Specific criteria can help cut through the sentimental attachment, allowing for faster decision-making. Here are some of the most popular methods you can try:

• The 20/20 rule: If you can replace it in 20 minutes for $20 or less, get rid of it.
• The 90/90 rule: If you haven’t used it in the last 90 days and don’t expect to use it in the next 90 days, get rid of it.
• The “someday” rule: If you’re holding onto it because you might need it someday (but haven’t needed it yet), get rid of it.
• Does it spark joy?: This is Marie Kondo’s classic question. If it sparks joy, keep it. If it doesn’t, get rid of it.

Step 5: Pack Strategically for a Smaller Move

The less you have to move, the cheaper it will be. This is true whether you’re renting a truck yourself (smaller trucks typically cost less) or hiring movers (fewer boxes are quicker to carry). Packing strategically will not only minimize the number of boxes you’ll need, but it’ll also speed up the unloading and unpacking process.

How To Pack Strategically

• Choose small- and medium-sized boxes that won’t be too heavy once they’re packed up.
• Pack a moving box like a pro by loading heavy items at the bottom of the box and filling any empty spaces with packing paper, bubble wrap, or even linens.
• Pack room-by-room and section-by-section for easy unpacking in your new home.
• Use QR moving labels to easily inventory everything as you pack.
• Take pictures of items to record their condition, in case you have to make a claim later due to damage or loss.
• Clearly label each box with what’s inside and which room it belongs to.
• Match boxes to rooms with color-coded stickers. Place corresponding stickers on the doors in your new house so the movers know where to put everything.
• Rent the smallest moving truck necessary to save on rental costs. Many moving truck rental companies have online calculators to help you decide which size truck you’ll need.

If you’d rather hire pros to take care of the packing for you, check out how much packers charge per hour in your area to see if it fits in your moving budget.

Step 6: Move Efficiently to Save Money and Space

There are different ways to approach a move. If you ignore the old saying, “time is money,” then renting a moving truck and doing it all yourself is the cheapest way to go. But it’s also the most time-intensive and physically taxing, and brings with it the risk of injury.

If you’re downsizing in retirement, it’s a good idea to at least hire labor-only movers. They take care of the loading and unloading, but you supply the truck and handle the transport, or get a moving container. If you want to save even more time, you can add packing and unpacking for an extra fee. The cost for this service is surprisingly affordable, but it can make a big difference in your overall moving experience.

If you’d rather not drive a moving truck long distance, you can hire full-service movers. They take care of the loading, driving, and unloading — and just like labor-only services, they can even take care of the packing and unpacking for an additional charge.

Moving Cost Examples: Long-Distance Full-Service vs. Labor-Only

While you’re decluttering, remember that smaller moves are cheaper, and the difference in cost between moving the contents of a one-bedroom apartment and a 4-bedroom house is in the thousands. The table below gives an overview of what you can expect to pay based on home size.

*Cost examples are rough estimates for a long-distance move from Tampa to Charlotte (580 miles) during peak moving season

Step 7: Maximize Your New Space After the Move

Once you’ve arrived at your new downsized home, it’s time to settle in and maximize the space. If you brought furniture with you, start by arranging things where you think they should go. If a room feels overcrowded or “too small,” try these hacks to make the most of a small space.

Making the Most of Your Downsized Home

• Position couches and chairs a few inches from the wall to keep things from looking cramped.
• Use low-backed furniture to make the ceilings appear higher.
• Select pieces that do double duty, such as beds with built-in drawers or an ottoman coffee table.
• Prioritize collapsing, nesting, and folding furniture to give you the option of creating more space when needed.
• Choose a few large pieces rather than many small pieces to avoid a cluttered look.
• Incorporate mirrors to create the illusion of space.
• Paint your walls in light, neutral colors to make the space feel bigger.
• Accent a room with smaller, dark-colored items like pillows, throws, and artwork.
• Use the same flooring from room to room to create a cohesive flow.
• Take advantage of the extra time and money you now have by exploring your new area.

Managing the Emotional Side of Downsizing

The most difficult part of downsizing is handling the emotions that surface when you try to declutter sentimental items. Before you start, take a look at the steps listed above to determine which parts of the process will be the toughest emotionally, and enlist the help of a friend for those. If you’re worried there will be too much you won’t be able to part with, try the following tips:

How To Declutter Sentimental Items

• Take a photo of the item and include it in a scrapbook along with a description of what it means to you.
• Gift the item to a friend or family member who will appreciate it.
• Donate the item to a charity that meant something to the person who gave it to you.
• Digitize photos and negatives.

How Do I Downsize My Home Quickly?

If you’re working with a tight deadline, you can downsize your home quickly by enlisting lots of help and pushing through the emotional speed bumps along the way. Follow these tips to get the job done fast so you can start living your best life in a downsized home as soon as possible:

How To Downsize Your Home Quickly

• Use the “Yes/No” method and forget about “Maybe.” Each item either stays or it goes.
• Be strict. If you’re moving into a home half the size of your current home, cut down your belongings to 50%.
• Declutter by category instead of room. While this strategy will have you bouncing around the house, you’ll only handle each category of things once, which makes it easy to see how much you have of everything during the decluttering process.
• Recruit friends and family to help you declutter. Teach them your “rules” and set them loose.
• Use AI to help you apply the four-box method. Punch in your criteria for deciding what to keep, trash, store, sell, or donate. If you get stuck on an item, let the AI help you decide what to do. Just remember that it’s your decision in the end.
• Use quick donation, resale, and disposal options to save time. Charities, Facebook users, and junk removal services will all come to your house to pick up donations, buy items, and haul away what you’re tossing (respectively).
• Confirm that your furniture will fit in your new place before moving it.
• Buy new furniture and/or appliances when it makes sense. If your furniture is old and raggedy or your fridge and washer are on the fritz, save money on your move by leaving them behind and replacing them after you’ve arrived at your new home.
• Take care of yourself. Take breaks, get enough sleep, and eat well during your move. Downsizing takes an emotional toll, and it’ll be easier (and faster) if you give yourself some grace.
• Buy yourself some time with temporary storage. If you’re moving locally, this is a good option because it can give you as many months as you need to go through everything. The trick is you actually have to go through everything and finish decluttering, or you’ll find yourself paying to keep things you never even see.
• After you’re done decluttering, hire professional movers to pack everything up and move it out before your deadline.

Downsizing Tips

Here are some more tips to help you make downsizing decisions and the packing process easier.

Rent a portable moving container to streamline the process

As boxes are packed and ready to go, move them directly into the container in your driveway to clear space in your home as you continue decluttering. Use the container for both storage and moving, or simply storage — companies like PODS will deliver the container to your new home or to a secure storage facility for as long as you need.

Create a capsule wardrobe when downsizing your clothing

A capsule wardrobe consists of a small number of highly wearable items where every piece of clothing can be paired with nearly every other piece. This method makes it easy to pare down your wardrobe without sacrificing style.

Bundle items together for resale to save time

Instead of listing 20 individual kitchen items on Facebook Marketplace, put together “kits” of multiple items for sale. Have a cut-off date for all online listings and donate anything that hasn’t sold by then.

Take photos of how things are arranged before packing

Take pictures of your closet, your shoe rack, your cupboards, and especially any electronic hookups. Having these for reference will make it easier to put everything together in your new home, particularly if you have friends or family helping you unpack.

Get rid of duplicates

Draw a hard line when it comes to duplicates and immediately sell/donate/get rid of any that you come across during the downsizing process. This goes for toasters, blenders, and frying pans, but also small items like scissors and screwdrivers.

Tape off your new floor plan in your current home

If you’re worried about everything fitting in your new place, you can use painter's tape to section off the equivalent floor space and see what really fits. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t make it on the truck.

Example of a Cost To Keep It Table

If you’re having trouble parting with certain items, compare the cost of keeping the item with the value of selling it and use logic to decide. Remember that the cost of furniture storage can quickly surpass the cost of just buying new furniture when you need it.