If you plan to downsize your home or office, you can expect to face a traditional move’s challenges and some extra twists and complications. Yet a thorough, step-by-step approach—including a timeline, inventory, storage, and more—can help you overcome the process’s obstacles. Hiring professional movers and packers can also facilitate your downsizing to any destination—a college dorm, smaller office, retirement home, or otherwise.
Fairfax, VA, home- and business owners can turn to Able Moving & Storage for all such needs. The Able team offers local, long-distance, and international moving options as well as senior move management and model home installations. We’ve delivered outstanding service since 1987, expanding our options and staff as customers have come to rely on us. Call (703) 330-3772 for more information or to request a free moving quote.
Here, we offer some tips on how to make your downsizing experience a breeze:
Plan Your Timeline
As with any significant life change, you must give yourself ample time to coordinate your move. Use Able’s online moving timeline to plan your downsizing and ensure all planning occurs before your big day. You can also draft a personal schedule for completing tasks and the activities of your moving date.
Also, consider hiring a professional organizer to help you coordinate the minutiae of downsizing—planning, organizing, estate sales, etc. Able is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), which gives us access to a network of local professional organizers. We can connect you to a NAPO-certified organizer known for honest and decisive work to alleviate some of your stress.
Take Inventory of All Your Belongings
Once you have a timeline, take inventory of your belongings. Go room by room and create a list of all clothes, furniture, artwork, kitchen items, light fixtures, books, etc. Be sure to check those spaces where junk tends to pile up! You can compile your inventory by taking photos, listing items in each room, generating an Excel file, or another method that suits you.
Sort the List into 3 Categories: Keep, Donate, or Toss
With an inventory completed, review your belongings and separate them into those you will keep, donate, or toss. Specifically, consider each item’s size, whether it will fit in the new space, and the item’s functionality. Does it have multiple functions or features that you use? Or does it just look nice but utilize a lot of space? This process can help you weed out belongings that you should not pack.
“Keep” items should include sentimental belongings, things you frequently use, or items that bring you joy! Anything you haven’t touched, worn, or looked at in the past month is probably worth donating or tossing.
“Donate” items include unused, gently used, or fixable belongings. From this pile, you could consider selling items in good condition to offset the cost of professional movers.
“Toss” items are the leftover things you do not want or cannot donate. They are generally in such poor condition that they cannot be refurbished.
Plan the Required Next Steps for Removal
After categorizing your belongings into the three categories, plan for their removal. Build your timeline to knock out your keep, donate, and toss items so that every detail has received attention.
You can try such steps as:
- Selling your items through Facebook’s marketplace, estate sales, and local yard sales.
- Contacting local charity organizations—including Second Story, Salvation Army, House of Mercy, and Goodwill—to check whether they can accept your used clothing and furniture.
- Giving to family, friends, and colleagues. Speak to your loved ones and coworkers about whether they need items you want to give away.
- Speaking to Able about taking items that need to go to the dump. We have referral partners, such as 123Junk, who can handle and dispose of large objects.
Evaluate Storage Options
If you find that you will have more items than your new space can accommodate (or lack time to donate and dispose of belongings before your move), consider Able’s storage solutions. Our services offer a straightforward way to hang onto items for a period without bringing them to the new space. We offer short- and long-term warehouse storage so you can come by and pick up belongings as necessary.
Alternatively, we can provide a heat-treated and plastic-lined crate at your home. This option gives you ample time to sell, donate, or toss items.
Plan for Your New Space
Finally, get a copy of your new space’s floor plan if you’re downsizing. This document can help you determine which items will fit in your new area and how to arrange them. Plus, you can map out your wall space and decide whether to install features like floating shelves.
Professional Movers for Homes and Businesses in Fairfax, VA!
Whether you plan to downsize your office or move across the country, turn to Able Moving & Storage for reliable professional movers. Our team delivers comprehensive options and outstanding customer support to folks throughout the Fairfax, VA, area. We also offer excellent storage solutions for those who need space to put their belongings away for a while. To learn more about us or speak to a service representative, call (703) 330-3772.