The Junkluggers

Check out The Junkluggers Ultimate Guide to Downsizing! We'll guide you through the process. Are you looking to downsize your home but youre not sure where to start? Weve created this helpful guide full of successful downsizing strategies to keep you focused and organized. Here at The Junkluggers, we specialize in downsize and declutter projects and were here to offer our services to help you discard the items youve decided you no longer need. Give us a call, and be greeted with top-notch customer service that often offers same or next-day appointments.Questions to Prepare for a Move or DownsizeWhen moving, you can understand your new space by asking all the right questions. It will become easier to make decisions about what to keep and what to donate! Your new space should represent you but also feel like a fresh start. Be sure to keep the following things in mind when moving: How many bedrooms will you have? If you currently have three bedrooms that act as your room, a guest room, and an office but your new space will only leave you with two bedrooms, you should consider what room you would like to downsize. If you would rather keep your office and not the guest bedroom, then it becomes the perfect opportunity to get rid of the bulky guest bedroom furniture that youll no longer need. Furniture and mattress removal just happens to be our specialty.What is the square footage? Optimizing your space is important when moving. If your new space is smaller than your current one, it may benefit you to keep your shelving and storage for your books or knick-knacks. Additionally, you might want to consider swapping out your large sectional, 8 person dining room table, or other large furniture for smaller items that suit both you and your space better. Is there any built-in storage?When looking at your next new space, be mindful of the storage that comes with it. If you have limited kitchen storage but a large bedroom closet, consider what types of items youll need to trim down. Storage will become a key factor in downsizing Do you have any extra space? Having a garage, shed, attic, or any additional space will play an important part when deciding what will go and what will stay. If you currently have a garage that you keep all your outdoor stuff in, but no garage in your new place, you might consider sifting through equipment to determine if youve used it recently or if youll use it soon in the future. Top 7 Downsizing & Decluttering Tips 1. Create a timelineA helpful way to stay on task and organized is to create a timeline of when you would like to be done and important milestones that may guide you on your way. Mark when you want certain areas of the house to be decluttered and when you would like the stuff you no longer need either donated or thrown away. For example, if you choose to downsize your closet in one month, heres how you can set timely goals for each week.Week 1:Sort through all outside spaces (garage, shed, etc)Try on all clothes and donate 25%Create your 3 piles of keep, throw away and donateWeek 2:Get rid of duplicates in kitchen (spatulas, ladles, etc)Eliminate old and stained sheets, pillow cases, and expired productsSchedule an appointment with The Junkluggers to remove bulky items, donations, and furnitureWeek 3:Throw away or scan old paperwork, school projects, and other paper itemsPack items for new houseWeek 4:Removal of bulky items, donations, furnitureMoving day2. What to keep, what to tossIf youre having trouble looking through things and throwing them away, do the 6 and 3 rule. If you havent used the item in the last 6 months and won't use it in the next 3 months, discard it or donate it. This excludes seasonal things such as a lawnmower or winter jackets, unless youre moving into a place that does not have a yard or winter! Have sorting boxes or piles that designate what will be donated, what will be thrown away, and then pack the rest of what youre choosing to keep.3. Go through expired productsExpired products in the bathroom, kitchen, or hallway closet will always take up unwanted space in your new home! Sort through lotions, cleaning products, spices, facial products, and other items. You must remember you cannot donate these products if they are expired or open, and its best to responsibly dispose of them.4. Start in lesser-used placesDont forget about spaces that you dont see or use every day! Your garage, attic, and storage shed can accumulate things quickly and be forgotten just as fast. If you have storage bins of sporting goods that havent been used in years, its time to donate.Pro Tip: Momentos from old school projects might be hard to get rid of but a good rule of thumb to keep in mind is to only save one or two things from each collection or year.5. Sort through furniture and large itemsWe all have that piece of furniture that is rarely used and takes up space. Is it an entryway table that collects old mail and paperwork? A hutch that holds nothing more than a vase? You may even consider getting rid of the guest bed that has only been used once or twice. Whatever it may be, finding the pieces of furniture that you dont use or will no longer need is a great way to freshen your space and declutter your home.6. Refresh your kitchen spaceThe kitchen can be one of the most difficult areas to declutter as you can almost always find a reason to keep something. However, this can also be a golden area to get rid of the most stuff. If you only use 2 pots but have 4 in your cabinet space, or have a bread pan sitting in the corner that has never been used, these are an example of items to donate. Think about what you use daily and what is rarely used.7. Closet DeclutterDepending on who you are, your closet might be jam-packed with clothes, shoes, belts, and other accessories that have only been worn once or twice. When downsizing your closet think about the items of clothing and accessories that stand out to you. The 6 and 3 rule can also apply here. If you havent worn it in 6 months and dont plan to wear it in the next 3 months (excluding weather-specific items) then its time to donate.Downsizing Tips For SeniorsThere will come a time in your life where, as you grow older, you may inevitably have to downsize for a myriad of reasons that may happen slowly or all at once. With The Junkluggers, you wont have to lift a finger in disposing of unwanted items, hauling things off, or donating your possessions.Start with small rooms and itemsYou will find it helpful to start in smaller areas of your home that hold fewer momentos attached to it such as the hallway closet or the office. Spaces like attics or garages that hold old projects, decorations, and other things can be difficult to sort through. Eliminate rooms you wont have in your new homeIf you find yourself moving into a one-bedroom home, getting rid of the excess belongings in the guest bedrooms and office will help you adjust quickly to your new space. Go through tools and landscaping items you may not need or wont have storage for. If you can, visit where you will be living to help you visualize what you can and cannot keep. Preserve Your CollectionsThe hardest part about moving into a smaller space may be reducing years worth of collections and other hobby items. To downsize these things, pick out a few pieces that are your favorite and keep only a few from the entire collection. If you find that you will have to donate all of these items, take photos of them first and print them out. You can then place these in a photo album to display in your new home. Allow time for memory laneStart early in your process of decluttering and downsizing. Getting rid of your possession is hard and youll likely be going through many different things that have memories attached. Allow yourself to experience memory lane and reminisce about those times. Advantages of Downsizing Your HomeNow that youve decluttered your home, you can sit back and relax! Cleaning will become easier with minimal things to dust and spray down. Youll feel the weight off your shoulders of having to maintain a large home with many things to sort and keep track of. Allowing yourself to keep up with a lifestyle of minimal things that you may not need will help you refrain from buying excess things. Be mindful of your new space and enjoy the benefits of a decluttered and downsized home.Hacks to organizing your home arent always straightforward and simple but the rewards to downsizing can make all the difference in your space. Remember that you arent alone in this process and Junkluggers is here to help. Well offer a stress-free experience to take away what you want to get rid of. Give us a call today to book your free onsite estimate! Mention code: 25BLUEBOOK