Downsizing - The Benefits of Starting Early (Make Money/Save Money)
By Mary Holmes If you are planning to move to a smaller home in the next couple of years – our recommendation is to start the process of downsizing as soon as possible. As we discussed in our prior Blog, Downsizing and Decluttering – Where Do I Start?, getting started with the downsizing and decluttering process is the hardest part; therefore, it is tempting to put it off until the last minute. Continue reading to learn about a number of ways you will benefit from an early start.
Make Money By Selling Items
After you sort through your possessions to determine what will go with you to your new home, you will have to find a new home for those items that you can’t or don’t want to take with you. If you have plenty of time to work through this process, you will have a higher likelihood of producing some revenue from these items. If you have a tight deadline to get through the downsizing process, you will have less options available to you. There are many dealers around Maine that specialize in various types of items, e.g. art, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, as well as trendy items – to name a few. It may take some time to find the right buyer for a particular possession, so having time on your side is beneficial. You may also consider selling items on line or at a consignment shop. Again, if you have limited time and a lot to do, these strategies might not fit into your schedule. Shortly before Christmas last year, we were contacted to help with a downsizing for a woman in Falmouth who was moving into a retirement community in Portland. We had a two-week timeframe to both settle her into her new home and have her current home empty. The house was chock full of a life time of possessions, including many expensive, designer items. Obviously, she could not take everything with her to the retirement community. We were able to have one in-home tag sale on short notice during that time period. Many dealers and other buyers did attend, but more money would have been realized had it been a different time of year and the timeframe was longer, since we could have run a sale on more than one dates.
Save Money By Minimizing Trash
Trash can be very expensive, especially in large quantities. Most dumps or transfer facilities charge by the pound or by the bag, and have special fees for certain items. If you have a limited amount of time to disperse of unneeded or unwanted items, there is a greater chance that you will have a very large “dump” run. If you start the process early, you will have the opportunity to either sell, donate, or recycle these items – which are all less costly than trash.
Save Money By Moving Only Needed Items
If you don’t have adequate time to do the downsizing process justice, you are likely to move items to your new home that you don’t need and have no intention of using. Movers charge either by the hour or by the pound, so the more you move, the more you will pay.
Save Money by Avoiding Storage
Another common issue arises when time is short and decisions can’t be made regarding the dispersal of items that aren’t going to the new home. In this case, many people will rent a long-term storage unit. Since out of sight often means out of mind – this strategy can turn into a very expensive long-term solution.
Start Early – Make Money, Save Money
As you can see, starting the downsizing and declutter process early can make your move less costly both by making you some money on selling possessions and by saving you money by minimizing trash, only moving what you will need, and not storing items you will not need in the future. We have been working with a family in South Freeport who is going to be putting their house on the market in the next year or so. She is tackling one area of her current home at a time, which will allow us to find the appropriate avenue to disperse of unwanted items. Integrated Move Management can help you get started and work through this often difficult process. Click on this link to start the process of getting your free estimate today: Contact Us
