Many homeowners these days aren’t looking to scale up, but rather, scale down the amount of square footage they're willing to occupy. If that sounds like you and you started out with only a few possessions and not much excess, making a move to a smaller home could be a breeze. But if you’re ready to downsize from the large house you’ve lived in for many years, reducing your belongings and the size of your floor plan can present a challenge.

At Ace Moving & Warehousing, we work with families and businesses throughout Minnesota and provide a wide selection of moving services designed to streamline your relocation. Our local Minneapolis movers provide practical solutions, quality equipment, and an experienced moving crew to help your move be as smooth and hassle-free as possible.

If you’re getting ready to move to a smaller space, check out tips below that can help make your downsizing process easier.

1. Make Plans for Downsizing Now

If you own tons of stuff, downsizing is a huge undertaking that entails a lot of work and detail-oriented planning. So if you think you can suddenly move all of your belongings into a space half the size of the one you're in now, you may need to prepare for a reality check.

Downsizing includes careful consideration of what goes and what stays. And remember: A lot of it is likely going, so you’ll need a lot of time to sort through your things.

For helpful getting-rid-of-stuff advice, check out 8 Tips for Efficient Downsizing While You Pack.

2. Consider Your New Home’s Measurements

When you’re moving into a smaller space, chances are you won’t be able to fit all of your existing furniture into your new home. And while getting rid of the smaller stuff is certainly a big part of the downsizing process, getting rid of the bigger, superfluous things you own may be more important.

Furniture and appliances are heavy, bulky, and difficult to move. So if you want to save yourself a considerable amount of labor and hassle, it’s in your best interest to take measurements of your new home before you start downsizing. Measure your furniture and appliances, too, and figure out which ones will fit in the amount of space you have.

Consider, too, the amount of open space you’d like to have in your new place. Even if you can fit all of your furniture into a smaller home, think about how crowded it might be if you take that route. Do you want to be dodging corners just to grab a cup of coffee? Do you want to go bump in the night on your midnight trip to the commode?

You can always sell your big stuff before your move, and the cash you make from the sales can help you purchase new pieces that are a better fit for your new abode.

If you’re planning to move heavy, bulky stuff, you’ll definitely want to check out Moving Oversized Items: 7 Tips for Success for safety advice and best practices.

3. Take As Little With You as Possible

One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is thinking they'll take everything with them and then downsize once they get to their new home. This approach creates far more work than is necessary since you’ll end up moving all that superfluous stuff twice (once to your new house and once to a donation center or the dump).

Ultimately, taking this route will likely cost you more, too, between storage expenses, equipment rental, and hiring a crew to haul off your large, bulky items.

4. Get a Storage Unit

There's a good chance you'll need to rent out a storage unit — at least at first — as you get settled into your new home. Residential moving in Minneapolis can often result in not being able to find a storage unit on moving day.

If you’re at all worried about your ability to secure a quality storage unit when you need one, we suggest you take advantage of our crating and storage service long before your move date. You can begin moving items into your unit immediately, which will help with your decluttering process immensely.

5. Decide What Goes and What Stays

Figuring out what you’ll keep and what you’ll get rid of may be the most difficult part of downsizing. But it's also rewarding knowing that you're not tied down to your junk anymore.

If you’re unsure where to even start, you’ll want to begin by making a list of the items you can't bear to part with. Once you have that list, start prioritizing from there. You can also make a list of items you no longer want. Again, do this long before move day, and once you’ve decided what you’re leaving behind, do not take the stuff with you — it’ll only complicate your move.

No matter how much stuff you own or how attached to it you are, there are some things you should really give up before you relocate. To find out what they are, check out Things You Should Seriously Consider Getting Rid of Before You Move.

Get a Free Quote From the Twin Cities Most Trusted Movers

Need some help with your move? At Ace Moving & Warehousing, we provide full-service moving for residential and commercial clients throughout Rochester, MN and the Twin Cities metro area. We provide all the equipment, labor, and tools you need to get you to your destination as smoothly and safely as possible. If you are in the military, we can handle military moves as well.

To learn more about our services, request a preliminary moving estimate, or schedule your move, give us a call today at 763-755-2045 or send us a message, and we’ll get in touch!