The empty nester’s downsizing checklist

What is downsizing?

Downsizing is when someone moves into a smaller-sized home. Empty nesters frequently downsize when they have extra unused space in their house, and benefit from a smaller home that is easier (and cheaper) to maintain. You’ll have fewer rooms to keep clean and, in many cases, a smaller property, which means less landscaping maintenance. Smaller homes also come with less expensive utility bills. A bigger home usually costs more money to heat in the winter and cool in the summer.

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How to tell it’s time to downsize your home

If you’re an empty nester, here are some telltale signs that it’s time to downsize:

• You have unused rooms. If you have extra bedrooms or common areas that are no longer in use, consider downsizing.
• Maintaining your home takes too much time and money. If you find yourself overwhelmed with household chores, or find repairs too expensive, downsizing your home could be the answer to your troubles.
• Your home no longer meets your needs. Maybe you struggle getting up the stairs and you’d prefer a ranch home. Maybe the location of your home isn’t suitable for your lifestyle anymore.
• You entertain less. If you don’t host as many parties or have as many relatives over as you used to, you may not need a larger home anymore.
• You’re retiring soon (or already retired). When you retire, you no longer have a steady stream of income. By downsizing, you can save money on your property taxes, mortgage payments, and home insurance and put more money toward your retirement fund.

Downsizing checklist

Moving into a new home can feel stressful. Use this checklist to make the downsizing process smoother.

Step one: Find a new home and put your home on the market

Start by looking at homes for sale that are within your budget. Be sure to figure out how much home you can afford. Identify any pain points that each property might have—for example, does the home have too many stairs? Is this a home you can still comfortably live in? Get in touch with a real estate agent to list your home for sale.

Step two: Organize your items

When you downsize, you’ll have less storage space. Start by going through your items and to discard, sell, or donate items you no longer use. If you can’t remember when you last used one of your belongings, it’s probably time to get rid of it.

Getting rid of belongings can be a daunting task. Make it easier by focusing on one room at a time. For example, start in your bedroom, then move on to your kitchen, living room, etc.

Another good tip? Photo albums take up a lot of space. Consider scanning your photos and uploading them to an album in OneDrive. OneDrive is cloud-powered, so you can view your photos from any device. While physical photographs can become lost or damaged, your photos will always be safe in OneDrive.

Step three: Make a floor plan

Take the measurements of each room in your new home. Once you’ve taken those measurements, create a floor plan with your current furniture. This will help you determine if your current furniture will fit in your new space or if you need to sell or donate it.

Step four: Hire movers

Hiring professional movers will make the downsizing process much easier. Make sure to lock in a moving service in advance to ensure they will be available on your moveout date. If you don’t have the budget for movers or simply don’t have that many things, contact friends and family to help with the move.

Step five: Take care of utilities

Set up gas, electricity, and an Internet at your new home. You don’t want to arrive at your home and not be able to turn on the lights!

Step six: Update your accounts

Don’t forget to update your accounts, like your bank account, with your new mailing address. This way, all of your important mail will be sent to your new home. Additionally, set up mail forwarding to your new address.

Step seven: Pack up your belongings

Pack up your things in boxes as early as possible to prepare for the big move. First, pack the items you don’t regularly use (for example, if you’re moving in the summer, start packing winter items like coats, holiday decorations, and ski gear first since you won’t need them in the near future). Don’t be afraid to sell or donate more items you find while packing! Take time to label each box—it’ll make the unpacking process easier.

Don’t forget to pack an essentials bag (or box) with items you’ll need the day of your move and the first day in your home, like medication and toiletries.

Step eight: Move and unpack

On the day of the move, wake up early to pack up any extra belongings and say goodbye to your home. Once you get to your new home, unpack high-priority items first like furniture, towels, toiletries, appliances, cooking items, and any other essentials. Next, arrange your furniture and unpack your other items.

Downsizing your home is a huge decision. Carefully weigh the pros and cons of downsizing before you move. Up next, discover the best places to retire if you’re on a budget.