Eight top tips for downsizers

A survey by Nationwide Building Society a couple of years ago revealed that just a third of over 55s in the UK planned to downsize. The reasons for not wanting to were varied, but for many people the reason they wanted to stay put was space. Space to host family, space for a lifetime of belongings and even space for hobbies. (although space can often be provided by self storage, as we’ll come on to discuss!)

Of course, there are many reasons for wanting to move to a smaller property – less maintenance and cleaning, potentially less stairs, and the chance to free up money all being frequent reasons.

If you have decided to downsize, here are our top tips for getting sorted ahead of the big move:

1. Decluttering – Starting the process of a clear out will be essential both in terms of moving to a smaller property and to help your current home look its best ahead of selling it. Give yourself plenty of time to declutter as it may take a while – it’s easy to get side-tracked looking at old photos and lots of happy memories.
2. Self storage – If you don’t feel ready to get rid of things but they’re not something you need to access day-to-day, think about using self storage. It’s a great way to safely store your items and retrieve them when they’re required – but gives you space at home where you need it. Our storage centres are easily accessible with ample free parking and monitored for security purposes at all times.
3. Take your time – It can be hard to imagine what furnituremight be needed or whether it will suit your new home. Again self storage can be useful to keep items in ready to be considered for your new property in due course. Don’t rush to get rid of everything and then regret it.
4. Start handing down – Talk to family and friends to see if there’s anything they may want. Don’t assume your children will want all their school books you so lovingly kept – but don’t assume they won’t. Either way, maybe it’s time to start handing things over if they’ve been kept for others.
5. Donate what you can – If you have excess furniture, kitchen equipment or crockery, for example, it might be very welcome to those setting up home for the first time. Look for local charities which assist families looking to furnish a home.
6. Purge your paperwork – Paperwork can really mount up, especially if you’ve diligently been keeping copies of bills, tax records, statements and receipts for many years. Make sure you properly destroy anything which might contain confidential personal information such as names, dates of birth and bank details. We offer a shredding service if it’s too much to handle on a home shredder.
7. Book a removal company as soon as possible – At Britannia Turnbulls we’re always happy to chat through any requirements and help answer any questions. You’re trusting your removal firm with all your worldly belongings so you want to feel sure you’re making the right choice. 
8. Get some help with the packing – You want the items you are keeping to get to your new home in pristine condition. Using our packing service helps ensure items get wrapped and secured appropriately, so you can feel confident they’re safe. It’s also a lot quicker and more efficient!

So, if you’re planning on downsizing, why not give us a call to chat through how we can help?

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