Assess the mess: How to plan out downsizing a home (includes free printable checklist)

If you have recently looked around your home (or your aging parents’ house), you’ve probably realized that it couldn’t hurt to start downsizing your stuff. More than likely, your home is filled to the brim: a garage, attic and basement that are storage warehouses, closets and drawers that are stuffed, and living areas that are spilling over with stuff.

​Your home is a museum of your family’s life, but it has gotten so full you can’t see the forest for the trees.  Let’s take a look at how you can start the process, at your house or in your aging parents’ home, of realistically assessing how much stuff there really is. To help you out, we’ve created a free room-by-room checklist to use. 

Want the lowdown on how to Downsize Your Stuff?  Keep reading!
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​YOU’RE NOT A CLASSIC HOARDER, BUT MAN... THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF

People throw the word “hoarder” around lightly to describe homes that are chock full of clutter.  But most people aren’t true hoarders, meaning that they have been diagnosed with a mental disorder.  Most people simply hang on to things they don’t see any reason to throw out. 

A simple example is the plastic souvenir cup.  These cups have no monetary value, aren’t used daily, and yet every home I’ve ever been in has at least 50 of these cups taking up space in the cupboards. It’s the “maybe I’ll use it someday” theory combined with the “but I got it at XYZ event” concept that causes people to not be able to throw things away.

Now take the example of the souvenir cup and multiply it times a house that has been lived in for over 20 years.  The result is a house full of stuff that isn’t necessarily garbage, but it also isn’t serving any purpose in your life. All the stuff is doing is making you feel disorganized. 
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​YOU’RE READY TO START downsizing your home.

Ask yourself if you can make peace with reducing the amount of stuff in your house.  How would you feel if you owned less stuff? How would you feel if your old sweaters that don’t fit anymore ended up in the hands of someone who needed a sweater? There are charity organizations out there that will take virtually everything in your house and put it to good use. (Need help finding a donation resources in Charlotte, NC? Click here to see some of our favorite groups.)
 
If you are helping an aging parent through this process, be sure to emphasize that their donations will benefit someone local in need. It often makes letting things go easier if they know it is going to a good home. Another way to frame it is to think of what you want to keep and treasure, instead of focusing on what you need to get rid of. 
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Related articles:
Help Organize Your Aging Parents (While They are Still Young + Healthy)
with Two Easy-ish Conversations Guide
Mentally Prepare for Downsizing Your Home: 4 Tips to Control Your Emotions
With free printable Emotional Roadmap
Mom, We Have to Talk: 5 Ways to Discuss Downsizing with Your Aging Parents 
with Discussion Guide

want help getting started? click here.

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STEP ONE: MAKE A LIST OF ALL THE AREAS TO REVIEW

Start by making a list of all the areas on the property that you need to look at. I’d suggest starting with the areas that are designed for storage purposes: attics, basements, garages and crawl spaces are usually the worst. Remember outside sheds, barns, etc., too.

Next, note every coat, linen, hall and storage closet, every room, and look for any “hidey-holes” that may be in the house.  I know from experience that “smurf doors” (half sized doors that usually have attic-quality storage behind them) tend to be filled to the brim with holiday décor, old stereo equipment and outdated home items.
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When you are doing your assessment, you need to look in ALL the places.  Trust me: there is stuff stashed everywhere in a home. 
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Related Articles: Closet Organization Ideas + Hacks , 6 DIY Steps to Organize Your Garage

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STEP TWO: GIVE EACH AREA A REALISTIC SCORE

​Once you have your list of places to search, it’s time to start poking through each location, room-by-room. I suggest looking at the furnishings, closets, drawers, and amount of papers in each room. 
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You’ll want to give each area a grade on a 1-3 scale. For example, say you are looking through a bedroom closet. Grade it like this:
 1= can see the floor and /or there is negative space (hooray!)
2= items on floor, most of shelf space is full (you can work with this!)
3= jammed to the max, can’t fit another item inside, its like a clown car (oh boy!)
 

​STEP THREE: WALK THROUGH WITH A PARTNER 

My advice is that you do this walk through and grading with a partner, preferably a sibling or spouse.  While one of you is writing down the 1-3 grades mentioned above, the other should be conducting a treasure hunt.  You should note any valuables to research, family heirlooms, photos, and/or important documents you come across. 
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​STEP FOUR: WHAT IS VALUABLE TO US VS VALUABLE TO OTHERS.

​Think about these key points when downsizing your home:

• What is valuable to our family in terms of sentimentality?
• Consider photographing items that are sentimental but you don’t really need to physically keep.
• What in the house is valuable to others? Some items may have monetary value when sold, while other things could be a valuable donation to charity.  
• Think something might be valuable?  Do a quick eBay search.
• If you’re concerned about overlooking valuables, consult a professional certified appraiser (a great source for online appraisals is The Estate Lady. Check her out here.) The cost is completely reasonable.
• Be realistic: check out this article from Forbes magazine, "Sorry, Nobody Wants Your Parents’ Stuff." 

​YOU’VE on your way to DOWNSIZing YOUR STUFF

​Knowing how much stuff you are truly dealing with is the first step to downsizing your house.  In our next blog post, we’ll be looking at how to discuss and start making decisions about the stuff. 

Professional Disclaimer: The ideas, recommendations, and opinions on this website, blog, and made in person are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice. I am not an attorney, doctor, or licensed financial professional. Sage Organizing Co., LLC is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this website, blog, or in-person discussions. If you need specific legal, financial, or medical advice, consult a professional in your area.

​FREE PRINTABLE ROOM-BY-ROOM CHECKLIST.

To get you started with downsizing your home, we've created this FREE printable checklist.  Feel free to print as many copies as you like!