I’m not ready to move yet, but I already know that I don’t want to stay in a large, high-maintenance home forever.
As I get older, I find myself thinking less about having more space and more about having the right space.
I want a home that is comfortable but easier to take care of. I want less yard work, fewer things to maintain, and lower expenses. Most of all, I want a home that makes it easier for me to travel without constantly thinking about what needs to be done back home.
That has changed the way I think about downsizing.
I don’t think downsizing should begin a few weeks before you move.
For me, it is something I can start preparing for years ahead of time—slowly, without overwhelming myself.
1. Start With the Life You Want
When we think about downsizing, it’s easy to start by asking:
What should I get rid of?
But I think there is a better question:
How do I want to live in my next home?
For me, the answer is becoming clearer.
I want more freedom to travel. I want less home maintenance. I don’t want a large yard that requires constant work, especially during hot summer months.
A home with no yard would be fine. A very small yard would be fine, too.
I would consider a condo, but ideally, I think I would enjoy a small house.
I don’t need a large house anymore.
I need a home that fits the life I want to live next.
2. Decide What You Really Want to Take With You
When I imagine moving into a smaller home, the list of things I truly want to take is surprisingly short.
My computer.
My bed.
The clothes I actually need and wear.
And some of my antique dishes.
I’ve collected antiques because I genuinely enjoy them, and I don’t believe downsizing means getting rid of everything you love.
The goal isn’t to own as little as possible.
It’s to know which things matter enough to come with you.
That distinction makes letting go a little easier.
3. Start With the Garage
My garage is one of the places I know needs attention.
Like many garages, it has become a place for things that don’t quite have another home.
Some things are useful. Others have simply been there for a long time.
When I think about my future smaller home, I ask myself a simple question:
Would I really pay someone to move this to my next house?
If the answer is no, that’s a good sign that I probably don’t need to keep it for the next several years.
I don’t have to clear the entire garage in one weekend.
One area at a time is enough.
4. Look at the Porch and Other Forgotten Spaces
The porch is another area I would simplify.
Spaces like garages, porches, closets, and spare rooms have a way of collecting things because there is room to put them there.
But having space for something doesn’t necessarily mean I need to keep it.
When I picture a smaller home, I picture fewer of these storage areas—and honestly, that sounds good to me.
Less storage could mean less opportunity to accumulate things I don’t really use.
5. Stop Saving Things You Aren’t Using
Unused bedding is a good example in my house.
Extra blankets, comforters, and other things can take up an incredible amount of storage space.
Some haven’t been used in a long time.
Yet it can still be tempting to think:
Maybe I’ll need this someday.
I’m learning that “someday” can keep things in our homes for years.
If I haven’t used something for a very long time and can’t imagine using it in my smaller home, I probably don’t need to move it with me.
This is something I’m trying to work on now rather than waiting until moving day.
6. Not Every Piece of Furniture Needs to Move With You
Furniture is another big consideration.
Large furniture that works well in my current home may not make sense in a smaller one.
Instead of planning to move everything and then figuring out where to put it, I’d rather decide what fits the new space and the new lifestyle.
Even my sofa doesn’t necessarily need to come with me.
I’d rather replace it with a smaller sofa that fits comfortably in a smaller living room.
I’m beginning to think about furniture differently.
Instead of asking, “How can I fit everything I own into a smaller home?”
I want to ask:
“What does this smaller home actually need?”
Those are two very different questions.
7. Don’t Wait Until Moving Day to Declutter
I think one of the biggest mistakes I could make would be waiting until we decide to move and then trying to deal with decades of belongings all at once.
That sounds exhausting.
I’d rather start now.
Open one drawer.
Go through one cabinet.
Look through one box in the garage.
Decide whether one piece of furniture really needs to stay.
I’ve already learned that decluttering is much easier for me when I don’t try to finish everything at once.
If you’re struggling with where to begin, I shared more about my process in How to Declutter When You Don’t Know Where to Start.
Small decisions made over several years could make the eventual move much easier.
8. Think About How Much Home You Want to Maintain
One reason I think about downsizing is maintenance.
A larger home doesn’t just give you more space.
It can also mean more to clean, more to repair, more outdoor work, and more things that need attention.
I’ve already started thinking about ways to make my home easier to maintain as I get older, and downsizing feels like another part of that process.
For my next home, I would prefer no yard or a very small one.
I don’t want my free time to revolve around maintaining a property.
I want my home to support my life—not become another job.
9. Think About the Cost of Keeping a Larger Home
There is also the financial side.
A larger home can come with expenses that go far beyond the mortgage or purchase price.
There is maintenance, yard care, repairs, utilities, furniture, and all the other costs that come with taking care of more space.
As I get closer to retirement, I would rather reduce some of those ongoing expenses.
Not because I want to stop enjoying life.
Actually, it’s the opposite.
I’d rather spend less money maintaining space I don’t need and have more flexibility for the things I do want to do.
10. For Me, Downsizing Is About Freedom
This may be the biggest reason of all.
I want to travel more.
And when I travel, I don’t want to spend my time worrying about a large house, a yard, or a long list of things waiting for me at home.
I like the idea of being able to lock the door and leave.
A smaller, simpler home could make that easier.
That’s why I’m starting to see downsizing differently.
It isn’t only about giving things away or moving into fewer square feet.
It’s about deciding what I want the next stage of my life to look like.
I’m Preparing Before I Have To
I don’t know exactly when I’ll move or exactly what my next home will look like.
Maybe it will be a condo.
Maybe it will be the small house I imagine, with little or no yard and just enough room for the things I truly want around me.
I don’t have to decide that today.
What I can do today is prepare.
I can stop accumulating things I don’t need.
I can slowly clear the garage and porch.
I can let go of bedding and furniture I no longer use.
And I can become more selective about what deserves to come with me into the next chapter of my life.
I’m not trying to create a smaller version of my current home.
I’m trying to create a simpler version of my life.