4 Things to Get Rid of When Downsizing Apartments

Downsizing is synonymous with decluttering, and no matter what you call it, it’s hard to do. Getting rid of items can be a challenge if you’re a pack rack, or fear your financial future. Perhaps you worry that you won’t have the money for something when you eventually need it in the future. If you’re come to the realization that you do need to make a change, it’s helpful to have a list of items to downsize. Here are 4 things to get rid of when downsizing apartments:

1 – Clothes You Don’t Use Often

Take a look at the clothing you have in storage, piled in plastic storage tubs or at the back of your closets. The chance that you’ll use most or half of those clothes again is probably slim. There’s no reason to hold on to clothes that you don’t plan to use often or at all. Some of these may include:

• Clothing that’s too small or too big
• Clothes that you never wear because of the fabric, style or weather
• Too many extra baby clothing that you’re holding on to for sentimental reasons
• Work clothes that you bought for a specific employment that you’re no longer engaged in

Clothing takes up too much space, and it’s important to retain only what you and your family will, not may, use.

2 – Books You Don’t Read

Downsizing books can be more difficult than getting rid of clothes in some cases. If you’re a book lover, you’re not going to want to part with any of your books. You’ll always hold out hope that in the future you’ll have more leisure time to read those books that are collecting dust on the book shelves. There’s also the temptation to hold on to books that you’ve re-read a number of times, because you want to re-read them yet again in the future.

The books collecting dust and the ones that you’ve re-read to the point of exhaustion are both great candidates for downsizing. The exception is when you’re re-reading books that add value to your daily living, morals and ethics. You may wish to hold on to those, but your favorite fiction books that you’re read 10 times over and could recite the book from start to finish probably needs to go.

3 – Anything that’s Broken

You may have a tendency to hold on to broken electronics, dishes, vacuum cleaners and other items with the intention of repairing them some day. The truth is that these things are clutter, and you need to let go of them. Throw them out and replace them with new or used items. If you enjoy tinkering with items that need to be fixed, you can always find something at a yard sale or thrift store down the road and work on one project at a time.

4 – Paperwork

Paper is light and a small amount doesn’t take up space, but too much of it can amount to dozens of boxes that can crowd an apartment. Downsizing includes shredding or tossing paperwork that you no longer need. You may need to hold on to some documents for tax purposes, and you should research the rules on how long you have to hold on to statements and other documents. Other than the most essential documents, you should try to get rid of everything else.

Ask a spouse, a relative or a friend to hold you accountable when it comes to downsizing. The extra pair of eyes can help you stick to your plan to get rid of clutter.