Downsizing tends to come with a lot of stress and anxiety. This is mostly because we love our belongings but hate living in clutter. However, you have to do it when you prepare for a move. Especially when it comes to furniture. If you are moving to a smaller place or simply don’t plan to bring some of the furniture with you, you still have to do something about it. Here are some tips on what to do with your furniture when downsizing!

Downsizing tip 1: Plan this ahead

Start planning your downsizing very early on. First, if you are not living by yourself, you need to make sure everyone is on the same page on what to eliminate. If you don’t sort this out, conflicts may arise and you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Another thing to think about is organizing the packing and transport of the furniture you are leaving behind.

Downsizing tip 2: Sell, gift or donate

The good thing is that you do not have to throw your furniture away when downsizing. You can always organize a garage sale and earn extra money. Another great solution is to gift it to a family member or a friend in need. Maybe the sofa you don’t have attention to bringing with you can be useful to a friend of yours. If both your family and friends are fine and don’t need extra furniture you can try donating. Find a nice institution that might be in a need of the type of furniture you are leaving behind and donate. Not only will you get rid of it but you’ll also do some good deeds.

Tip 3: Rent out a storage unit

In case you are too attached to a specific piece of furniture or simply don’t want to give it away, storage is a great solution. Nowadays, you have plenty of storage options. From short to long term storage to the ones that have room temperature control. This is a great solution when you are downsizing but don’t want to give away your furniture. But, before renting one out, make sure to check if the storage fits your requirements. Also, make sure to double-check the contract so you don’t end up surprised and asked to pay additional charges and fees.

Tip 4: Get rid of it

If none of the above tips seems good to you, you can always do the easiest thing – throw it out. However, make sure to follow the rules when disposing of furniture, especially the big ones. Make sure to check if your municipality’s curbside program accepts bulky items if your furniture is big. If not, you might have to take it to a drop-off location. Also, you can always call someone else to pick up your furniture for you. There are companies in charge of that. They usually either recycle or donate the furniture.

You are covered

Now that you have multiple solutions to your downsizing problem, it’s time to pick one and get to work. Good luck!