I originally shared these downsizing and moving tips in early 2022, not long after we had completed our move. At the time, everything was still fresh, and I was doing my best to sort through what we had just experienced. Some of it felt organized. Some of it felt overwhelming.
Now, with a little distance, I can see the process more clearly. Downsizing is not simply about packing boxes. It is about making decisions, managing time, accepting help, and working through emotions you may not expect. If I were doing it again, I would approach a few things differently, but many of these lessons still hold true. What follows is the advice I wish someone had handed me before we began.
After sharing our moving story, I received several emails asking for more details, especially about the clean-out process I briefly mentioned. At the time, everything felt too fresh and overwhelming to organize into a clear set of thoughts. Now that life has settled, I am finally able to reflect on what worked for us. What follows are practical lessons we learned along the way. Our approach may not be right for everyone, but I hope you find something helpful as you navigate your own move.
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Hire Professional Help
The weekend after our offer on the new house was accepted, my daughter came home to help me map out everything that needed to be done before moving day. The main living areas were already in good shape, so our focus turned to the basement, the attic over the garage, and the garden shed. Every item in those spaces had to fall into one of three categories: throw away, donate, or store. Because we were downsizing, I knew it all would not fit in the new house. Purging was not optional. We rented a storage unit for the things we were not ready to part with but did not have room for. The hardest truth of downsizing is this: you cannot take everything with you.
Once we were clear on what needed to be done, we began searching for professional help. From the start, I knew this was not something we could manage on our own. After calling several companies, we found one that could handle both the cleanout and the packing. When I spoke with them, I was completely honest about the scope of the project, including the fact that I had not been in the attic for years and had no idea what we might find. They arrived with a dumpster, four packers and movers, and all the necessary supplies. I stayed nearby to answer questions and guide the sorting process. The entire cleanout took nearly two full days.
As each space was emptied, everything was sorted and packed methodically. Items headed for storage were grouped together, the few pieces coming to the new house were set aside, and the rest went directly into the dumpster. When the cleanout was complete, they transported the storage items to our unit. Hiring professional help was not an insignificant expense, but we prioritized it because the timeline required efficiency. Pricing will vary depending on location and availability, but for us, the investment was well worth the peace of mind and momentum it provided.
Lean On Your People
This process may not require a village, but it does require support. I am certain our move would not have been successful without the involvement of our two adult children. Our daughter, along with her boyfriend, came home often and helped in countless ways. She kept me organized and served as the extra brain I needed. Our son traveled from New Jersey to Ohio for two long weekends, and what he accomplished during those visits was remarkable. I was especially grateful to our daughter-in-law for encouraging him to come.
If you have adult children, involve them early. Ask for their input and truly listen to what they have to say. Even if they cannot be there physically, they can offer perspective and moral support. Downsizing and moving can feel overwhelming, and it is difficult to manage everything alone. If family help is not possible, reach out to friends. And if that is not an option, consider building professional help into your budget. Having support makes an enormous difference.
Give Yourself Time
I’ve had so many of you write and ask how we got this move accomplished in just two months…and the answer to that is mostly luck and a bit of planning. I talked about the way things fell into place in this blog post, and even after we sold our house, it continued to happen. But if I could do it over again, I would definitely give myself more time.
The time of year matters more than you think. I was determined to be settled before Thanksgiving, and that decision pushed the entire timeline forward. Looking back, the added pressure was not necessary. When planning a move, build in more time than you believe you will need, especially for painting and installations. If a contractor estimates one week, plan for two. Our painters ran behind schedule, and our stove was delivered just days before Thanksgiving. Everything worked out in the end, but there were more stressful moments than there needed to be.
Breathe Through The Emotions
Even though I knew moving was the right decision, the emotions that surfaced along the way were varied and often unexpected. There is a line in the song “I’m Movin’ On” by Rascal Flatts that says, “I never dreamed home would end up where I don’t belong.” That lyric captured exactly how I felt at times. I had to work through waves of sadness and even guilt. For a while, I questioned whether I was walking away from a house that had given me so much. I have never been one to “cut and run,” yet in the weeks leading up to the move, that is how it felt.
In the end, the only thing I knew to do was place it all in God’s hands and trust that we were being led in the right direction. By the time moving day arrived, the guilt had eased and peace had taken its place. It was our turn to have a home that required less upkeep and better suited our family’s needs. There was no reason to feel guilty about that, but I had to sort through those emotions to fully accept it. If you are walking through a similar season, do not push your feelings aside. Let them surface, acknowledge them, and breathe through them.
The practical side of downsizing and moving is only part of the story. Letting go of belongings, especially when your family doesn’t want them, can be even more challenging. In the next post, I’ll share five ways I learned to cope with that reality.
Follow The Entire Downsizing Series
If you’d like to read the full journey from beginning to end, each chapter is linked below.
- An Unexpected + Exciting Announcement – How the decision to move began
- Introduction to the Sugar Maple House – A first look at our new home
- Downsizing + Moving Tips – Practical lessons learned along the way
- How To Cope When Your Family Doesn’t Want Your Stuff – Navigating the emotional side of letting go
- OSP Readers Weigh In With Their Own Stories + Advice – Real experiences from this community
- Downsizing: One Year Later – What I see differently now
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Nice to review these posts. My husband and I started a bit of a clean out during the pandemic. I’m not a minimalist, however, I never did accumulate a lot of stuff. Fast forward, we planned on downsizing, and couldn’t find a home that fit our needs in the area we planned on moving to. The saddest thing happened, after 50+ years of marriage my husband suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. I have spent the last year dealing with the emotional and physical things that involves, and have been sorting through some things. My latest project is going through four storage bins of old family photos. Some photos I discarded as they were either duplicates, or just plain blurry. I have set aside some to mail to my husband’s nephew that may be of interest to him. Some are so old I don’t even know where or when they were taken, and don’t even known who the people are. I am hoping to complete this task in the next 2-3 weeks, and move on from there. This past summer I purged a lot of duplicate tools, and replaced some of the items with new battery operated garden tools. Keeping busy is the best medicine for me, and I have a list that I have checked off as I work through each project. I will be on the lookout for a new property and hope to make the move in the next year or two.
What is the wall color? I am looking for a very soft gray. That is beautiful!
Do you mean the color on the fireplace wall? If yes, I’m afraid I don’t know. That was here when we moved in, but we painted over it!
We are in this process now after 54 years in the same house! It is excruciatingly overwhelming to me. Kids out of state. Even if they were here I cant imagine how they would help, thinking I personally have to go through everything to know where it will ultimately end up. I am 2 months in and have so much more to do. The more I dump the more it seems to multiply. I am not breating through as you say, but crying through the sense of loss and grief. thank you for your input.
Hi Sona…I’m sorry you are having a tough time. Try to look to the future, and life after you move. It will be so much easier, and what you are going through now will be worth it. Plus, you are taking care of things so your kids won’t have to. Keep your chin up! ~Ann
Thank you for your tips on downsizing and moving. I’m in the process of doing the same thing and I’ve found this information to be extremely valuable to me. It’s a big undertaking for sure, but it will definitely be worth it in the end.
Thank you for all this information, suggestions, and help. About three years ago, many, many items in my home were removed without my consent. I was very ill at the time and had no control over what was removed. (They thought they were helping me, they were not!) When I recovered and was able to realize all the things I lost during that time, I was very heartbroken. I have been trying to bring those things back into my home. Not the same things, but similar items. I am almost 80 years old and you gave me a wake up call. I need to rid myself of these things instead of trying to replace them. I am again ill and I know that I need to be downsizing soon. You have great suggestions and I will be following some of your ideas. So thank you very much for letting me see the light!
Thank you for sharing. After a house has been home for “ever” it is very emotional to go through a move. I think that a good thing to keep in mind is that those memories we made we take with us.
Excellent article and much needed. My husband passed away unexpectedly in 2020 and I am now left with a very large home with lots of stuff and no one to help. I definitely need to eliminate clutter so I can eventually move. Do you have any suggestions on how to attack this stuff and what you discovered wasn’t worth keeping?
All these comments are so very helpful to me. We downsized 12 years ago now, still not a small house and too big of a property. We are looking at going smaller again and definitely little upkeep outside.
I know downsizing is in my future, but how do you downsize Christmas, Easter and all the items that allow you do make the holidays special. And what about all the dishes and entertaining items? It seems impossible to end that aspect of your life.
Hi Sheila…I think you have to get to the point where letting go of all those things is a good thing. If you aren’t there, I imagine it would be very hard. We were ready for a simpler home, that was easier to take care of. I wanted a smaller space, so I was able to let go of our dining room furniture with no problem. We will still entertain, but in a more casual way. Just take your time, if you can, and wait until it feels right. Good luck!
Hello Ann,
My husband and I have been in our home for almost 37 years and we are getting ready to do some upgrades again. You said Snowbound is the color on your new fireplace, and I’m assuming the trim. Is that color more in the cream family or more towards the white family. Sometimes Pictures can be deceiving. What is the wall color? I love the combination. Thank you for all your advice on downsizing and moving. I know for us it is the inevitable. We are in our early 70’s. OH, btw, are you going to have your pretty blue front door at your new home? Prayers that you make many new memories and that you will be blesssed in your new home. 🙏🏻
Hi Paula…the walls in our new home are Snowbound in a satin finish. The trim and fireplace are Snowbound but in semi-gloss. The color is definitely white, but I mix it with ivories and beiges and it looks wonderful. And yes…our door is blue, but a bit lighter shade called Distance by Sherwin Williams. We love it!