How to Downsize Before Moving

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.

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure statement.

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.