We knew that downsizing from 6,000 square feet to 600 in order to sell our house so we could live in an RV would be no small feat.
In fact, it took us almost two years from the day we made the decision until the day we sold our house.
Including our finished basement (which I know is not officially considered living space, but was none-the-less filled with furniture and stuff), we were living in 6,000 square feet. We had five bedrooms, a living room, a family room, an office, a game room, a sunroom, a dining room, an eat-in kitchen with 3 pantries, 5 1/2 bathrooms, a shed, and a three car garage. All. Filled. With. Stuff.
And our plan was to travel in a 32-foot travel trailer that is 600 awkward square feet. We are by no-means organizational experts. There are plenty of books and blogs from those with more experience. But this is how we got there:
The Purge
We started by having a massive purge of the things we had no reason to own: clothes that didn’t fit, things that were worn out; used birthday candles. We went room by room, closet by closet, nook by cranny. Set a schedule and timeline that works for you, but set a deadline.
Decide What to Keep
Next, we made a list of the family heirlooms, the items we couldn’t live without, and the items that would be too impractical or too expensive to replace. Once the list was done, we figured out where these items would be kept.
We own one of our office buildings. So we were able to keep bedroom sets, family pieces and memorabilia there. We also have a home, where we are able to keep the essentials.
Decide How to Get Rid of the Rest
We next made a list of our “big ticket” items that we would try to sell. I created a spreadsheet of descriptions, dimensions, and asking prices. We waited until we had an offer on the house before we started to sell these items. But having the list prepared in advance made it simple once we got to that point. I also used the spreadsheet to create removable labels for a moving sale.
We advertised a moving sale on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. I was willing to sell anything I posted in advance of the moving sale. Be forewarned: if you try to do this, it is like a full-time job. You will be replying to hundreds of “is this still available?” messages, and making arrangements for people to come to take a look. I was strict about not taking a less than asking price until the sale was completed.
Garage and Moving Sales Aren’t as Successful as They Used to Be
Thanks, Maria Kondo. I’m all for your methods. But, apparently, so is everyone else. People are getting rid of their stuff. And they don’t want your stuff. We sold furniture and collectible items. But, we had barware, kitchen appliances and home decor that were in fantastic condition that didn’t sell.
We are fortunate to have a local church that accepts pretty much any type of donation (except TVs), and they give them free of charge to families in need. We took several trips with donations of clothes and small household items there. For the bigger items, we scheduled a pick-up from Pick Up Please. The items are either donated directly to, or sold on behalf of, Vietnam Veterans.
Justin called to schedule the pickup. They simply asked him if we had more or less than 10 items. He told them more. When the driver arrived, he said they normally had a 25 item limit. I told him to take what he could/wanted and I would take the rest to donate elsewhere. Fortunately, we were the first stop of the day, and the items must have been fairly needed because they took all of it.
What tips do you have to downsize?
