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Downsizing is a lifestyle choice. People do it for all sorts of reasons, most often when facing retirement or when kids move out of the house. Whatever your motivation is for living a simpler, less cluttered life, consider the following methods for eliminating household junk, turning unneeded insurance policies into ready cash, paring your wardrobe, and more.
Step one for most downsizing enthusiasts is eliminating junk and clutter from their homes. The best places to begin are garages, attics, basements, and spare bedrooms. Don’t try to tackle the entire chore all at once. Instead, devote just one hour per day and work on one area at a time. Set up a staging area where you can place all the unwanted stuff. Categorize it all as recyclable, trash, yard/online sale, or to be donated. That way, nothing will go to waste, and you might even make a few bucks in the process.
Downsizing is not just about getting rid of physical items. It’s also a chance to unload life insurance policies you no longer need or want. That’s why so many homeowners who opt for a simpler lifestyle sell their life policies through a process called a life settlement. The entire transaction can be done online and takes very little time. Review a comprehensive guidebook that explains all the details to find out more and learn how you can turn it into quick cash. An insurance policy that you don’t need is easy to get rid of, and it can significantly fatten your bank account.
The single most significant part of living more simply is moving to a smaller home for most homeowners. Give yourself enough time to shop around for a place that meets all your basic needs, is in a safe location, and represents a good value for the price.
People often forget about their vehicles when they do a total downsizing job. Consider selling any extra cars and trucks you can live without. Likewise, think about selling a large, luxury vehicle and replacing it with a mid-size model that gets better mileage and costs less to maintain. Then, make a dedicated effort to use public transportation at least once per week. Using less fuel and driving less often is part of the overall downsize plan.
It’s easy to overlook all those unnecessary clothes when doing a total lifestyle downsizing project. Go through closets, storage cubes, and other locations where you keep clothing for all seasons. Don’t forget heavy coats and related winter items stashed in multiple locations around the house. They often survive a first round of clutter removal. When you collect all your unwanted wearables, keep in mind that most of them are prime candidates for recycling or donation, so contact local charities and let them know you have goods ready to go. Such organizations are usually happy to send a truck to your home and pick everything up.