Where it used to be that big homes were all the rage, today it’s about downsizing. People are realizing that smaller spaces can still be highly functional, easier to keep clean, and more cost-effective in every sense.

There’s also the socially conscious angle in which people want to leave less of a carbon footprint on the earth. So what if you’re ready to embrace the whole idea of downsizing but aren’t sure where or how to get started?

Here are five tips for easier downsizing, taking the confusion and questions out of the process.

How Small Can You Go?

If you’re ready to start looking around for smaller homes and spaces, you must be clear about your goals. You want to downsize but what does that mean to you? How small can you go? What do you consider too small? Setting these parameters from the start will make the process much smoother.

Decluttering Will Be an Essential Step

Now that you have a clear picture of what size space you’ll be moving to, it’s time for a declutter. It’s simple math, if you’re moving to a smaller space, not everything will fit.

Furniture can be one of the trickiest items when it comes to downsizing, as it takes up the most space. It may be time to give away, donate, or even sell your current pieces and shop for more streamlined furniture. Apartment-sized pieces can be the perfect answer.

Small kitchen appliances are another thing that people tend to accumulate over the years, and they take up a lot of space on the countertop and in cupboards. Keep the ones that are multi-functional performing the tasks of many, and get rid of the rest.

There’s also the question of clothing, which is another thing people tend to have a lot of. Storage in your smaller space will be limited, so you only want to take what you love and what you’ll wear.

Don’t Purchase Anything New Right Now

It can be tempting to want to purchase all new items for your smaller space, but experts suggest you wait until you’re in the home. This gives you a chance to measure the rooms properly, get a better sense of how you’ll use the space, and make more informed purchase decisions. It ensures you don’t fill up the house with all new clutter.

Storage Units Can Be a Great Solution

Just because you want to downsize in terms of square footage, doesn’t mean you’re ready to give up everything you have. There’s a good chance that all your belongings aren’t going to fit into your new space, and decluttering can only take you so far. This is why storage solutions can be a great solution. They can act as a temporary or permanent answer, depending on what you want to store.

Be sure to look for storage units with transparent pricing so you don’t get any surprises on your monthly bill. It should also offer a climate–controlled environment and feature a host of security measures.

Some of the items you can store in a storage unit include:

Invest in Smart Home Organization and Storage Solutions

Finally, invest in smart home organization and storage solutions that ensure everything in the home has a proper place. In small spaces you may need to get creative, making use of all spaces such as under the bed, vertical as well as horizontal space, closet organization systems, and so forth.

Downsizing Can Be Incredibly Freeing

The fact is, when done right downsizing your home and your life can be incredibly freeing. It isn’t just about a physical change in address and space, it’s about a whole new lifestyle.