Well…I sold the house and moved to an apartment! In my case, it was due to an empty nest and a house that was simply too big for this mama to handle…plus, I was ready to move on from a past that was dragging me down a bit. On top of that, it’s a much better situation for me financially and…I no longer have to deal with shoveling and yard maintenance!
I’m just about a month in and so far…I’m loving it. Surprisingly enjoying it WAY more than I thought I would.
So…if you’re thinking of downsizing from the family home to an apartment or condo…I thought I’d share a few tips I learned along the way.
There’s never enough time!
My house was on the market WAY too long for multiple reasons…mostly because of timing, but also because the house itself needed some work. However, by the time it did sell, there was barely enough time to get everything done that needed to get done! Basically, I should have started packing and purging much sooner than I had…but I suppose with house showings and life…that’s a big ask.
My advice…get started as soon as you can as the final days leading up to the house closing can be a bit of a panic!
Apartment Hunt Like it’s the MOST Important Job in the World!
Leaving my family home behind, though I was excited about the change, was a really BIG DEAL! Finding an apartment that suited me and didn’t make me feel like I was “losing out” in some way, was hard work. Place after place I felt let down as they weren’t quite meeting my expectations. Finally, I made a list of things I wanted and the big thing for me was LIGHT! I didn’t want to feel closed in and wanted a space that was bright and airy…fresh and new. Eventually, I found a spot that I’m THRILLED with, in a community that I’m rather enjoying, but it was not without a lot of searching and visiting multiple places to make sure I was getting exactly what I wanted.
My advice…visit a ton of places! You’ll realize quickly the things you DON’T like and can start making a list of things that you’re looking for. Also for me, I had to stop thinking of it as an “apartment” and begin thinking of it as “my home” in order to really figure out what I was looking for.
Decide what you’re taking and what you’re letting go
I had MULTIPLE lists detailing room by room what I was bringing to the new place and basically knew exactly how I was going to organize the furniture and what was going to fit! Going from a 2,700 sq ft home to a 1550 sq ft apartment meant at least half had to go! Luckily, with two kids moving, much of the furniture I wasn’t bringing with me had a place to go but even so…there was a great amount of purging through years and years of paperwork and “stuff” to pare it all down to a comfortable size. And, since I wanted to start fresh, I only brought the things that truly bring me joy. The rest…I sold or gave away!
My advice…throw a massive moving sale for a few weekends, multiple times, before you move…and buy NEW THINGS from the money you make! You can read all about how I did it in my “9 Steps to Hosting a Moving Sale” post!)
Along with the above point…learn to Let it GO!
I can’t begin to tell you how many times I was singing the Frozen song “Let it Go” as I was purging through items but I just had this feeling of wanting to be unburdened from my past. Some things…I had to keep. For example, blankets that my Nan knit, a few handmade quilts, some special toys from the children and hand-knit baby clothes (plus two cremated dogs in boxes)…it all came with me though they’re all packed away in storage! Even with the “extra” things I brought…I let so much go it wasn’t even funny as I tried my best to unattach emotions from “things” I no longer needed or wanted and let me tell you…it feels FANTASTIC!
My advice…ask your kids what they want and if they’re not attached to it…move on. So much of what I was saving I was saving for them but turns out, they didn’t want the crap either!
Hire Movers!
Enter Thompsons Moving and Storage! Gone are the days of begging friends for use of their muscles and trucks or renting a cube van…I wanted NONE of that! Plus…I’m pretty sure my family and friends were all thrilled that I worked with movers as the move ended up being on one of the HOTTEST days of the summer and the guys from the moving company were nothing short of AMAZING! Basically, I chose to pack myself as I was purging through things in the process. Thompson’s provided me with boxes of varying sizes that I had packed and ready to go. On the day of the move, they wrapped furniture and artwork in moving blankets being extremely careful with my belongings, loaded up the truck and headed down the road to unpack and offload into my new apartment…they even made sure to set up my beds before they left so I had a place ot lay my head that night! Honestly, it was SEAMLESS! Really and truly having movers made the experience so much better than any other move I’ve done in the past.
My advice…I’d HIGHLY recommend having someone else take care of the move for you and truly, Thompson’s were a class act from start to finish!
Enjoy your New HOME!
Now that I’m in…I’m taking my time to settle in and discover this new adventure. Moving was a big deal…purging and packing and construction going on at my house and all of the things I needed to get rid of physically and emotionally was HUGE! I can honestly say it took a toll to get it all done on time without completely falling apart…but it’s done! Once I got to the new place…I needed to take my time to unwind rather than rush through making this place perfect (although it’s pretty spectacular if I do say so myself!) I’m finding my way, enjoying my surroundings, checking out my new neighbourhood and the amenities in the building itself. It’s nice here…I feel lighter, free from so many things that were weighing me down.
Life feels pretty amazing at the moment and with a knock at my door a few moments ago, my new desk has just arrived! So…next up, I’ll be unpacking the office and putting the room together so I have a brand new place to work.
Just as soon as I have a cup of tea on my lovely new deck, maybe take a stroll around the neighbourhood with the dog, and pop into the local pub for a bite to eat.
DISCLAIMER: This post and my move were sponsored by Thompson’s Moving and Storage. As always, opinions are my own.
Hiring professional movers absolutely makes everything go much more smoothly. In the past, we have moved with the help of family and friends and it was always a bit of a nightmare. Professionals make such a huge difference!