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You may have lived in a space in San Francisco for many years that has about 3,000 or more square feet. However, now you may want to find a realtor and downsize to something smaller, approximately 2000 square feet or less. This is because you may not need as much space anymore since all of your children have moved out.
You may have to sell your house fast in San Francisco’s hot market and move into a new one quickly. So what are some things you need to consider when you have to downsize your home in San Francisco? Read on to discover tips on making your move and incurring the least stress possible.
Make Time For Moving
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when downsizing or moving, in general, is that they don’t make time to move. Sometimes, there won’t be much time to move, and you will have to gather your belongings and move quickly.
However, if you have about six to eight weeks to spare before downsizing and moving to a new home, it is a good idea to plan your time wisely. This will minimise much of the stress and frustration that comes with moving. It will also allow you to make better decisions with your items. For example, should you throw certain things away, give them to charity, sell them, or take them with you?
Taking your time allows you to decide what’s best to do with your property so that you won’t take too much of it to your new smaller space and fill it with clutter.
Measure Both of Your Spaces
When downsizing, it is a good idea to know the square footage of the space you’re moving from and the one you are moving to. For example, if you are currently living in a house that is 3,000 square feet, you will have to liquidate almost half of your items to move into one below 2,000 square feet. While your California king-sized bed may work in your current primary bedroom with cathedral ceilings, such a bed may overpower your primary room in your new space.
If you are lucky enough to sell and buy a home simultaneously, it is a good idea to take measurements of your area, particularly bedrooms and living rooms, to know whether you need new furniture.
Declutter and Toss Out Unnecessary Items
Once you know that you will need to eliminate most of the items you have in your current space, it’s time to get to work decluttering. It may be a good idea to call a junk removal company and borrow one of their roll-away dumpsters for about a week if you have lots of stuff in your house. So that you don’t become overwhelmed, it may be a good idea to clear clutter room by room. Toss broken or damaged items into the dumpster bin along with other items that you can’t use, nor would anyone else want to use.
If you discover a few treasures in your home that you don’t want but could be a treasure for someone else, consider giving the items away to charity. For example, you may have mounds of sports equipment, clothing, used furniture, electronics, art kits, and video games that you don’t want to take with you to your new home. Instead of throwing such items away, consider giving them to local charities like One Warm Coat, Hamilton Families, Salvation Army Thrift Stores, and more. In addition to clothing and furniture, if you have an old car still in good condition, you may want to donate it to a local charity if you are having trouble selling it. Places like the Habitat For Humanity of Greater San Francisco or Make a Wish Foundation Greater Bay Area have car donation programs.
Sell Some Of Your Items
When you are moving, there could be many unexpected expenses that you may not have the money to address immediately. Instead of giving away or throwing away most of your used goods, it may be a good idea to try to get some money from them. Most homeowners resort to old-fashioned methods of having a garage sale when they need to make cash for their unwanted items. However, there are many more options available nowadays.
You can clean up your unwanted items, take photos, and put them on an online marketplace like Facebook or Craigslist. You can also take your items to local consignment shops such as Cris Consignment, Chloe’s Closet, or The Real Real. Consignment stores typically give you money on the spot for some of your used items. Or once they sell, they may give you some of the money on selling the item.
Get Appraisals on Family Heirlooms Before Tossing Them
When you are getting rid of junk, it could be tempting to throw everything out or give it away, especially if you are in a hurry. But you may want to slow down and look at the items you deem junk. Could it be that the vintage painting you discovered in the attic is something you should have appraised instead of giving it to the local Goodwill?
Is that costume jewellery your grandma left you worth hundreds or thousands of dollars? There could be a lot of value in items you find in your home as you are downsizing. So instead of throwing things out in haste, try to get an appraisal on some items that could have substantial value.
Alas, It’s Time To Move Into Your New House
After you’ve made it through the most strenuous part of the process, it’s time to move into your new home. Now that you have removed the clutter and other unnecessary items, it’s time to move to your new place and make your house feel like a home. Start by moving in the remaining items you’ve brought with you. Then add a few new pieces into the mix. These could be new pillows, throws, artwork, or other unique knick-knacks.
Downsizing in a big city like San Francisco isn’t easy. But if you plan and organize your move, you can move from your larger house in San Francisco to a smaller one more seamlessly. These tips will help eliminate the hassle and get you on the right path to moving into your new, smaller home.
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