AUQuilter

We recently sold our home of 20 years and although we "sold, tossed and donated" annually, we went from a 4 BR, 3 car garage, living room, dining room with basement to a 2 BR no basement, no living room or dining room and one car garage-but there is a hobby room for my sewing. Our kids didn't want any of our stuff which was fine with us. You can hire companies to set up "living estate sales" so check it out. Good luck!

mrsjdt

Funny this has come up, I'm "trying" now and not doing very well. Since my hubbys passing, I have managed to sort thru and give away many of his things...others I cannot part with. My Grams dishes are now in my daughters home...my son has "put in dibs" on some of his Dad's native american memorabilia...and Granddaughter has mentioned how much she'd love my "large" Pyrex...but my Mom in law (age 94) says---don't get rid of the big dishes and your favorite things---you'll regret it. Leave it for your kids to do.... label what you want to go to who---and rest in peace. Let them sort it out!

GKSM

My DH and I downsized as well as assisted Dad in doing the same. As suggested we measured the new home and decided what would go there. Then allowed family to take what they wanted. In both cases we moved into our new homes then held an estate sale. Typically the liquidator gets 25% but they take care of everything. In our case it was great. Absolutely everything was sold and we got a nice chunk of change. Our Realtor spent the day of the sale at the house which actually resulted in a buyer :-). My Dad's did not work out so well. Not much sold. We were then faced with giving things to charity and in the end throwing out. It's a lot of work but so nice to be in a smaller place with a lot less "stuff". Best of luck to you.

IBQUILTIN

Take your time and remember, anything you have not seen or used in two years is trash, don't hang on to things that will just take up space. Good luck and keep us posted

azdesertrat

I love their sales, and you do have to get there verybearly

Sandygirl

I have always lived "downsized". I dream of 1800-2000 sq. feet. But I have done major purging with each move.

Sandy

ragquilter

If you can rent a POD to store things while you are purging. They deliver and will rent it to you by the month and then move it to your new location if you want. They as others have said, go through each room. I sold all my big wood furniture and lots of other stuff I thought I couldn't be without. Turns out I can live without them. I only buy furniture that I can move and really love, things that fold up. I call it suv friendly living. I have a plastic cabinet from Lowes's (that is for a garage or outside) but it is light and sturdy, for my stash. I sold 3 sewing machines in cabinets and still kept 3, but all portable. I bought a like wooded desk for my sewing table, it is sturdy. Look for mission style furniture. Hire someone who does estate sales (interview several and pick the one you are most comfortable with) you will get more money than having yard sales, and they handle everything. Use the money to buy furniture that is appropriate for your new home. Don't look at the rooms in your new home in the traditional way, look at each room in the way that you will use them every day. It will be painful at first but when you are done, you will be amazed how much lighter you feel. "I have never saw a U-Haul following a hearse" is a quote I read somewhere that really sticks in my mind.

carolaug

I totally agree with this...my folks had no idea that we would have wanted this or that...and sold them in yard sales or donated them...their junk is our memories...sometimes the smallest oddest things is the biggest treasures of memories.

Nanny's dollface

My DH and I moved cross county. We either sold the furniture, extra china, clothes, etc. we sold it to friends or gave it to family and good will, basically we shipped only those items that had tremendous sentimental value and set up our new home. I realized that non of my furniture would look right at our new place. We downsized from a 3500 sq foot to a 1200 sq foot place. It can be done with discipline. I have turned one of the bedrooms into a sewing/ craft room
And have repurposed pieces of furniture for storage. One becomes creative when you need to. Good luck!