Every square inch matters when it comes to apartments in NYC, so when you’re downsizing, you’ll need to make some tough decisions. You have to take stock of your belongings and decide what can stay and what can go to the curb.
That exercise can feel intimidating, so below, we break down how to decide what to do with your things as you downsize. Creating a systematic approach can make the process more approachable, giving you a new perspective on downsizing rather than focusing on what you’re losing.
General Guidelines for Sorting Items
While you want to evaluate each item on a case-by-case basis, you need to establish a consistent process as you sort through your belongings.
Give yourself no more than 30 seconds to think about each item before categorizing it in one of the following groups.
- Keep: Items you’ve used in the last year, have sentimental value, are expensive, or are difficult to replace if you need them in the future.
- Trash/Recycling: Broken or damaged items can be thrown away. Your trash should never be donated. Check the collection schedule so your items aren’t cluttering the street.
- Donate: Gently used items you no longer need or items you have duplicates of.
- Sell: High-value items, collectibles, large items, tools, and other things that will get at least $20 or more.
- Store: Holiday decor, sentimental or seasonal items you use a few times a year.
- Unsure: If you can’t decide on an item right away, put it in a box to go back to it.
Remember, you can’t keep everything if you’re downsizing into a smaller NYC apartment, so you’re going to have to make some difficult choices.
Evaluating Items By Type
While the general guidelines are great, you may need to layer in additional considerations for select items in your home as you declutter.
Furniture
Furniture items are often big and bulky, and if you’re downsizing your NYC apartment, it’s often one of the first things to go.
- Assess your new space. Do you have the same number of rooms? How much square footage are you losing? That will help you determine how much you need to downsize.
- Consider your new needs. Does your couch have holes? Do your children need larger beds? This can be an opportunity to assess your current possessions and make adjustments to meet your future needs.
- Trash or upgrade your items. If an item is too big to fit in your new space but still in good shape, donate it or sell it. If it’s damaged, put it to the curb.
Couches, chairs, side tables, beds, dressers, and other large items should all be considered during the downsizing process.
Clothing
Take inventory of your clothing and be honest with yourself. If you are holding on to clothes that haven’t fit in a decade, they need to go.
- Keep items you’ve worn within the year and are in good shape.
- Donate clothing that doesn’t fit or you haven’t worn in years.
- Recycle textiles that are damaged. It diverts them from landfills and gives new life.
Sentimental clothing items like concert tees or wedding dresses can be kept, even if they don’t meet the criteria.
Paperwork
The availability of digital records reduces the need for a lot of physical paper.
- Organize all your important documentation in a centralized location. This can include passports, birth certificates, marriage licenses, contracts, etc.
- Recycle documents that aren’t necessary. User manuals, copies of electronic bills, junk mail, etc. have a habit of piling up.
- Shred or destroy items with personally identifiable information. Shred, black it out, or cut it up before disposing of it.
You can also digitize your own records, scanning documents on a printer or on your phone if you want to keep them.
Kitchen Items
The kitchen is another hidden spot where a lot of unnecessary clutter builds up, so use this as an opportunity to tidy up.
- Keep your cookware, dishes that are in good condition, commonly used appliances, and other items that you frequently reach for.
- Donate appliances you never use or mismatched dishes. Purge your coffee cup collection and kitchen gadgets.
- Throw away broken and chipped dishes, worn utensils, and old decor and towels.
Not everything has to match in your kitchen, but you don’t need to move hundreds of tupperware containers without lids. You can let them go.
Seasonal Items
Interior decor is so fun to collect, especially if you like to decorate for the seasons. Consider how much of your decor you actually use – and what space you have in your new apartment.
Set a limit on the number of boxes you will dedicate to storing seasonal items. Keep your most used items and donate the rest. Once you move, don’t build back your collection. Limit yourself to a few items per season or holiday.
Sentimental
Sentimental items are the hardest to get rid of. They carry a lot of memories, so it can be difficult to get rid of them.
- Are there other ways you can preserve the memory? You can digitize your children’s drawings or make a memory quilt of your high school t-shirts.
- Limit your boxes. Just like seasonal decor, dedicate a number of boxes or a space in your home that you can use to store sentimental items.
- Pass the item down. Gift the memory to your child or family member. Sentimental items can become heirlooms for all to enjoy.
Don’t make rash decisions you can’t undo in the spirit of downsizing. You may regret it later.
Practical Downsizing Tips
Take a step back and look at your apartment as a whole. In addition to the individual items, you should adopt the following mindsets to help you during the downsizing process.
Reducing Clutter
Everything should have a place in your home. If it doesn’t now, it won’t in your new, smaller place. Take steps to reduce clutter in your home during the downsizing process. You’ll thank yourself later.
- Organize your drawers. Don’t just throw items in freely. Instead, use dividers or bins to keep it organized. Bonus: If items are in a container, they’re easier to pack.
- Put items that don’t belong in a bin or box. When you’re going to the room those items belong in, take the bin with you.
- Make a donation box. Keep a place readily available to discard items you want to donate. Once it is filled, act on it. Don’t let it sit or bring it to your car.
Do a pass of your counters and tables before you go to bed at night to help you reduce clutter. It will keep you organized and give you the opportunity to reevaluate your items.
Maximizing Limited Storage
Storage is a premium in most New York City apartments. You don’t want to fill up your limited closet space with storage.
- Use vacuum-sealed bags. Store clothing that’s out of season or guest bedding you only use a few times a year.
- Utilize wall space where you can. Hang brooms on the door or mount a mirror on a door.
- Create an optimal box-to-closet ratio. If you have one closet, you limit yourself to two boxes that can be stashed on a shelf.
The less space you have, the more intentional you need to be.
Reducing Stress While Downsizing
You need to do what you can to make the transition feel less overwhelming. Suggestions include:
- Downsize room by room. Do a room a week based on the time you have available.
- Make it a game. Reward yourself with a little treat like a coffee or 10 minutes of social media time when you finish a room. Don’t buy more things to replace what you get rid of.
- Allow yourself time to reminisce. Downsizing can be hard, so as you sort through your items, let yourself go down memory lane.
Give yourself grace and don’t try to rush it all in a day or a week.
Let White Glove Cleaner Help
Cleaning after decluttering can feel daunting. Thankfully, White Glove Cleaner is here to help.
We can provide your move-out clean to get your security deposit back, deep clean your new space, or provide maintenance cleans each week to keep your home fresh.
Contact us today to learn more about why we are the cleaner of choice in New York City and experience the White Glove Cleaner way.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Decide What To Get Rid Of?
As a general rule, if you have not used the item in the last year, you can decide whether to donate, sell, or trash the item. Consider sentimental or expensive items on a case-by-case basis.
How Can I Get Rid of Sentimental Items?
Sentimental items are the hardest items to purge. Consider if you can preserve the items digitally, pass them down to your family, or move to an additional storage location. If it is meaningful, you don’t have to get rid of it during downsizing. You simply have to find a home for it.
Is Downsizing The Same Thing As Minimalist Living?
While downsizing can help you reduce the clutter in your home, you don’t have to adopt minimalist living. Instead, you can use those principles as a guide to help you declutter and downsize your belongings.