Downsizing: How to live in a apartment without your memories
Moving to a smaller home can be driven by many reasons: your family needs have changed, your children have grown up and moved out, you are looking to cut expenses, or you simply prefer a more practical home that is easier to maintain.
This process, known as downsizing, isn't just about reducing square footage. It also involves reviewing what you truly need in your day-to-day life, reorganizing your belongings, and finding new ways to preserve what remains important to you.
With good planning, living in a smaller space doesn't have to mean giving up furniture, memories, or objects that are part of your history.
What is downsizing?
Downsizing consists of voluntarily moving to a smaller home to better adapt it to your current needs. It can be part of a new life stage, a move to another city, or simply the decision to reduce the costs and maintenance associated with a larger home.
In cities where every square meter has a significant impact on the family budget, it can also be a way to use space more efficiently. The key lies in differentiating between the space you need to live comfortably and the space you use solely to store items that aren't part of your daily routine.
Advantages of moving to a smaller home
A smaller home can reduce maintenance costs, require less time to care for, and allow you to make better use of every room.
It also forces you to review which items you actually use and which ones stay in the house simply because they’ve always been there. This doesn't mean getting rid of everything, but rather organizing your belongings more consciously. The goal of downsizing shouldn't be to have less out of obligation, but to ensure the available space better responds to your current way of living.
How to organize a move to a smaller apartment?
Before you start packing, it's a good idea to get to know your new home well. Measuring rooms, closets, and storage areas lets you anticipate which furniture can be moved and how much space will actually be available.
From there, you can classify your belongings according to three criteria:
- What you use regularly: furniture, clothing, utensils, and objects that are part of your daily life.
- What you want to keep, but don't need to have at home all the time: family memories, photographs, documents, collections, seasonal clothing, or specific pieces of furniture.
- What you no longer need: items you can sell, donate, recycle, or give to someone else.
Making this selection room by room is usually easier than trying to decide on the entire house at once. Additionally, items with greater sentimental value can be left for last, once you have a clearer vision of the available space.
If you are preparing a move, planning ahead where each group of belongings will go can help you reduce unnecessary movements and better organize the transition between the two homes. For additional guidance, take a look at these practical tips to avoid common moving mistakes.
What to do with furniture and memories that don't fit at home?
Moving to a smaller apartment doesn't force you to make definitive decisions about all your belongings. You might want to keep a family piece of furniture, photographs, books, a collection, off-season clothing, or the furniture from a room you can no longer replicate in your new home. You may also need time to decide what to do with certain items after the move.
In these cases, having additional space allows you to separate the decision to move from the decision to part with your belongings. You can take what you use daily with you and store the items you want to keep—but don't need to have close at hand—outside the home.
A storage unit as an extension of your home during downsizing
A storage unit can become an especially useful solution during the downsizing process. Instead of trying to move the entire contents of a large home into a smaller one, you can have extra space for items you use occasionally or want to keep long-term.
At Zebrabox, you can find self-storage solutions for individuals in various sizes, allowing you to adapt the space to the actual volume of your belongings. This lets you store everything from boxes, paperwork, and seasonal clothing to furniture and bulkier items, keeping them out of the house but accessible whenever you need them again.
Furthermore, Zebrabox centers feature dry, ventilated spaces with stable temperature and humidity conditions, as well as access control systems and video surveillance. These are particularly important characteristics when storing furniture, textiles, documents, photographs, or other items that require proper preservation conditions over a prolonged period.
A flexible solution while you adapt to your new home
One of the advantages of using a storage unit during a move to a smaller home is that you don't have to decide everything on day one. During the first few months, you can see which items you truly miss, which ones you need to retrieve, and which ones you want to store longer. You might even find that once you are settled into your new home, you have a clearer idea of what you want to keep and what you can do without.
This flexibility turns external storage into both a short-term and long-term solution, allowing you to approach downsizing more gradually. If you're unsure how much space you need, Zebrabox’s volume estimator can help you calculate an approximate surface area based on the items you want to store.
If you're unsure how much space you need, Zebrabox's online storage unit selection tool can help you explore different sizes and find a suitable option for your belongings.
Frequently asked questions about downsizing and storage
Is downsizing only for older adults? No. Downsizing can be useful at any stage of life. People living alone, couples, families whose children have flown the nest, or anyone wanting to reduce expenses can opt for a smaller home if it better fits their current needs.
- How long does it take to organize downsizing? It depends on the size of the home and the volume of belongings. Whenever possible, it's best to set aside several weeks to measure the new space, sort belongings, and organize the move without having to make all the decisions at the last minute.You can also consult Zebrabox's moving and storage solutions to help plan the transition.
- What size storage unit do I need if I move to a smaller home? It will mainly depend on whether you want to store boxes and small items or also furniture and larger belongings. You can use the volume estimator to make an initial estimate and choose the size that best fits your needs.
- Can I rent a storage unit just for the transition? Yes. Self-storage can be used both during a move and for longer periods. This flexibility allows you to keep your belongings stored while organizing your new home, then you can decide later on what you want to retrieve.
- How can I properly preserve items with sentimental value? It is recommended to store them in a clean, dry, and properly protected environment. In the case of photographs, documents, textiles, or furniture, it is also important to choose dry, ventilated facilities with stable temperature and humidity conditions to support their preservation during storage. Using suitable packing materials and protective covers can also help protect delicate belongings.
Downsizing: fewer meters, the space you actually need
Moving to a smaller home doesn't necessarily mean getting rid of everything you've accumulated over the years. It means adapting your space to your current life and deciding what you need to have with you every day and what you prefer to keep for later. Planning the move, calmly selecting your belongings, and having extra space when you need it makes this transition much more orderly.
If you are thinking about downsizing, a storage unit can work as an extension of your new home, allowing you to gain space indoors without making rushed decisions about furniture, memories, or objects you still want to keep. Check out Zebrabox centers and find the storage space that best suits your new chapter.
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