Time can often pass us by without us even noticing and when the kids have all grown up, moved out are beginning their own journey into establishing a family, it often frees up more time for you to ponder and make you think if a four or five bedroom house is really necessary anymore. It can also be a time of reflection of your own life and how you want to spend the rest of it.

The decision to move to a smaller home is not one to be taken lightly as it will have an effect on your lifestyle and day-to-day living but if you’re certain that it’s an improvement for the better and also help save you money, it’s certainly worth considering. Downsizing you home can come with a range of benefits including giving you back more time by not having to spend hours cleaning a large home, a small home requires less maintenance, you won’t have to spend much to furnishing the place and moving to a new location may even give you better access to shops, hospitals and other essential businesses where you once had to spend time driving to.

At any time of the year, downsizing and moving to your new home can be not only an expensive process but also a time consuming one. We’ve compiled a list of money saving tips to help you through the process, so when the time comes, you’ll be prepared.

Start with a budget: One of the most important things to do when downsizing is to have a realistic idea of your finances and what you can afford. This will help narrow down your search for a new home as well as give you an indication of what kind of repairs or renovations may need to be undertaken.

Reduce your furniture: When moving to a smaller home, you won’t have the same amount of space for all your furniture. Before you start packing, take inventory of what pieces you really need and use on a daily basis and get rid of anything that’s just taking up space. If you have larger pieces of furniture, consider selling them or donating them.

Shop around for movers: Moving can be a costly exercise so it’s important to get quotes from a few different companies before settling on one. Be sure to ask about any hidden fees or charges that may not be included in the quote. If you’re thinking of moving to one of the inner cities such as Auckland, then it would be wise to get a few moving quotes from popular Auckland movers to ensure you are not paying inflated market prices.

Pack efficiently: When packing for the move, be sure to use smaller boxes for heavy items and larger ones for lighter items. This is to ensure you do not get injured while carrying out a high risk task. Of course when hiring professional moving companies they wouldn’t have much trouble manoeuvring such items, it is more to help make your job that much easier once the helping hands have left.

Create a floor plan: When you know where everything is going to go in your new smaller home, it will help the unpacking process go much smoother and faster. This will also help to avoid any costly damage that could be caused by putting heavy items in the wrong place or knocking over fragile items.

There are many ways to save money when downsizing and for retirees, making your money go further is an important aspect of retiring comfortably. In many ways, simply by downsizing to a smaller home can already give you positive gains, you won’t be paying as much on bills and land taxes, heating and cooling will also be cheaper and it can also free up equity to fund your retired lifestyle.