IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

Have you been thinking about downsizing? You’re not alone.

A survey recently carried out by Dublin-based firm, Lotus Investments, has revealed that 74% of retirees would consider moving to a smaller home. In 2016, the Central Statistics Office counted 121,720 “empty nest” families – a family of married or cohabiting couples without children where the woman is aged 45-64.

There are lots of reasons a home-owner may consider making the change and opting for a smaller, more manageable property. The kids may have flown the nest, you might be looking for a new challenge, you might even be looking to relocate to another part of the world and a smaller home just makes better sense.

We know the process of packing and moving can be super-daunting, so we’ve put together a list of our top 5 tips for making the move as smooth as possible. 

1)  Don’t rush the process. Give yourself enough time to make sure you’re comfortable with your decisions. Apply this tactic from the very beginning and we guarantee you’ll make downsizing a lot less stressful. This goes for deciding where you’ll move to; when you want to get going and what you’re bringing with you.

2) Analyse your new space and take stock of what furniture you already have that can make the move with you and what things you’ll need to buy new. That giant corner suite may have worked well in your old living room, but it may not work as well in your new home once you’ve downsized.

3) Going through your things after so many years can be tough, so start in rooms with little emotional attachment like linen closets and utility rooms. It should be easy to move through these rooms swiftly, whereas attics and garages are notorious for being the most difficult rooms in the house to tackle. Leave these until last!

4) Don’t be afraid to donate once you’ve started the downsizing process. If you’ve got a walk-in wardrobe to rival that of Carrie Bradshaw we suggest taking stock of what’s coming with you and donating the rest to a deserving charity store. This goes for other items around the home that you’ll no longer have any use for too!

5) Look at your new home as a blank canvas, a fresh start. You’ve got another chance to make your mark on a new space and have it mirror your personality. Start planning how you’ll decorate, remodel and design. Trust us, it’s one of the fun perks to downsizing and it’ll be super-exciting!

We recently chatted with mother and daughter duo Lena and Kate about the possibility of downsizing and what it means for the future.