10 Tips For Stress-Free Downsizing Downsizing doesn’t always have to be a hassle. This guide includeshandy tips and practical examples on how to downsize like a pro...

10 Tips For Stress-Free Downsizing Downsizing, or ‘rightsizing’ as it’s called nowadays, is almost always a positive outcome for everyone involved.

If you are thinking of garden annexe living then it’s likely you are looking to free up

equity, move to a family member’s garden, enjoy being part of a family again and even

travel a little more often. It’s time to take the pressure off and ease into a new way of

life.

If you’re in the slightest bit worried that downsizing might be the wrong thing to do,

then go ahead and put the kettle on, make yourself a cup of tea, and give this little

guide a read because it’s going to make you smile from ear to ear.

Not quite what you are looking for? There are plenty more resources available at ihusannexe.com/blog

2 | Determine Why You Are Downsizing And Write It Down3 | The Earlier You Start The Process The Easier You’ll Find It 4 | Personal Treasures Are The Hardest To Know What To Do With 5 | Think About What You Would Replace If Something Was Lost In A Flood or Fire6 | You Will Be Moving Address So Get Organised About That In Advance 7 | Start With The Easiest, Smallest And Least To Sort Out Room First8 | Pack as you go9 | Visit Some Apartment Show Homes Near You10 | Visit Your Local Home Stores (Just For Fun)11 | Moving in day!

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Determine Why You Are Downsizing And Write It DownIt’s likely you have boxes, cupboards and drawers you haven’t looked

at in years. And what about the attic? It’s probably full of all the

“stuff” we all seem to collect and get attached to over the years. The

thought of having to go through it all, sift and sort it can be daunting.

Get a notebook and write down WHY you are downsizing.

Think about what your new space will look like?

How big it will be compared to your existing home?

Are there fewer rooms?

Less bathrooms?

Will your sofa fit in your new annexe or should you think about a new,

smaller one (like the one you saw in John Lewis the other day).

This is your time to think about all the advantages you’ll be gaining

not dwell on things you are leaving behind. It’s a fresh start for many

annexe owners and their families.

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“I have a grandson who pops round for a sleep over every saturday night. I never would have had this before I moved into my annexe. It really has brought the family closer together.”

Ena Samuel

The Earlier You Start The Process The Easier You’ll Find ItFor many people it’s the decision to downsize that’s difficult, once the decision is

made and you can see all the positive outcomes, it becomes much easier.

You’ll be seeing your Grandchildren more often, be part of family life again, have less

stress, smaller bills, more hobby & travel time and all of sudden you’ll find yourself

wanting to get started today.

The only way to tackle the task is little by little (and with 8 – 10 weeks of planning

approval time involved with annexes, you will have the perfect opportunity and

timescale to tackle it all head on.)

Enlist members of the family to help you (they will help you decide what to keep, what

to donate and what to throw away far easier than you would by yourself.)

Once you get the process underway, momentum will pick up and it will become a

breeze.

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Personal Treasures Are The Hardest To Know What To Do WithAll those scrap books, certificates, photos, books, collections and

other personal treasures are the hardest to know what to do with.

Make a list or collection of your absolute favourite things, set them

aside as the last thing you go through.

Photos can be stored digitally today and even made into little video

montages for you to look at any time you choose.

Or you might make a display of your favourite photos in your new

annexe as part of the process. By gathering them now to sort

through later you will have mentally approached the hardest part of

downsizing first so it will be easier to do later.

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Think About What You Would Replace If Something Was Lost In A Flood or FireThis is the perfect way to approach downsizing because it will make you think about

starting fresh in areas you would otherwise not consider.

For example you might love your favourite chair, it’s that old faithful friend that is

looking a little shabby around the edges but you wouldn’t part with it for the world.

But if it was flood damaged and had to be replaced?

And you saw a new version of your favourite chair in Next Home? What would you do

then?

The “is it something I LOVE” question is one you need to ask about most things.

And of course “will this fit in my new annexe?” is the other.

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You Will Be Moving Address So Get Organised About That In AdvanceAnnexes do not have their own post code but your new postman is likely

to see that a new annexe is being built and will know that another family

member is coming to live there.

A lot of our customer call their annexe a name, for example Eden, or The

Lodge followed by the postal address of the main house. You might want

to consider two USA mail boxes at the front door to help sort your post as

it arrives.

Make a list of important documentation you will need to give your new

address to for example:-

Driving licence

Doctors & Dentist

Investment Accounts / Banks

Utility providers / Phone & Internet

Insurance policies / life cover / pensions

Subscriptions to magazines etc

Prescriptions.6

Start With The Easiest, Smallest And Least To Sort Out Room FirstThere is no point in climbing a mountain as your first task, you’ll quickly get defeated

and feel overwhelmed by the task in hand. Make 4 piles for everything:-

LOVE / MUST-TAKE : These are the things you need, your beloved and most important

possessions.

LIKE TO HAVE: Items you LIKE but are not certain fit your new annexe lifestyle. ( You’ll

come back to these)

DONATE / USEFUL TO SOMEONE : These are things others could use and you definite-

ly will not need. Sell anything you can (ask a member of your family for help with

Facebook Groups or Ebay) and use the cash to assist with the move.

Donate, recycle or give away the rest.

THROW AWAY : If it is broken, old, unusable or unwanted. Throw it away straight away.

Use coloured stickers or bags to organize your system for the other categories.

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Pack as you goMove room by room and pack up items that you are going to be

taking (sorting through, using your “four piles” system.)

Invest in some packing boxes and marker pens, plus bubble wrap

for delicate items and start packing as you go through the house.

Be patient and always aim to go down by half first. Then half

again. If you have a lifetime of memories, this is likely to take

some time.

Create boxes marked important for everyday items you are likely

to need. Mark each box by room name for ease when you move.

“The iHUS team delivered everything they promised and more! The whole process could not have been simpler — iHUS took care of everything including the planning application.”

Doug and Karen Wishart

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Visit Some Apartment Show Homes Near YouGarden annexes are single-level living with an apartment feel. So take some

time out and visit some apartment show homes near where you live – you’ll get

some of the best ideas you’ll ever find for annexe living.

Make a note of colours they have used to create a flow.

Note how they have used mirrors and reflective surfaces to add light and a

a a feeling of space.

Take a tape measure and get actual sizes of the furniture they have used t

t to compare to your own.

See how the kitchen design has been arranged.

What pictures and accessories have they used to pull the look together.

This will help you visualise how your new annexe can look and feel when you

move in.

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Visit Your Local Home Stores (Just For Fun)With retail park stores like Dunlem, IKEA, The Range, John Lewis

Home, Marks and Spencer and Next, you can take some time to

get familiar with other things you might like to buy new when you

move into your annexe that won’t break the bank. Things like:

New cutlery

New towels

New bed linen

New curtains

New crockery

New mugs

A new kettle

Some new photo frames

A new mirror

A new rug

It’s the little details that make all the difference to how your new

annexe will feel.

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Moving in day!Once we’ve successfully obtained planning permission for your garden annexe

and moving day has arrived, it will take a few days to adjust and unpack

everything so take it slowly.

It will also feel rather strange being so close to your new neighbours, especially

if they’re your son or daughter.

One thing is for certain, if you are lucky enough to have Grandchildren, then

your new annexe will be the most fun house to be in from now on!

“We cannot thank iHUS enough for making what we anticipated being a slightlystressful time into a wonderful experience.”

Debbie and Tony Blackburn

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Happy downsizing from Team iHUS!Do you feel that this resource has been useful? You can find many more by visiting ihusannexe.com/blog

If this guide has raised any question, or you just have a few annexe related quiries that you would like

to talk through please do not hesitate to contact us. You can reach us on any of the following:

Call: 0808 1641111

Email: enquiries@ihusprojects.com

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