Downsizing to smaller bungalow

What is the Swedish death system of declutterring please?

Surely, a large part of the fun of moving into this lovely bungalow (and to the next chapter in your life), is to totally re-furnish.

I feel differently. Bringing some of the furniture from his house made my Dad's flat still seem like his home.
We brought two recliner armchairs, some lamps, bookcases and the two coffee tables from his lounge.
We also brought a small amount of crockery, glasses and cutlery, and kitchen ware.
I bought new bedding and towels, but they were needed anyway!
In addition he's had a riser chair and a hospital bed that a friend was selling.

Surely, a large part of the fun of moving into this lovely bungalow (and to the next chapter in your life), is to totally re-furnish.
Furniture and decor suitable for a large family house is not likely to be suitable for a small modern bungalow.

As has been said, pass on any of the furniture that you can to those who need it and can use it - and enjoy total re=furnishing.

Jaxjacky not necessarily. When I finally sold my house it was March but didn't move until August due my buyers pain in the backside solicitor. The OP posted in November.

I imagine the OP has now moved.

scale drawing cut outs, leave enough space in between items. Then get rid of what will not fit in

V3ra

We moved my Dad from a 4-bed detached house to a 1-bed flat.

Trying to think "how can we fit everything in" didn't work, obviously.

We started at the other end, ie "what will he actually need," and that made it a lot easier to decide.

Some possessions simply run their course.
They've served their purpose, you've had the enjoyment of them, now someone else can benefit.

I think that this is very good advice. Just take what you need.

We have given furniture to the British Heart Foundation but they will only accept fabric covered items with a fire safety tag on them. I don't think they accept mattresses - which is understandable.

Well said all sorts. I agree we did the same.

All this is precisely why I am staying put in my home.
4 bedrooms but two have lodgers, S and GD, but even if/when they leave I shall stay put.
The house is pretty fully furnished except for one room which is being refurbished now.
My C have not helped in taking stuff or helping to clear stuff so they can do it all when I die before they can put the house on the market and claim their inheritance.

Before moving to a smaller home we gave away excess furniture (and other items) to charity shops, who collected them from us. Lots of other "odd" items e.g: old garden tools/buckets, were put onto Freecyle and taken away swiftly. IMO it's simply a matter of being very determined and focused in disposing of what you dont/won't need.

Grandmabatty

Your memories are still in your mind. Firstly clear out your garage of stuff you don't use. Then choose the bedroom that won't be in your new bungalow and get rid of everything in it. I mean everything! That should help you get started. Decide what furniture you are taking with you and get rid of everything else. If you can, use a floor plan to work out the space you will have. Look at dishes you don't use and get rid of them. Same with books. Go through your clothes and be ruthless with anything which doesn't fit or you haven't worn in two years. I split photos between my two children. Recently I gave my daughter jewellery I don't wear. Put stuff in boxes and store them in your garage or the redundant bedroom . As others have said, be ruthless. Get rid of ornaments! Do not sit and nope over the memories that a china bull brings you. Think of the memories others will have. Anything belonging to a family member who no longer lives with you, give it to them. Aim to do something every day, tip, keep, give away or charity. Good luck

Great advice!

Having moved several times in my life I’ve found that furniture bought for one home is very rarely exactly right for another. You see so many awkward “trying to make it fit” in Oder people’s houses.

When I downsized I felt hat I was starting a new chapter in my life and it was a move to a brand new house, so I got rid of almost everything and had a fresh start with furniture that fitted my new space.

However, if that’s a bit drastic I’d work out the minimum that I needed to take and then invest in a storage unit. After a year anything that hasn’t come out can probably just st be got rid of.

What a fantastic step be step plan! Thank you

V3ra

Mt61 the people who bought Dad's house were quite happy to keep his nice leather sofa and chairs, the modern oak extending dining table and chairs (my daughter had the big sideboard/wall unit!) plus the bedroom furniture.
We didn't charge them for any of it.
I think they were planning to let the house, either way it saved us a lot of trouble.

Super 😃always worth asking.
I managed to get mums buyers phone number (estate agent wouldn’t pass it on) we ended up with some nice bits off her, she was also panicking getting rid of stuff, a lot went to landfill😩

Five years ago I moved from large 3 bed semi to a 2 bed semi bungalow and I was ruthless getting rid of things . Things I had held on far to long . They where just things you take your memories with you. I found decluttering decluttered my mind as well as my house . As I decluttered I packed boxes of things I was taking with me . I loved seeing the full boxes and the emptying house. Felt a sense of achievement.

Once I moved found I had brought things that I didn't need so they went . Have brought a few new pieces of furniture for my bungalow but only a double bed and mattress and bedside table for the second bedroom. But I sent stuff to cash cow so didn't cost me anything. Brought new nest of 3 tables because my old ones didn't go in with my colour scheme plus they where over 40 years old from MRI. And a large footstool with storage always wanted one .

Still decluttering even now as some of my cook and bakeware is to heavy for me to handle my daughter has had the things.

The thing I was most ruthless about was my book collection had 600 books . Got it down to 300 for my move but it's been creeping up again so got rid of some I won't read again . But my cross stitch collection is growing but that's my addiction. 😂..

Mr C used graph paper to make an accurate plan (we measured the rooms, the reality was quite different to the printed details). Furniture we thought we wanted was cut to accurate scale and moved around. We discovered some just didn’t fit, these items were ‘re-homed’. Some to family, some to friends, some sold and a lot to charity. I’d already emptied the loft (it took two years!), we took lots of photos of rooms and items we decided to let go of. It more or less worked.

Once our home was empty of furniture it was easy to let go of. I was very sad to leave a garden we had created from scratch, the house once empty was just a house.

Once moved we found there was still too much in boxes, not having a garage we moved it out to self store and took our time reassessing. Eleven years on we are both relieved and delighted to live in a bungalow and twice a year focus on letting go of ‘stuff’ we no longer love or use. Clothes reduction happens constantly as lifestyle changes.

Try not to over-worry marriedalongtime. It’s a new beginning, they are usually both scary and exciting. Be as realistic as you can, I went with a mix of head and heart with decisions over the little things. I took loads of photos and have never looked at them since. Your bungalow sounds ideal. All good wishes for your new home

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0025c0t?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

This is an interesting and relevant listen 🤗

Mt61 the people who bought Dad's house were quite happy to keep his nice leather sofa and chairs, the modern oak extending dining table and chairs (my daughter had the big sideboard/wall unit!) plus the bedroom furniture.
We didn't charge them for any of it.
I think they were planning to let the house, either way it saved us a lot of trouble.

Mt61

Beautiful bungalows are few & far between, believe me I looked at a good few for my parents. All out of the ark (70s), crazy money to buy & do up- So if you have bought one all done up, I would not hesitate to get rid of a few big items.
I am convinced that when you have settled into your lovely, little bungalow you won’t even give your other house a seconds thought.
Enjoy your remaining years in what’s going to be less of an upkeep😊

Go through your solicitor & ask if the people buying your place want any items cheap or free of charge!
We panicked when selling mums 4 bed because the buyers solicitor asked if the house would be clear of all items? When In fact mums buyer needed all sorts, as he had just parted from his wife. It would have saved me umpteen trips to the charity shops & tip🙄

Beautiful bungalows are few & far between, believe me I looked at a good few for my parents. All out of the ark (70s), crazy money to buy & do up- So if you have bought one all done up, I would not hesitate to get rid of a few big items.
I am convinced that when you have settled into your lovely, little bungalow you won’t even give your other house a seconds thought.
Enjoy your remaining years in what’s going to be less of an upkeep😊

Casdon

I haven’t done this myself, but I saw online that somebody had drawn a plan of their new house on graph paper, and measured their furniture, made it into little pieces so they could move the furniture round the plan to decide what would fit best where, and what was too big to fit in. It sounded like a faff, but meant they only took what would fit in, and could tell the removal men exactly where to put each item.

This is exactly what we did when we moved here, Casdon

Our move was just from a 3 bedroomed semi to a bungalow. Apart from the beds and thr small suite we took there as a temporary measure we got rid of most things. All thr good furniture was collected by The British Heart Foundation and it was lovely to he's a couple of months later how much they had raised. It is the opportunity of making a nee beginning with furniture which will suit the bungalow bungalow your new life. I wish you every happiness with your move.x

The bungalow sounds ideal. Be ruthless as others have said. I hope you have many happy years in your new home.

If there is a garage with the bungalow you can use it to store stuff that doesn't fit.

Once you have settled in you can have another think about the unwanted stuff

Hello Marriedalongtime 3 months ago we moved into a 2 bedroom Lodge (we also have a furnished 1 bedroom flat) from a large 4 bed, 2 bath, 2 living room, large kitchen/diner plus separate utility room and study.

We got rid of 90% of what we owned including furniture and white goods as the lodge new and fully furnished. We gave some to the brother of friend who was setting up home with nothing; advertised locally and sold other items; gave a lot of small items to various charity shops and arranged for a local auctioneer/removal firm to take what was left to sell at auction.

The final pieces were sold at auction last week.

Being ruthless is the only way and it's surprising how much easier it becomes once you get started. I can honestly say I don't regret parting with any of the things we got rid of, and as the house gradually emptied it was simply a house, no longer our home.