Downsizing to a Smith Mountain Lake Home

Whether you’ve been vacationing here for years or fell in love after the first visit, making the decision to relocate to Smith Mountain Lake was perhaps one of the easier decisions you’ve ever made.

But what if you’re downsizing from a larger home? What are you supposed to do with all of your stuff? How much home do you really need?

If you’re at a loss for how to make the transition, read on for some helpful tips to prepare you for your big move.

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute
If the moving van is backing into your driveway and you haven’t thrown out the first item, you’ve waited too late. You’ll find yourself in your new living room, buried in a sea of boxes and oversized furniture, panicking because you’ve run out of space to think. The moment you’ve decided to downsize is the moment you need to start decluttering. Start with smaller items that you know you’ll need in your new home, like kitchenware and clothing. Leave decisions about the larger items, like furniture and electronics, until you know how much space you’re going to be dealing with.

Hire a Real Estate Agent
If you’re moving to Smith Mountain Lake, then hire a real estate agent to help you with the transition. Even if you’ve been vacationing here for years, relocating to the area permanently requires the help of an experienced local agent. They will help you determine the type of home you want, which is crucial part of downsizing.

Which leads to…

Determine How Much Home You Need
At first you were ready to downsize to a small two-bedroom condo. Then you remembered that your grandkids spend the summers with you. And that your extended family visits for the holidays. And you wanted an office so that you could finally start working on that book you started a decade ago.

Having an honest conversation with yourself and your loved ones about downsizing is an important step in the process. If you’re ready to hand the holiday responsibilities over to someone else, let them know. If your loved one wants a room to work on personal projects, then let your realtor know. If you have large breed dogs and need a yard to exercise them in, make sure you look at homes with plenty of running space.


Try Not to Bring in New Stuff
If the goal is downsizing and decluttering what you have, then bringing new items into the mix only delays your goal. Refrain from impulse purchases, like clothing, electronics, kitchenware, and décor until you’ve successfully gone through your current inventory and decluttered. Try waiting until after you’ve moved into your new home and unpacked. Chances are you’ll realize that seashell key bowl wasn’t as necessary as you thought.

If you’re ready to start looking at Smith Mountain Lake homes, contact me and together we will find the home that best suits your needs. From the initial consultation all the way through closing, I will help you with every step of the process.