Going Green & Saving Money with Downsizing

Downsizing isn’t just for big businesses; nowadays many homeowners are making the decision to downsize. In some cases this is done in order to save money, others want to ‘go green’, and some people are just looking for a simpler lifestyle. No matter what the reason is for downsizing much can be learned from corporations and businesses that have gone through the process. Start With a Plan Every business that has ever gone through the process of downsizing has started out with a carefully planned strategy for the transition. In a corporation this may involve extensive communication between departments and from management to staff. In a home downsizing event it is important that everyone involved understands what the purpose of the move is. For example, if you are downsizing to find a simpler way of living that can influence the type of items you will want to move with you. Having a clear plan will help solidify the reasons for the move and help everyone feel more comfortable about their role in the new home. After all, downsizing often includes new ‘rules’ for everyday living. Sort through Your Stuff Almost everyone has a tendency to collect something. Some people do so intentionally and others gather things quite by accident. When it’s time to move sorting through this collection of ‘stuff’ can be rather taxing. This can be especially true when downsizing. Your goal is to get rid of things you don’t need, don’t want, or don’t use. With that in mind you should plan to organize your things into items you will keep, items you will get rid of, and things that are trash. Later on you can make more definite plans about what to do with the things you need to get rid of. Downsizing to Go Green And Save Downsizing is a sensible way to go green. When you live in a smaller home you naturally consume less energy and leave a smaller ecological footprint. In a smaller home you will reduce your use of resources as well as your overall consumption of ‘stuff’. Using permaculture principles you can easily find ways to reduce use, reuse things, and recycle most of the items you own. Getting Rid Of the Unwanted You may decide to sell some of the things you have to earn a few dollars that can be used toward your moving expenses. But in the end you will probably find that you are still left with at least a few things you have no use for. Don’t worry. There is a ‘green’ solution for those too. Just call 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. This is the Junk removal Phoenix relies on for eco-friendly services. Rather than simply hauling your rubbish to the landfill this company will work hard to ensure that usable items are donated to local charities and that anything that can be recycled will be.