Take inventory

Begin by making a list of wants vs. needs. This is very hard to do as you naturally want to keep everything. A need is something necessary to live and function. A want is something that can improve your quality of life. A need includes food, water, clothing, shelter, and medical care; Wants include everything else. For me, my espresso machine is a necessity since it is needed for me to function properly. Clothing is also a necessity, but you may not need all those outfits for every day and every occasion. Bath towels are a need but you will not need over 20 bath towels. Blankets are a necessity, but you only need a few blankets, not ten. Minimizing these items will significantly save you space. You may find you will have to do laundry more frequently, but you will have much smaller loads. Also, keep note of what you are going to get rid of or donate.

How tiny do you want to live?

Living tiny doesn’t necessarily mean you have to live as a minimalist. How tiny do you want to go? The typical tiny home is 399 sq. ft. or less. It helps to know what kind of tiny home you want to move into. When you live tiny, everything should have its own space, so it is also suggested to rid of any duplicate items you may have. Less kitchen utensils, less kitchen gadgets, less shoes, less linens etc. I personally need to work on getting rid of my closet full of graphic tees. (I have way too many concert t-shirts) Research some tiny home layouts to get a general idea of what kind of space you’re working with.

Clear up space before deciding to move

Donate, give things away, or trash it. If you have any gently used items in good condition, find a local charity or non-profit organization to donate to. Clean out your wardrobe, rid of extra appliances, clear out the pantry, unpack the garage, etc. There are many places to donate coats, donate extra nonperishable food, donate appliances, donate tools, donate shoes, donate furniture, and many places to help you recycle. Clearing up before moving will make the move much easier. If you have the time, have a small $1 yard sale or post it up on the Facebook Marketplace (for free). This isn’t about making a profit; this is a lifestyle change. Don’t give yourself a headache over it though, take it one room at a time. Sometimes it’s just easier to just trash things. You can find great YouTube Videos on decluttering and downsizing,

Test it out

Before you make an extreme lifestyle change, see if you enjoy tiny living first. Visit a local tiny home village and book an airbnb stay in a few different tiny homes for a week or two or longer. You can find tiny home stays all over airbnb. If there are no tiny homes in your area or you are unable to get away, there is sure to be someone renting out their RV or Camper for homestays. Get used to a smaller living area and take notes of what you like or dislike about it. This will also give you a good idea on finding what layout or features work best for you. If you’re in South Carolina, our Mountain Grove Village will eventually have one tiny home available for Air B&B soon!