Will Your Furniture Fit? The Downsizing Floor-Plan Test

One of the easiest ways to spend unnecessary money during a move is to pay movers to transport furniture that does not work in the new house.

The sofa may technically fit through the front door, but that does not mean it belongs in the new living room.

When downsizing, measuring before moving can save money, effort, and frustration.

Start With the Largest Pieces

Do not worry about measuring every lamp or side table.

Begin with the pieces that are expensive or difficult to move:

• Sectional

• Sofa

• Dining table

• Beds

• Dressers

• Entertainment center

• Large bookcases

• Recliners

• China cabinet

• Office furniture

Write down the width, depth, and height of each.

Measure Doorways Too

Furniture has to reach the room before it can fit inside it.

Measure:

• Front door

• Hallways

• Interior doors

• Stairways, if any

• Turns and corners

A large piece that fit easily into your current home may be surprisingly difficult to move into a different floor plan.

Put the Furniture on a Floor Plan

If you have a floor plan for the new home, use it.

You can create simple paper furniture shapes to scale or use one of many digital floor-planning tools.

Place your major pieces into the rooms.

Then ask a different question:

Not simply“Does it fit?”

Ask:

“Does the room still work after I put it there?”

Can you walk comfortably?

Can doors open?

Are windows blocked?

Is the room dominated by one piece of furniture?

Does the layout feel open or cramped?

Consider the Lifestyle Change

A smaller home often means changing how spaces are used.

Perhaps you no longer need a dining table that seats twelve.

Maybe the giant sectional that worked in the family room is not appropriate for the new great room.

A bedroom set that fills an entire room may make a smaller primary bedroom feel uncomfortable.

Downsizing works best when belongings are selected for the home you are movinginto, rather than trying to duplicate the home you are leaving.

Decide Before Moving Day

Every item you eliminate before moving day saves:

• Packing

• Moving

• Unpacking

• Storage

• Decision-making later

If an item clearly will not work, consider selling, donating, gifting, or consigning it before your move.

Frequently Asked Questions

How exact do measurements need to be?
Measure carefully enough to understand the true dimensions of both furniture and rooms.

Should I keep furniture because it is valuable?
Value and usefulness are different. Consider whether the piece fits your future home and lifestyle.

What if I do not have a floor plan?
Room measurements and a simple sketch are often enough to begin.

Should I buy new furniture before moving?
Usually it is helpful to understand the new space first. You may discover your needs change once you are living there.

Planning a downsizing move?

Request Martha’sSmart Senior’s Downsizing Guidefor practical steps to simplify your move and plan your next chapter.

Martha Viera Parsons
MVP Realty Team | HomeSmart Advantage Group
(520) 965-3536
www.MVP-RealtyTeam.com

You’ll Be an MVP With Me.