Monday, December 12, 2011

First Steps - Edit, Edit, Edit


Congratulations!!! You're moving to New York City --- one of the most vibrant, exciting places on the planet.  It seems that almost everyone wants to live here. But because New York City is so popular, space is at a premium.

If you're relocating to New York City from almost anywhere else and want to live in Manhattan or one of the other boroughs, odds are that you'll have less space than you're used to.  It's likely that your new home will have fewer and smaller rooms, less closet space, and a smaller kitchen than your current one.  So it's very important to look over all of your possessions and edit, edit, edit.

There are several reasons to start editing as soon as you decide that you are moving.
  • Starting early can reduce stress. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to determine what you want to keep most, and to find good homes for things with sentimental value that you won't have room for. 
  • Knowing what you really want to keep in advance can help you evaluate potential new homes, and even new neighborhoods. Even if you pare down your possessions significantly but want to keep a cherished possession that's quite wide or tall, it's important that your new home have an appropriate spot for it. Often real estate professionals say that the three most important things in evaluating property are "location, location, location."  So although your ideal location might be the upper east side, if you decide to keep a concert grand piano and all of the furniture that your grandmother left you the suburbs might be a better choice. 
  •  Paring down the possessions in your current home will make it more attractive to potential buyers. You can increase your chances to sell your home  faster and for more money. Often people buy a new home because they need more space, emotionally and physically.  Rooms and closets will appear more spacious if clutter is eliminated. Pretend that you are moving tomorrow, and decide what you are taking with you.  Anything that you will not be keeping should be sold, donated, or thrown out right away.
  • Editing your possessions in advance will save you money. You'll spend less on moving expenses.  Arranging to sell some of your better pieces through an antique or consignment shop and holding a yard sale for the rest can make you a tidy profit. 

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