More and more folks are coming to the Hartz Homes sales offices looking to downsize. This certainly includes Lago Vista, the popular 55+ community in Lockport (check out why). But, it also includes other Hartz communities too, from townhomes in Oliviabrook (Oakbrook Terrace), Bella Vista (Bolingbrook), and Manchester Cove (Mokena) to single homes in the other Chicago area new construction developments.
Why do they want to downsize?
When children grow up and move out of the family home, for example, mom and dad are left with an empty nest that’s too big for them. Or, if adult children have moved out of the area, some parents are choosing to live closer to them and the grandchildren.
Sometimes life events, such as a divorce, trigger people to find a smaller home.
One thing is for certain, most of the downsizers coming to Hartz Homes view the process as a step forward, not backward. They want to find a home that better fits them, their lifestyle, and/or income.
Hartz Homes has helped many, many people downsize. Here are the top tips Hartz has learned from these downsizers.
- Know your new space. Get a feel for the size of your new rooms by comparing them to rooms of similar dimensions in your present home. For instance, your living-room-to-be might be roughly the same size as your current bedroom.
Downsizers typically use the floorplans from the Hartz Homes website as a guide.
Use the floorplans of your new Hartz home to prearrange your furniture before the move. Don’t wait until after you move to contend with furniture you’ll just end up tripping over. No sense in moving furniture you will be later getting rid of.
- Know what’s important to keep. Make a list of all the items you love and can’t live without. This will help you say goodbye to things that didn’t make the list. By keeping what’s on your wish list, you won’t be upset about the things you can’t keep.
- Take your time. Start thinning out your belongings at least three months before the move. Take some time each day, or one morning each week, to go through that jammed coat closet or overflowing filing cabinet.
- Eliminate duplication.If you have two or more of something, and you only need one, don’t be afraid to give the extras away. For example, most people don’t need 10 mixing bowls and they won’t get teary-eyed over losing that second spatula.
- Sort things out logically. Label three bins: “To Keep”, “To Sell” and “Charity”. Do not label any of these bins “Maybe”, “Later” or “Undecided”. This only adds one more step, taking more time and giving you more aggravation.
- Target the garage. If you are moving to a maintenance-free situation, hit the garage hard. Say so long to snow shovels, lawn mowers, and outdoor ladders as you won’t be needing any of them.
- Keep everything organized. Once you get to the packing stage, use a color-coded system to organize your boxes. Choose a color for each room and mark the boxes destined for that room with a coordinating color sticker or piece of tape. (Check out more packing tips.)
Please check out these new home communities from Hartz Homes:
Armitage Pointe of Addison, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Bella Vista Townhomes of Bolingbrook, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Heather Glen of New Lenox, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Hibernia of New Lenox, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Lago Vista of Lockport, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Leigh Creek of New Lenox, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Manchester Cove of Mokena, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Marquis Pointe of Montgomery, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Marywood Meadows of Montgomery, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Nantucket Lakes of New Lenox, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Oliviabrook of Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Park West of Manteno, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Playa Vista of Plainfield, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Sky Harbor of New Lenox, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Whisper Creek of Mokena, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Hartz Homes has new home communities in:
Addison, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Aurora, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Bolingbrook, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Lockport, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
New Lenox (Chicago area new home construction)
Manteno, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Mokena, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Montgomery, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Plainfield, Illinois (Chicago area new home construction)
Oakbrook Terrace (Chicago area new home construction)