Downsizing Services
Home Downsizing Services
What is downsizing?
Downsizing is the process that happens when someone moves from a larger space to a smaller one. Downsizing is also known as “Rightsizing” or “Transitioning”.
In most cases, not everything will fit in the new (smaller) dwelling, so some decisions will need to be made about what will come with you, and what will happen to the rest.
It can be challenging to make all the decisions involved with downsizing, or even determine what decisions need to be made.
Downsizing can feel like a daunting and overwhelming task, especially if approached at a rush.
When should you consider downsizing?
People downsize for many reasons, sometimes multiple times in their lives — when your kids move out, for example, or when you decide you don’t want to maintain a large house and yard. Other reasons for downsizing can include a change in physical or mental health, the desire to simplify and pare down your lifestyle, a preference to move closer to friends or family, socialization, and the costs involved in maintaining a larger house.
It is important to think about downsizing early so you have as much time as you need to go through items and make appropriate decisions.
Leaving it too late can result in feeling stressed and rushed to make choices while your move date looms, and can lead to long-term dissatisfaction and regret about the choices you made.
Our solution:
Downsizing can be an overwhelming experience. We know that there are often years of memories to sort through, especially if you’ve lived in the same house for a long time! Darling Solutions understands that every situation is unique, and we can provide advice, guidance, and emotional support throughout the entire process.
With Darling Solutions’ expertise, we will strive to ensure your transition will be a smooth process that is handled professionally and on time. We understand the complexities of downsizing and the details involved. Let us worry about the attic, the garage, and all those storage areas!
At the end of moving day, we will provide a full set up so that your new home is ready to be lived in – dishes put away, pictures hung, and bed made.
It will feel like home when you arrive!
Consultation
Customized estimate and service proposal- Provide an in-person consultation, or a phone/ email consultation (pictures welcomed!).
- Establish dates and timelines for your service.
- After the consultation, we’ll present you with our service proposal and estimate.
- Contact us if you wish to move forward with our proposal, and we'll take it from there!
Communication
Planning and clear communications- Confirm dates and timelines for your service, and book confirmed dates in our calendar.
- Plan and orchestrate the entire service, including reserving elevators and referring or coordinating outside services as required.
- Email you a detailed service plan, including dates and times, so that you have all the information you need written down in one place.
- Respond to your calls and emails, and answer any questions you may have.
- Provide an invoice by email, after your service is complete.
Service
Provided by our own trucks and team- Create a floor plan for your new home; we can try to mimic your current layout, or create something fresh for your new space.
- Work with you to determine what you should bring to your new home, starting with the most practical items and working to incorporate anything with special meaning.
- Professional packing services for your move, including delivery of supplies and a final pack on moving day if needed.
- Professional moving services; all furniture wrapped and protected, and our trucks come prepared with all the basic supplies needed!
- Full unpack and set up of your new home, including plugging in lamps, telephone, electronics, and setting clocks to the current time.
- Sort, pack, and disperse remaining house contents for family and friends, storage, sale, donation, shredding, recycling, disposal, and hazardous or e-waste.
- Assist in preparing the house for market, including staging (with your remaining furniture), and cleaning.
- Refer and coordinate services as needed, including reputable real estate agents, contractors, and auctioneers or home content sale specialists.
Frequently Asked Questions
To use our FAQ, click on a question and it will open to reveal the answer. More questions? Click here to go to our comprehensive FAQ!
Moving services are pretty much what you’d expect them to be – our team comes in to wrap and protect your furniture, safely transports it to your new home, and then places it under your direction.
Downsizing services are more involved – our team can help with a wide variety of services, depending on your needs. Downsizing typically involve packing and sorting before your move, moving services, and then an unpack and set up so that your new home is ready to be lived in!
Darling Solutions can, in select cases (based upon availability at our warehouse), provide storage on a short-term basis for our clients. We are not able to offer access to content stored at our warehouse; should you require access at-will, we would be pleased to refer you to another storage solution.
Should our storage not be available, or if you prefer an option that allows access to your stored items at-will, we can provide a referral to another storage company; this referral will give you a discount on your first month’s rent with them!
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What your friends Say
Testimonials
The team knew where to park and the layout of both buildings – again good research. And although I was not present for the off loading it went smoothly as well. All of the team showed expertise and an understanding of the complexities of dealing with elderly people and their families.
We would definitely recommend them!
This in my opinion is service the way it’s supposed to be. I love you all thank you so so much
I would definitely recommend Darling Solutions for your moving needs.
Kelly's team displayed the same mindfulness, caring and compassion on the job as she did during the initial consult. We are grateful to your company for helping us through this. Thank you
I highly recommend Darling Solutions to anyone.
Again, we could not have done it without them! From decluttering and packing our condo to moving and setting us up in our new home, every member of the team was hardworking, helpful, warm and extremely competent. Their attention to detail in setting up our new place was remarkable. Honourable mention to the whole team: Kelly, Shawn, Ian, Phyllis, Barb M., Barb Y. Jack, Susan, Glen and Paul. Barb M., our team leader, and Ruth, in the office, were particularly good at calming a nervous client.
We recommend Darling Solutions without reservation. We can’t thank them enough.
Marj and Weldon
Adding COVID into the mix it was almost paralysing to think about. After a recommendation to Contact Darling most of that fear went away.
Professional, competent and most importantly Caring.
They made this move so smooth for my wife and her parents.
On moving day they left their old home and at the end of the day arrived in a new home with all their belongings unpacked and arranged. Completely stress and back pain free. The next day Darling took care of removing items targeted for donation and all remaining items for waste.
I cannot recommend this service enough.
Thank you so much.
Frankly thank-you does not even cover it. Your team, led by Julie, was absolutely incredible from the first moment we met down to the beautiful new plant for my mom and our goodbyes at the door.
They were so organized, thoughtful, friendly and polite. It was a sincere pleasure to work with all of them. I enjoyed the experience so much I am almost sad that the move is finished but happy that we will meet again when my parents are ready to hang their many pictures.
Again, I am in awe and am telling anyone with ears about Darling Solutions so they will hopefully in turn tell their friends and family.
Very best regards and please send our thanks once again to your team.