As the month when students return to school and one of the best months for closing on a house sale quickly, August is a prime time for transitions and new beginnings, including downsizing. Designer, artist, organizer and owner of NEHI Home Devin Bajoie unpacks tips on living with less baggage.
Bajoie has helped many clients downsize due to a divorce, a death or because they want to reduce their finances but says a downsize should be viewed as a positive.
“Focus on making a fresh start and having a lighter environment,” he said.
Bajoie advises envisioning what you want the next chapter to look like (where do you want to live, what do you want your space to look like?), then putting pen to paper to make a realistic plan with start and finish dates. Standard organizing guidelines apply – separate things into keep, donate and sell bins or areas. “Keep” items should be those things that are functional or sentimental and that you can’t live without. Things that don’t fit in or work with your new space, have no special meaning or that you no longer like, can be donated or sold (directly, through estate sales, consignment or auction depending on their value). An auction house or consignment shop can consult or appraise if you’re not sure about the value of high-end pieces. Bajoie’s consults are free.
Since the task of downsizing can seem daunting, Bajoie stresses that “you don’t have to do it alone.”
“Friends, family and businesses can help,” he said.
To choose the essential furnishings for a downsize, Bajoie likes to think “comfort and cozy.”
“Just because it’s smaller it doesn’t have to be uncomfortable,” he said.
Then he adds a few “statement pieces that pop.” He also likes to reduce collections of things such as books by keeping only the favorites. And he says you don’t have to be a true minimalist to simplify. There are many ways to reduce clutter. A few examples: opt for a single set of dishes instead of daily and formal sets. Forego a dining room and create a compact dining area within a living space with a small round dining table. Instead of a formal living room and a casual family room or den, go for a single living space with high/low touches that satisfy your yen for posh and practical. Organize an unwieldy cache of photos into a space-saving E-file or group them gallery style on a feature wall.
Other advice: if you have a storage unit, get rid of it first thing. The money you save can go toward your new space. Make your downsize cohesive and functional to eliminate the unnecessary. And shop consignment stores for pieces that won’t break the bank.
“You’re making space for new things and new energy,” said Bajoie.
1 | Remember why you wanted to downsize in the first place.
2 | Keep in mind, you’re doing this for a lighter lifestyle and to live life more fully.
3 | Take it one step at a time and stick to your timeline.
About the Expert
A native of Baton Rouge with a longtime love of design and a passion for telling stories through visuals, Devin Bajoie has an interior design degree from the Interior Design Institute in California and opened NEHI Home in 2022.
