When the time has come to downsize after the kids have flown the nest, it can be difficult to decide what pieces of furniture to keep and what to get rid of.
When couples in their fifties or sixties move home, it’s often to a smaller, more manageable property. A lot of the furniture they’ve had for years suddenly looks oversized in a smaller home and doesn’t always fit with the style of the new house. So, if you’re at the point of changing from a family sprawl to an easy to manage residence for two, then think seriously about what furniture to take to your new home.
The best option is often to buy new furniture for the new space you’re going to be living in. If you have any pieces that you’re particularly attached to, see if there’s room to fit them in without making your new house feel like a furniture store. And with so much good quality cheap furniture available these days, there’s no reason to make do and mend with existing pieces if you don’t want to.
It’s important not to go too far in the other extreme though. Although for a vast majority of the time it will be just the two of you at home, there will be plenty of occasions like family birthdays and Christmases when you’ll want to be able to accommodate more people. Sofa beds can be invaluable as they can provide a decent guest bed quickly and easily, without necessarily having to dedicate a room to being the ‘guest room’.
A great way to make a room dual purpose is to put your computer and books in the same room. So you have a quasi-office space that can easily be converted into a guest room by opening out the sofa bed.
Before you decide what to keep and what to replace, go and look at a local sofas sale and see what kind of thing is on offer. If you’re in no rush to buy, you can take your time to find the kind of thing you really want, and get it at the right price, too.