Downsizing can seem an impossibly daunting task, and it is. For most families, downsizing follows some occasion or milestone: the kids leaving for college, a divorce, the passing of a family member, a marriage. But in some instances, it's about seeking a simpler lifestyle. Some may be leaving a large home where decades of memories were made. So how does a person make this transition? You can't take it all with you. It's a difficult but rewarding sacrifice to make.

Downsizing takes careful planning, and of course, it is of the utmost importance to get rid of all unnecessary items — and not just furniture, but everyday items such as pots and pans, extra linens and blankets, and even clothing. This can be methodically accomplished with several rounds of garage sales and donations to friends and family, your favorite charity and thrift shops. A purge of this nature can feel overwhelming, but in the end, it may prove to be cathartic and a path to your new life.

Once you have accomplished the first phase and secured your new condo or townhouse, you can begin to plan the interiors of your new home. Keep in mind that most activities that took place in your former home will have to take place in some way in your new home, which means all spaces should be equipped for multitasking. This means your living room should be set up to accommodate watching television with the family, as well as entertaining and reading.

Moving into a smaller space might also imply that two rooms become one — for example, a library merges with a dining room for an interesting and chic combination. Other space-saving solutions could be bed platforms with drawers to maximize clothing and linen storage. Nightstands can be replaced with dressers for more storage.

One of the biggest decorating fallacies with small spaces is that you should only use small furnishings. This is just not true. Placing one large sofa in a small room can actually make it seem bigger. The same holds true for art. One large piece of art visually gives off cues that you are in a larger space. Less is more when accessorizing. Fewer but larger accessories are also suggested for impact in a small room. Smaller bedrooms might have you reconsider a large king-size bed in favor of a queen-size bed.

Decorating your compact home can be challenging, but it should not be short on style. Bringing some of your past to your new home is something I highly recommend. Your new place immediately will feel like your own. Unless you want to start decorating from scratch, select one or two pieces of furniture, lamps, works of art or accessories from each room that you wish to incorporate into your new home. These "heirlooms" will be the building blocks of your new decorating scheme. It is a safe and guided way to build your new decor.

Downsizing has its constraints, but it rewards the home occupants with lightness and ease of maintenance.

Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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