What Google Searches Reveal About Downsizing in 2026
How today’s search behavior highlights the emotional, practical, and sentimental challenges of making space for what matters
Have you ever found yourself standing in your living room, surrounded by furniture, boxes, memories tucked into every corner—wondering, “Where did all this stuff come from?” or “Do I really need all of this?”
If so, you aren’t alone. So many New Jersey and New York homeowners find themselves at this crossroads: ready to right-size but overwhelmed by the who, what, and where of what to keep, what to let go of, and how to make space for the next chapter.
What many people don’t realize is that search behavior offers a window into exactly what’s on our minds when we think about downsizing. Terms like “best way to declutter,” “downsizing checklist,” “help with sentimental items,” and “how to preserve family history without keeping everything” have been rising steadily, not just because homeowners are planning moves, but because they’re trying to emotionally and practically reconcile a lifetime of belongings with the future they want.
In this article, we’ll explore what searches are revealing about the downsizing journey in 2026 and how intentional planning (including decluttering, organizing, and memory preservation) can make the process significantly less stressful.
What People Are Searching For and Why It Matters
Across 2025 and into early 2026, Google users have been typing in queries like:
“How to downsize without losing memories”
“What to keep when moving to a smaller home”
“Help with sentimental items when downsizing”
“Simple decluttering methods before selling”
“How to sort belongings after decades in a home”
These aren’t just practical questions, they’re emotional ones. Downsizing isn’t just about space; it’s about preserving meaning, honoring memories, and making space for the life you want next. That’s why today’s search behavior doesn’t just reflect logistics, it reflects concerns that go straight to the heart of what makes a house feel like home.
The Emotional Side of Downsizing
Sentimental items are often the reason people stall when they want to downsize. It’s one thing to let go of old paperwork filed in a drawer; it’s another to sort out decades of photos, heirlooms, and objects tied to family stories.
A fresh perspective comes from the recent article “15 Decluttering Targets for Artifcters” (published by our partners at Artifcts) which reframes decluttering in a way that honors memories rather than dismisses them.
Instead of vague “get rid of this” lists, this Artifcts piece highlights meaningful categories of items that often carry emotional weight, like:
Old cameras and tech gadgets
Children’s artwork
Furniture with family history
Holiday décor passed down over years
Recipe collections and photo albums
As the article points out, these items often sit in closets or boxes not because they’re “useless,” but because they hold stories.
This is where a tool like Artifcts becomes powerful: it allows families to capture the stories and meaning behind an item, so it can be remembered without physically keeping everything.
Why Intentional Decluttering Matters
Search trends also reflect a growing interest in methods that make decluttering more doable. Simple rules like the “90/90 Rule” where you evaluate whether you’ve used an item in the past 90 days or will in the next 90 are gaining traction as practical frameworks to make decisions easier.
Other popular ideas like “house hushing” (where you temporarily remove almost everything from a room and only reintroduce essentials) are also surfacing because they help people see their space (and their emotional attachments) more clearly.
But whether you use these techniques, or something else entirely, the core insight from search behavior is the same:
People aren’t just looking to get rid of stuff, they’re looking to thoughtfully preserve what matters and shed the rest with clarity and care.
The Role of Staging, Organizing, and Decluttering in Downsizing
Downsizing isn’t something that happens overnight, especially when you’ve lived in a home for years, or even decades. That’s where professional support can make a meaningful difference.
At The Mavins Group, we help families at every stage of the downsizing process:
Early Decluttering & Organizing
We start by helping you sort belongings, decide what truly fits your next chapter, and make the first steps less overwhelming.
Decluttering with Purpose
Rather than pressure you to discard indiscriminately, we help you evaluate items thoughtfully, integrating techniques like those shared in the Artifcts article discussions (e.g., identifying emotional vs. practical value).
Staging for Right-Sizing or Selling
Once items are selected (or set aside for removal) we refine your space so it feels curated, calm, and appealing to buyers or to your everyday life.
Preserving Memories, Not Just Stuff
Some items are worth remembering but not keeping physically. Tools like Artifcts, combined with our support, help you capture those memories (photos, stories, dates) so they live on, without boxes stacked in closets.
A Thoughtful Path Forward
The reason these decluttering and downsizing searches are increasing isn’t because the tasks are easy, it’s because people want to move forward with intention, not chaos.
Your home should feel like a place of peace and possibility, not a battleground of choices and “what ifs.” Today’s online searches aren’t about avoiding decisions, they’re about making the right ones.
And that’s exactly where Real Estate Planning and thoughtful downsizing intersect.
🧡 Final Thoughts
Downsizing is more than a physical transition, it’s an emotional, practical, and often deeply meaningful shift. The searches we see today reflect the desire to do this thoughtfully, not recklessly; to honor memories while making space for what comes next.
If you’re ready to move forward we’re here to walk with you every step of the way.
👉 Contact The Mavins Group to start a consultation and build your downsizing plan, one decision at a time.