Hugh Hannah has the challenge of changing residences down to a science.

He first moved 15 years ago from a four-bedroom home in East Ridge to a 1,500-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment. He downsized again this spring to a 312-square-foot studio apartment.

Mr. Hannah says before every move he measures the length and width of each living area in his soon-to-be home. He then measures each piece of furniture or appliance he plans to take and marks those measurements on individual squares of paper.

Drawing a scaled version of each room, he arranges the paper furnishings in those diagrams until he knows what pieces will make the move and where they’ll be placed.

“I have to choose what I want to keep and find a place for it. If I can’t find a place for it, then I have to dispose of it,” he said.

“By doing that, I know exactly what’s going to storage, what I’m selling and what I’m taking. When the mover comes, you can just say, ‘Sit it there,’ and it fits the spot.”

That’s one helpful hint from this senior adult who has downsized twice. He’s not alone as more senior adults, along with empty nesters whose children no longer live at home, move into smaller residences.

According to an AARP 2002 study, the number of older adults downsizing into assisted-living residences increased from 266,706 to 416,768 from 1992-1998.

After deciding which furniture would make his latest move, Mr. Hannah asked his children to choose pieces they wanted from their family home. Remaining items were sold in newspaper classifieds, on eBay and at a local antiques store.

With creativity and clever design, he doubled limited space. The centerpiece is a large entertainment center that he repurposed into a desk, storage unit and a Murphy bed. Find out how at right.

Tips for downsizing

GETTING STARTED

* First clear the rooms you use least, such as guest bedrooms or basements. This keeps clutter out of the most lived-in rooms.

* Start with the largest items. Decide what you will do with the furniture before worrying about the knickknacks.

* Let your children take pieces important to them. Write down special memories or family history associated with pieces so they can be passed to future generations.

* Ask children to remove all their “stuff” still in your home. Let them know that what they don’t collect by a set deadline will be sold.

SORTING AND SELLING

* Mark with colored stickers, or keep lists, of what is moving with you, what is being sold, what is being donated and to what charity.

*Get rid of things you no longer need. Be realistic about what you use regularly and what you are just used to having around. Good rule of thumb: If you haven’t used it or worn it in a year, you don’t need it.

* Hold a yard sale to turn a profit on items not making the move.

Time-saver: Instead of individually marking item prices, use colored stickers to sell by set amounts. For example all red stickers are 50-cent items, yellow stickers are $1.

* Make a tax-deductible donation to charity. Think of specific organizations that can use your items; for example, donate professional clothing to a women’s shelter, household items for use by women moving from a domestic violence shelter into their own homes. Many local charities pick up your donations.

Sources: Internet sites