According to a new survey, Americans are taking less with them when they move to a new home.

The average weight of a household move has decreased over the past four years, according to Mayflower Transit, indicating that Americans are increasingly downsizing their personal belongings.

Mayflower has tracked shipping weights since 1994, and the study is based on data as reported to the American Moving and Storage Association.

The average move for Mayflower weighed in at 6,751 pounds in 2008, a decrease of 2 percent from 6,830 pounds in 2007. Mayflower’s average moving weight has decreased by nearly 10 percent since the study began in 1997.

“Average moving weights have been trending down for the past four years," said Jennifer Bonham, director of marketing communications at Mayflower Transit. "This is a strong indicator of broader changes in our society. We’re watching Americans shift their lifestyles to accommodate the current economic environment, emerging sustainability trends and the green movement."

Homeowners are transitioning away from ‘McMansions’ to smaller, more sustainable living environments," she added. "This trend parallels other industries’ experiences, such as the auto industry’s, in the recent movement toward less consumption, greener solutions and simpler lifestyles.”

The company recommends the following best practices for those who want or need to downsize their personal belongings.

Rate your space. Assessing a new space to understand its physical limitations will make tough packing decisions easier.

Measuring each room in advance will help in determining what furniture will fit and what will have to go. Taking photos of each room and sketching a layout to remember the space more precisely will help determine what to move.

Out of sight, out of mind. Small spaces are like valuable real estate where every square foot counts. A good maxim is: “If you don’t touch it daily, don’t take it.”

Excuses like “I never know when I may need it” or “I’ve always had it” are not practical reasons to hang on to an unused item.

Learn to let go. After identifying essential items, sort the remaining items into categories such as gifts, long-term storage, trash and donations. Sorting belongings will prevent carrying over the clutter into a new space. And a clutter-free home also “shows” better to prospective buyers.

Parting is such sweet sorrow. Once tough decisions have been made, it’s time to get rid of everything else. Hosting a “reverse housewarming” party is a great way to do this – list everything that needs to go and invite friends, family and neighbors over to choose what they want. It’s a great way to ensure that prized possessions find a good home.