Many families are choosing to downsize as our aging population continues to grow and people choose to sell their homes and relocate to have more support.
Consider being proactive and focus on doing as much as you can in advance and simplifying your life and home. Below are a few tips that will make the downsizing process a little more manageable when the time comes.
Start early
Downsizing is a process that can start years in advance. Being aware of what you have in your home and getting an early start is critical to reducing the workload later on.
Start small
The downsizing process can be less overwhelming by approaching it one space at a time. Start with the rooms you use the least. Work your way up to some of the more popular rooms. Also choose items that are easier to let go of and make decisions around: towels and bedding are great examples.
Keep, Donate, Sell or Legacy items
Label boxes or bags with Keep, Donate, Sell, or Trash Work in short bursts of time at once but be consistent and do it weekly or bi-weekly. Based on experience, you need to make sure the “No” pile gets removed from the home immediately to avoid the all too familiar scenario where you second guess yourself.
Involve Family
Find out early on if your children, grandchildren, or friends are interested in any of your possessions. It is quite common for family members to take a pass on some of your belongings.
Photo Organizing
One of the most challenging parts of downsizing is having to decide if you should throw out old pictures, cards, kids’ projects, and the many memorabilia that you just cannot get rid of. There are many solutions available to go digital or for more simplified storage versus photo albums.
Where Does It All Go?
You can also choose to sell some of your items through estate sales, garage sales, or online. You can also donate some of your belongings (always a preferred option as you are giving a second life for your items to a family in need). Try to avoid adding to the landfill if at all possible as so many things can find a second life by donating if you cannot sell them.
We can help guide you through the process and get you ready for the move one day.
