Downsize And Simplify Your Life

Downsizing is creating in a smaller space and can often be a daunting process.  For seniors it can be even more overwhelming, especially when you have lived in a home for several decades collecting numerous possessions along the way.

Every year, thousands of older adults and seniors leave their larger homes for smaller, more manageable spaces.

Several reasons exist for seniors who want or need to downsize.

According to some of my clients it’s because they no longer want the burden of home ownership.  For others the kitchen is too difficult in which to manoeuvre and retrieve items, or the home is too far from grocery stores and banks. Often times the hallways in older homes are too narrow and there are too many stairs. Housekeeping is difficult to keep up with and for many physical and health issues make caring for a home too difficult.

If you are considering taking the plunge to a more simplified way of life there are a few things you can do to get started before you move.

First, look at the top shelves in your home.  The ones you can’t reach.  If you have items on any tops shelves in your current home it’s because you either don’t need them or can’t reach them.  Whichever the case, it’s likely a safe bet that you can let those items go.

Secondly, don’t hold yourself hostage to being a keeper of all the heirlooms from your family. I’ve heard from many clients that this is their primary reason for not letting go of items they no longer have room for. Take a photo of the item and then send it to other family members to see if anyone would be interested in taking the item.  If not, you know that it is safe to donate to charity or send it along to a consignment store without causing family despair.

Thirdly, remember you can still keep the memories without keeping every possession that goes with that memory.  Consider taking swatches of cloth from special, treasured items and a few tokens of memorabilia and creating a memory box rather than keeping every single item.

Consider how much you can gain from downsizing to a smaller home. Think of it as an opportunity to start a more secure and socially active way life so you can do more, have more free space and room to move around without barriers to safety.

Lastly remember that you are still you without all your stuff.  We are only a caretaker of our stuff.  When we pass on, someone else becomes that caretaker. It’s better to downsize now when you are physically able and can still make the decisions on what to keep and what to let go of than have to do it when the choice is taken away from you. Ultimately, downsizing is the process of sorting through all kinds of stuff to determine what is most meaningful and important.

To downsize is to simplify, lighten up and get organized. Remember, the important things in life are not things. It’s the people who are important.  Just keep the memories, not the stuff.