Moving or downsizing as a senior citizen isn’t like any other move. It’s a transition that requires much more planning and help than a move completed in your twenties or thirties. You often have to worry about moving not just a few years of stuff, but a whole lifetime’s worth–not to mention items that belong to your parents, children, and even siblings. A lot accumulates over a lifetime, which makes downsizing as a senior a challenge far beyond a standard relocation.
Find the right home for your current and Future lifestyle. Make sure your home–new or otherwise–is equipped not just for issues you have now, but for potential health concerns you may have in the future. You may not be up to the task of renovations in another ten years.
Get your senior downsizing strategy figured out. Downsizing can mean a lot of things, so having set goals, limits, and a determined strategy will make a big difference.
Clear out the tough-to-reach areas. Before you can dive in and get decluttering, you may want to get all your stuff together first.
Enlist your children to help with downsizing. When tackling downsizing as a senior, “don’t go it alone” is the number one tip to follow. That could mean hiring a professional organizer, working with a motivational coach, or, depending on what you’re decluttering, getting help from someone who’s a bit more personally invested in your decluttering efforts to help.
Give your items a second chance by donating them. Once you’ve sorted through what’s wanted and what’s just clutter, half the job is done. The second half is taking it where it belongs.
Bring the feel of your old home to your new one. One of the hardest challenges of moving or downsizing as a senior is letting go of the home you know and love. But the touches that make your home feel that way can be brought into your new home.
