We offer some reasons why it may be worth pursuing and strategies to get it done.
There are many reasons you might consider downsizing. It could be as simple as your kids have flown the coop and that bedroom still isn’t cleaning itself. Or, it could be more complex – you’re reducing to one income or to retirement income only, you’re healthcare expenses have risen, or you’ve adjusted your financial goals and the extra income from a lifestyle adjustment could help in that regard.
Downsizing can be both an invigorating and stressful venture wrapped up into one. There are benefits to downsizing, like simplifying your life and starting a new adventure in a slightly smaller place. Your new living area will be easier to maintain and you will have a chance to get rid of unnecessary items you do not use anymore.
It comes with decisions. The thought of moving into a new place and letting go of a number of your possessions can become overwhelming. The word downsizing can have negative connotations, so let’s take a look at what it’s all about when we’re talking about a lifestyle change.
The Challenges
The challenge for many of us is leaving that supersize lifestyle behind. Simple things we might have taken for granted, like a large sectional couch or a big antique hutch, might not fit so well into a downsized mode. That three-leaf dining room table that gets used once a year, with the exception of a daily mail station, could be just the type of thing that has to go. The question and challenge of it is, how do you decide when and how to attack it?
Strategies
Clear out methodically. Take your time to get it right. If you’ve thought about where you’re going to downsize to, take stock of what space will be available and how you can make the most of it. Are there items you can find multiple purposes for? Such as a desk that can double as an add-on table for when extra guests come to visit.
Alleviate some keepsakes. Are you a hoarder of the sentimental? It’s ok. If you’ve got a shoebox (or shoeboxes) full of keepsakes, consider alleviating a few of those by finding some small frames or a proper scrapbook for them. Doing this, you may find duplicates or items that transmit the same feeling as another and therefore can be cut from the collection.
Are you ready to make the change? As a helpful mnemonic device, below are the “3Ps” of Downsizing:
Predict
- Predict how long the process may take. Set a realistic start and finish date. It might seem overwhelming, but setting a timeline will calm anxieties.
Pick
- Pick your new place.
- Pick its layout. What furniture moves with you and what goes?
- Pick the items that you want to keep. Toss the items that you don’t.
Plan
- Once you have all of your preliminary steps in place, make a plan for during and after the move.
- Plan shopping differently once you have moved in - you may no longer want or need to buy in bulk.
- Have a plan about what you are going to do with all of your discarded items (trash, resell, donate, recycle).
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