Time to Downsize?

My friend says they'll take her out of the house feet first. She has no desire to move to a smaller or more manageable space but she's living with her husband and is in her 50's. My boyfriend's mom says the same thing, but her husband passed away and she's in her 80's. She hardly leaves the house all winter and is dependent on her kids to bring groceries and companionship. My parents moved to senior housing and are loving all of the events - parties, bingo, bus trips, luncheons and entertainers - all delivered to their building, a real plus in bad weather.

Which camp do you fall into? Do you see moving as giving up something or embracing a new opportunity and lifestyle? Maybe right now it's important to have an extra bedroom and yard for your grandchildren and a huge dining room for family gatherings. As family age, you may find you're celebrating holidays elsewhere and grandkids are now parents themselves. There is no magic to deciding when the time is right and the answer is different for everyone but if you've been focusing on what you're losing, consider what you have to gain.

 In the real estate world instead of downsizing, we often call it “right-sizing.” Why spend your golden years cleaning rooms you don’t use or mowing a huge lawn? Choosing to right-size before health or mobility issues force you to move can be liberating! Gift legacy heirlooms while you can enjoy the feeling of giving, organize and dispose of paperwork and get things in order – your kids will thank you.

Another benefit is that you can take as long as you want preparing for the transition. Start by emptying rooms that you know won’t exist in your new house – few smaller homes have a formal dining room, for example. You can also have an estate sale, yard sale or moving sale. Do it yourself or have a professional do the work for a portion of the proceeds. Each area that you address will take a bit more of the weight off your shoulders. 

• Allow family members to put their name on items they’d like to have. If you can part with them now, great. If not, their name will still be there when you no longer need the item.
• For all other items, make a Donation pile, a Trash pile and a Save pile. Think about the wonderful people who will be helped by your donations.
• Go through the Save pile again. Maybe it's enough to take a photo of a treasured item instead of bringing it to the new house.
• If you have collections or antiques, invite a professional to evaluate them rather than donating. You may be surprised at their value. If you still decide to donate the items, you’ll have a great tax deduction!
• Be sure to shred any paperwork that could allow identity theft. Many companies hold mobile shredding events or have a document shredding company come to your home and destroy the documents for you. 

Making the decision to give up your home is a difficult one. You’ve raised a family, celebrated the holidays and created a wealth of memories through the years but deciding where to go next can be equally challenging. This is where your local real estate agent can be a real blessing. A good agent will take the time to understand what you love about your existing space and the most important features in your future home. The process should be fun and exciting and your agent will be there supporting you every step of the way.

In addition, here are some great online resources:

MyMove.com has a great article on downsizing.

LifeStorage.com has an article geared toward the caregiver.

DailyCaring.com talks about dealing with keepsakes and mementos.

AARP.com introduces a professional called a Senior Move Manager to help with the process.

I hope you find these services helpful and of course, if there’s anything I can do to help you along the way, please let me know.