Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Navigating the Emotions of Downsizing

Dec 28, 2017 | Senior Living

You have made the difficult and important decision to downsize your life. Often times this decision comes with the feeling of relief. You no longer are shouldering the burden of maintaining a house. But, the process of downsizing your belongings to fit into a new space can be overwhelming.

Here are a few recommendations on how to make the process of downsizing simpler and more enjoyable.

Identify Your Spectrum

Be honest with yourself about the items you find important. Do you collect postcards from your travels, store items in memory boxes, or collect records and books? Downsizing does not mean eliminating the items that are important to you. However, you will need to be realistic about the items you may have to give up in order to have space for your collections.

Understand your boundaries and communicate them to friends and family who have offered to help with the process. If there is a room in your home with deep sentimental value, let those helping you know you would prefer to sort through the belongings on your own. The process of downsizing is your own and you have every right to be in control.

Develop a System

Give yourself plenty of time in the weeks and months leading up to your move to prepare. Avoid feeling overwhelmed by committing to one room at time. Set a goal of when you want the room to be packed up and create a realistic timeline. For example, commit to the attic being cleaned out in five to seven days and the kitchen in two to three days. Setting time expectations will keep you on track and motivated.

Start with rooms farthest from the heart of the home. This is often the attic, basement or storage closets. While these areas may have accumulated the largest amount of belongings, they typically are not items you use every day and may be items you no longer need.

In each room, identify four separate piles: sell, donate, pass-down and keep. You can also use a post-it-note system for large items and denote the piles based on a specific color: yellow – sell, blue – donate, pink – pass down, orange – keep.

Stay Positive

The decision to move means you have a new adventure ahead of you. Do your best to focus on the many reasons why you decided to downsize!

As a resident at The Village at Gainesville, we offer a superb living experience and a thoughtful combination of maintenance-free living and services, conveniences, and amenities that complement an already engaging retirement environment. You no longer need to worry about your home, your monthly expenses, what’s for dinner, or what to do each day.

Less responsibility as a homeowner means you have the opportunity to do more of the activities you love and live better by design.

We’re Here to Help

Downsizing is a process. You can utilize our iFloor plans for Assisted Living and view a virtual simulation of how your own furniture fits into your new home. We also have a team of dedicated associates here to help during every step of the process.

X
X