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by those who experience the loss of a
loved one and seek to relocate closer
to family for support, or by folks who
have encountered a significant change
in their health, requiring spatial adjust- As you make your way through your
ments in the home for easier mobility
and comfort. Regardless of what is
prompting a person to downsize, the
overall goal should be to create a home
with your belongings that is manage-
able, safe, and feels like home.
Where Do I Begin?
Some individuals think downsizing
means getting rid of everything; not
so! Downsizing is about carefully and
thoughtfully reducing the quantity of
your possessions or the size of your
furnishings. For example, do you really
need to store a full, 12-piece setting of
dishes now that the kids are grown and
gone? Could you work with a smaller
desk or writing table now that you’re
retired? What can make downsizing
challenging is shifting our perspective
on the items we’ve used for so long and
the memories attached to those items.
Because of this, simply coming up
with a plan to get started is so mentally
overwhelming that some don’t even take
the first step even though they know
they need to. The prospect of making
decisions about every item in the home,
finding reputable sources to carry out
these decisions and worrying about the
possible associated costs is daunting.
Getting organized and developing a
strategy to follow is key and not as hard
as you might think…. but you have to
get started!
Begin with a basic assessment of your
household belongings. For example,
start by spending 15 minutes in each
room and ask yourself a few simple
questions as you look at your furniture
and accessories: Do I love it? Do I need
it? When did I use it last? Try starting in
a guest bedroom or linen closet to get
accustomed to the process.
Downsizing Directory
home, create an inventory. For each
item, make a note of “keep/sell/give/do-
nate/trash.” This inventory will become
your “Downsizing Directory” and will
be helpful in conversations with your
family, friends, moving and insurance
companies, and household liquidators.
Downsizing is physically demanding,
requiring activities such as bending,
stooping, reaching and lifting. If you
have physical limitations that make
these actions difficult, it’s better to start
sooner than later so you can work at
your own pace and not hurt yourself by
overexertion.
The effects of downsizing are different
for each of us and can cause a roller
coaster of emotions. One closet may
contain yellowed office supplies along
with a family heirloom passed down to
you from favorite aunt. Enlisting the
help of family and friends can both ease
the physical burden and help you work
through the emotional ties to your pos-
sessions. Having someone there to share
memories with gives you the opportu-
nity to reflect so that you’ll have peace
of mind, knowing you’ve made the deci-
sion that’s right for you.
The Payoff
There is no sugar coating that there can
be a lot of physical and emotional work
involved in downsizing. HOWEVER, the