Downsizing Tips When Moving to a Senior Apartment Community
Downsizing for seniors 101: Decluttering tips
If you’re like many seniors preparing to retire, you’ve collected too much “stuff.” And you’ve probably taken steps over the years to accommodate those items in your home, like buying bins, totes, and shelving units and expanding closet space or other storage areas. If you’re thinking about downsizing, the first step will be to get rid of some of that stuff and declutter. Here’s a collection of the best decluttering tips for seniors and some senior downsizing services to consider before moving into a retirement community. Let our list of ideas and tips be your guide to getting started with downsizing and “supersize” your happiness today!
Decluttering tip 1: Know thyself
Before you begin any downsizing project, it’s good to understand why you have too much stuff in the first place. (You don’t want to re-clutter after you declutter, after all!) Think about why you tend to keep things. Essentially, what’s your relationship with your possessions?
Clutter happens to good people for a few big reasons:
1.You’re a serial purchaser. You replace lost items rather than organizing (or finding!) existing ones.
How decluttering helps: When you have fewer items that are well-organized, it’s easy to find what you need.
2.You’re a “prepper.” You like to be prepared for anything, which makes you save items you think may be useful “someday” or “just in case.”
How decluttering helps: If you haven’t used something in a year, consider donating it to someone who’ll get more use out of it.
3.You can’t get started. Tackling the massive project of decluttering and clearing out is overwhelming, so you end up doing nothing. Clutter is holding you hostage!
How decluttering helps: Decluttering is something you can do over time, so you don’t have to tackle it all at once. Start with a small room or even a drawer and build up from there.
4.You have plans for the items. You may have sets of fancy table linens, fine china, holiday decorations and things that remind you of past events.
How decluttering helps: You can consider gifting some of these items to family and friends and enjoy seeing them used without having to store them all year round.
Once you’ve determined why your relationship with clutter has got your home full to overflowing with stuff, it’s time to act.
Decluttering tip 2: Start small
Downsizing doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Start with manageable tasks and build momentum. Commit to a single closet or a few kitchen cabinets. Desks and filing cabinets in home offices are also great places to start. Here’s how to get started decluttering:
1.Create three boxes: keep, sell/donate and trash/recycle. If you can’t decide, set it aside for now. Aim to fill those three small boxes to start.
2.Assess your progress. Is that “keep” box overflowing compared to the other two? Set it aside for a few days or a week while you donate, sell, trash, or recycle the contents of the other boxes.
3.Review your “keep” box (preferably with help from a friend or family member). Are there things in that box that you didn’t think about at all while it was set aside? Move those items to the sell/donate box. If you’re still unsure, consult your friend or family member and allow them to make the call.
4.Snap a photo and let go. Sentimental items can be particularly challenging to part with. But if you’ve never used your grandmother’s gravy boat, for instance, consider whether you just want the memory of your grandmother, or if you really want that gravy boat. Snap a photo of the gravy boat, label it with what it is/the original owner, and donate the actual item. Bonus: you can take a tax deduction for the donation while still enjoying the memories associated with it.
By breaking the process into small steps, downsizing for seniors becomes much less daunting.
Decluttering tip 3: Don’t be afraid to seek help
Many seniors find that having extra support makes downsizing more manageable. Calling in friends and family members to help you declutter can be fun and a great opportunity to share stories with kids and grandkids. They’ll love to hear these memories!
If you think you’d benefit from professional assistance, the Lancaster area offers several senior downsizing services that many of our residents have used, such as Beyond the Fork in the Road. Find other services that specialize in downsizing for older adults.
A downsizing expert will work one-on-one with you to help you make decisions. With years of experience, they can bring a variety of sorting methods and can even do a donation run for you or coordinate other storage options.
Here at Homestead Village, we often host downsizing and decluttering seminars with senior downsizing service partners so you can get professional tips for free and learn more about their approach and pricing.
Considering a move?
Whether you’re preparing to downsize right now or considering it in the future, a move to an all-inclusive retirement community might be just the right fit. If you want more time for fun and family, think about supersizing your happiness with a move to a community like Homestead Village where everything is taken care of for you!
Get in touch with us to request a brochure or just chat with us about your potential plans. Homestead Village features a variety of living options from apartments to carriage homes that offer plenty of storage space. Because, while downsizing is great, it’s sometimes impossible to squeeze everything you need for hobbies, holiday decorating, and entertaining into a broom closet! Come see for yourself!