Q: My parents are moving from a 3,200 sq. ft. house to a 2,000 sq. ft. patio home. Any tips for downsizing seniors?
A: Downsizing is a common trend for many people today due to retirement, empty nesters or an increase in living expenses.
Here are a few thoughts to help you and your parents get through the process.
- Don't wait until the existing house is sold to begin your work. The earlier you begin the less rushed your parents will feel in their decision-making.
- Take a physical assessment of the new space, especially storage areas. Drawing comparisons to the current space can help prompt your parents when making decisions about what they will have room to keep.
- Sort and purge. Go through all possessions room by room and sort into 4 piles: 1.) Keep 2.) Donate 3.) Give to a family member 4.) Recycle/Trash
-Recruit family members to help. I do suggest being mindful of your end goal as reminiscing through mementos can get you off-course and you could lose precious work time.
- With enough planning time, you can have a garage or estate sale and make some money to help with the move.
- Be positive and patient; the entire process can bring on a mix of emotions for everyone in the family.
- For more resources, visit the National Association of Senior Move Managers website. http://www.nasmm.org
Getting Your Life in Order!
-S
