Downsize Your Home With Less Stress
Let’s face it: change is challenging in any cycle of life! But there can be a particular heaviness to decluttering and organizing as we get older. Sometimes we’ve put this task off for decades and now the job seems overwhelming. Plus as we get older, we can see a time coming when we might not have as much energy or our health might decline, a time that we don’t want to think about.
It’s a lot, but there are some things you can do in order to make downsizing less stressful. So if you’re a senior or are helping an older family member or friend, read on for some downsizing help! Plus sign up to receive our Strategies for Downsizing sheet.
First, check your mindset! Remember that it took you quite a while to accumulate the things in your home, and many of them hold memories and emotions that deserve to be honored. Not only will you not be able to downsize overnight, but as much as possible, you want to take the time to savor all the stories wrapped up in your possessions. Letting go of many of the things that were helpful and meaningful in earlier seasons of your life, but don’t really serve you now, is going to be a process, so try to embrace that.
Second, get started today! You’re probably thinking you have plenty of time to plow through a lifetime of belongings. Any move to a smaller space is years away! The reality is…..time flies, and whether you think your move will happen in 1 year, 3 years or 10 years, life can change in a flash. None of us want to think about it, but a sudden illness, a fall, changes in financial status, a loss of a spouse are all game changing reasons that can quickly shift your plans for a downsizing move.
Third, ask yourself, “Does this thing keep me happy, healthy or comfortable now?” During this process, you will be balancing the past and the future. Not only will you be honoring your past, you’ll also be envisioning your future. Stop and ask yourself if you are keeping space or items for activities that no longer happen in your current season of life. For example, maybe you used to have 10+ people over for dinner regularly. Or maybe you used to love to downhill ski every weekend in the winter. Is it possible that you are hanging on to things that you haven’t used in multiple years? Focus on what you enjoy in your current season of life, and only keep the things that make you happy, healthy and comfortable now.
You may not be looking forward to downsizing, but it isn’t something to fear. This is a process of reassessing and actively choosing what you need and want in your next season of life, something that you’ve done in other cycles in your life, whether that adjustment came when you moved, when you got married, lost a partner, had a child, etc. You were able to make adjustments and re-envision your life before, and you can do it again! For more ideas, request our downsizing guide.
Of course, if you need any help, please reach out to Grace In Cycles. We serve clients in Harrisburg, Camp Hill, Hershey, Mechanicsburg, and throughout south central PA. Contact us today for a free phone consultation!