All too often downsizing happens after a homeowner ends up in a nursing home or after they die. As a homeowner and a mother, I made the decision long ago that I would take responsibility for my own stuff while I am still able to deal with it.
I have less stuff. I buy less stuff and I have gotten rid of many items that were stored in the basement or shed for years. When I had to move my parents out of their condo I had to figure out what to do with all of their stuff. Some of it ended up in my basement and some of it remains, ten years later.
There was furniture that I was going to “upcycle”. Clothing that for some reason I just couldn’t part with. I got rid of stuff that I brought with me when I went off to college. I sold a few items. Gave items to family members who put them to use. I recycled a few items and donated items to charity.
Sometimes older homeowners decide to move. If you are over 55 and have lived in the same house for 20 years or more give yourself some time to downsize. When the process is compressed due to an emergency we don’t always make the best choices. When we have time to think and plan the process goes much more smoothly.
We live in a society and culture where it is very easy to accumulate stuff and difficult to get rid of it. Some folks just toss it in the trash. That isn’t even as easy or inexpensive as it once was. Getting rid of stuff takes more time and planning than accumulating stuff ever did.
Getting a home ready to sell is all about cleaning and decluttering. Homeowners who plan ahead and allow enough time for both have a better and more stressfree experience.
There comes a point in our lives when “stuff” is more of a burden than a blessing.
