Reducing your home size is a challenging and emotional task, so begin planning ahead to ensure you give yourself ample time for decision making.
Your retirement may necessitate you living in a smaller house, apartment or condo as part of an overall plan to simplify lifestyle.
Location
Downsizing can be an invaluable way to save money on mortgage payments, utility bills and property taxes while opening up more space for hobbies. Furthermore, downsizing may reduce maintenance and storage expenses. Before embarking on this path to downsizing however, it is crucial that you carefully evaluate your financial security and long-term goals so as to ensure sufficient funds are set aside to cover all expenses related to moving and purchasing a smaller home.
Create an inventory of your belongings to determine which can be donated or discarded. Downsizing can be emotionally exhausting, as you may feel drawn to hold onto objects which could come in handy one day. If sentimental items are making getting rid of them difficult, consider donating them to local charitable organizations like the Salvation Army instead – this way they’ll put them to good use while helping you feel good about letting go.
Once you’ve taken an inventory of your possessions, sort them into three categories: keep, sell or toss. Items designated “keep” should include those you will likely use after moving into a smaller home; as well as sentimental objects like family photo albums or tokens commemorating achievements. If an item can’t be decided between keep or donate it could make sense donating it instead to charity instead.
Be sure to do your research prior to selling anything. A real estate agent can conduct a comparative market analysis for you and provide this and other details that can help determine how much to ask for your home.
If you don’t intend to sell your current home, visit small-home open houses and model homes instead. Take measurements, gather inspiration for what will work in your future home, record furniture dimensions as you tour spaces – this will allow you to determine which pieces fit into the new place best and maximize space usage so as to create an aesthetically pleasing and functional living area.
Accessibility
Downsizing their home can be an important milestone for retirees. Whether relocating from a large house to a condo, or downsizing from single-family living to apartment living, understanding both its challenges and rewards is paramount before making such a leap. Downsizing may involve parting ways with belongings that no longer fulfill a function in your new space – this process may also prove emotionally trying if certain pieces hold significant meaning to you and/or are nostalgic items from previous homes.
As soon as it comes to downsizing your home, starting early and taking things slowly are two essential pieces of advice to follow. While the process might seem overwhelming at first, you’ll soon realize it can be achieved more easily than anticipated with help from friends and family who can provide invaluable outside perspectives when making tough decisions such as what items to keep, sell, donate and so forth.
Once you’ve devised a plan to sort and remove clutter from your life, the time has come to start the task of decluttering. There are various decluttering techniques you can employ – including the KonMari method which advocates tidying by category while only keeping items that bring you joy; or try the four-box method which requires you to make decisions on every single item by sorting them into boxes marked “Keep,” “Give Away/Sell,” Trash,” and Storage.”
Before starting to downsize your home, take photographs. Shinn suggests looking back at these images when selecting which items should come with you to your new place, using it as a guideline of sorts as to what will remain behind.
Downsizing your home can often be done to be closer to family. If years of career development have led to less time spent with them, moving into a smaller space can provide the perfect chance to spend time together more often.
Downsizing your home can also save money in maintenance costs, freeing up money that could go back into retirement accounts or investing in other opportunities. No more lawn mowing, pool maintenance and landscaping fees! That cash can now go back into investing.
Community Services
Downsizing can be an enormously daunting process for anyone, particularly seniors and empty nesters who have spent years amassing possessions. Though moving into a smaller living space may feel intimidating at first, you don’t need to let it overwhelm you if you approach it methodically and strategically.
An important step of downsizing your home involves purging unneeded items that won’t fit in your new space – this can be both difficult and rewarding! Additionally, it’s crucial that a smaller home meets all your lifestyle needs – services and amenities may need to change to accommodate smaller living arrangements.
As you sort through your belongings, be sure to get rid of duplicate items such as dishes, wall art and storage bins – this will allow you to focus on only what’s essential to daily living. If you need assistance in making decisions regarding what items to keep or discard, seek assistance from family or friends as well as professional organizers who can offer objective opinions in helping with downsizing processes.
One useful tip for selecting multipurpose furniture pieces is selecting multifunctional pieces. Nightstands that include open and closed storage compartments can save valuable floor space in small rooms; ottomans with lift-top storage areas that also double as tables or benches will ensure there is room for everything that matters while minimizing wasted space and clutter.
Once you’ve settled into your new space, ensure you follow proper maintenance habits to keep it tidy and organized. Set aside a time each week to clean and dust your apartment, condo or cottage to preserve its look while potentially preventing issues like stains or mold growth in the future.
Downsizing a house may seem daunting, but the effort can often pay off. A smaller space can reduce home maintenance, utility costs and property taxes while freeing up time for hobbies or socializing with family and friends. If you’re ready to downsize your home, download our Downsizing Your Home Checklist; our step-by-step guide will help you discover a cozy, stylish living area perfect for everyday life.
Maintenance Requirements
Downsizing to a smaller space is often life-altering. From moving into an apartment to choosing your ideal tiny house, finding the place that works for you requires careful thought. Downsizing may come with many benefits including less maintenance work and more time to dedicate towards hobbies.
However, moving can also be an emotional and stressful process if you have too much stuff. To help make the transition less daunting and stressful, several decluttering methods exist, with KonMari being one of them. By breaking it down into manageable steps such as “Keep,” “Give Away or Sell,” “Trash,” and “Storage”, the KonMari method offers clear direction about which items belong in which category. Other tips for downsizing include prioritizing items that bring you joy while making use of space-saving furniture like nightstands with drawers that open/close and ottomans with tops that lift to store blankets/extra pillows!
Consider how your new location can support both physical and mental health goals when selecting a location. If your desired activities include walking in nature, yoga, swimming or jogging paths; public gym access could also be useful; gardeners might prefer an area with abundant greenery or easy access to an outdoor market.
As part of selecting an appropriate living space for retirement, it’s essential that you’re honest with yourself about which maintenance requirements can realistically be fulfilled by you alone. If it becomes apparent that you can no longer tend to your yard and gardens like before, perhaps hiring a gardener may be beneficial.
Be honest when considering the costs associated with your new space. Your budget might have tightened since purchasing your original home and the monthly upkeep expenses might no longer be affordable for an apartment or condo living situation. Be sure to inquire about fees and taxes associated with any new living arrangement before making a final decision about moving.
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