“What am I going to do with all this stuff?”
If that’s a question that has crossed your mind lately, you’re not alone. At Edgewood, we don’t consider downsizing a chore. In fact, many members of our community were able to find joy in this endeavor as excitement for their move to the community began to build.
In this post, you’ll find downsizing tips for seniors that helped make the moving process enjoyable for many of the members of our community.
1. Take Advantage of Downsizing and Senior Move Services Provided by Edgewood
From selling and donating your items to finding a new home, downsizing can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. Especially when you have the help of professional services designed to ensure your transition goes off without a hitch.
When you make the decision to become an Edgewood resident, we can work together — along with our partners at WayForth Moving and Transition Solutions — to plan the next steps of your move. Our transition services include:
- Personalized rightsizing sessions to help you declutter and downsize
- Measurement of your furniture and analysis of your new floor plan to ensure your items fit beautifully in your new space
- Careful packing of all your items and then unpacking and helping you arrange them just the way you want them on move-in day
- Managing all other logistics to ensure your next move is your best move
Best of all, as a welcome gift to you, we’ll cover part of the cost of your transition services!
2. Start Early and Slowly
From what we’ve observed in the past, downsizing becomes difficult when it’s left to the last minute. The rush to sell countless items or give them away in a short period of time is enough to stress anyone out.
But downsizing doesn’t need to be stressful, nor does it need to be completed in a day. Our first downsizing tip for seniors is to set a timetable for how much time you want to spend rightsizing your life. Be it a week or a year, as long as you’re making progress towards your goal at regular intervals, downsizing can actually be an enjoyable project.
The earlier you start, the more you’ll thank yourself when your move to a community is a seamless one.
3. Decide What to Declutter, Donate and Document
As you sift through your belongings, you’ll soon realize that not everything needs to be thrown out. Much of what you own can be sold, given away or donated to benefit someone else. Selling the items you no longer need can be a good way to bring in a little extra cash, while donating can make you feel good that someone finds value in an item you cherished.
Prioritize letting go of the things you can sell or donate first. After those items have been addressed, you can work on throwing away what’s left over or giving those items to friends or family who may have better use for them.
Before you part with anything, be sure to take pictures of it. Your smartphone (or a regular camera) is all you need to save memories of items you’re decluttering from your home. If you ever find yourself thinking about them, you can look back at the images you took as a brief reminder.
Remember, you don’t have to let go of everything. But you should be making a concerted effort to give away items that will make moving to a community difficult. You’ll be surprised at how much of it you won’t miss!
4. Don’t Do It Alone!
Many members of the Edgewood community recall what a positive experience downsizing became after they enlisted the help of friends and family. It gave them the opportunity to get organized with the help of the people whose company they cherish most.
As you and your children, siblings, friends and other loved ones comb through possessions that have been out of sight and out of mind for a long period of time, it can bring back memories and stories you may have never shared before. Having a team of people to help you will allow you to downsize quicker and offers more opportunities to laugh and reminisce with your loved ones.
5. Keep a Positive Mindset
As with most things in life, there may be one or two bumps in the road as you work towards your goal of downsizing. But don’t let the challenges hinder the progress you make in rightsizing and preparing for your big move.
The planning and work you put in today, will make for a more simplified move in the future. By the time you move into the community, the weight of downsizing will be lifted from your shoulders and you’ll be ready to continue writing your story while holding on to what truly matters most to you.
Learn More About Edgewood Retirement Community
If you’d like to learn more about Edgewood and how we help residents’ rightsize their lives, call (978) 222-7747.