Title: "Making the Move: Downsizing Tips for a Smooth Transition"
As a senior adult, you have decided that your house no longer meets your needs. Often the loss of a spouse will create anxiety when confronting the care and upkeep of a large home by oneself. Or it may be the case that you are ready for a clutter-free retirement lifestyle, like the lifestyle offered at Wesley Haven Villa in Pensacola. That will likely also mean downsizing your possessions to accommodate a smaller space. While it will likely be difficult to let go of cherished possessions collected over the years, there are ways to make the process of downsizing easier and less burdensome.
#1 Start Early
Well in advance of a move, begin to make decisions about what you feel is essential to take to your new home. If you get started on this process while you still have the health and stamina to do so, you will get to be in charge of what to keep, what to donate, and what can be passed on to loved ones to enjoy.
#2 Identify Essentials
Start the process by making a list of the items you will need in your new living space. If you already have your garden home or retirement community apartment selected, get the floor plans and square footage. Pencil in large pieces onto a printout of the floor plans to get a sense of what will fit in your new space. Prioritize what is practical over what is sentimental.
#3 Sort Into Categories
Group items together into emotional attachment categories. If you can quickly identify items that have no sentimental value and will be of little use in your new home, you can make a bulk decision about the dispensation of quite a number of your possessions. That will allow you to conserve your energy for the items that need more thoughtful consideration.
#4 Preserve Memories
Consider taking photos or creating a digital record of sentimental items to preserve the memories associated with those items. Select a few special keepsakes to bring to your new residence to maintain a connection to the past.
#5 Gift to Loved Ones
Why wait?! Consider passing down special items to loved ones now so that you can experience the joy of seeing them cherish and use these heirlooms.
#6 Seek Professional Help
If you do not have nearby family or friends who can assist you, consider hiring a company that specializes in helping seniors during the process of downsizing. Yes, that’s a thing. Hit a browser search with the words “senior downsizing services” and the city and state where you live.
#7 Storage Facility Option
If there are certain things that you just cannot bear to part with, yet taking them with you will be impossible, consider a nearby storage facility to hold these items. But make sure you have a plan to keep up the monthly rental charges at the storage facility or you risk having your storage unit end up on the abandoned unit auction block.
Downsizing can be a very positive step toward a more manageable and comfortable living situation. We hope these tips will help you cut down to the meaningful essentials that lead to a clutter-free and simplified lifestyle in your new home.
If you’re in the Pensacola area and looking for an active retirement lifestyle that is available at Wesley Haven Villa, contact us for a tour or a free information kit.