If 2022 is the year of downsizing for you or a senior loved one, then you’ll want to keep in mind a few helpful tips for a smoother downsizing experience.
There are several reasons that people decide to downsize:
- The kids are grown and there’s no longer a need for so much space.
- A spouse has died.
- You want to save money by living somewhere more affordable.
- You simply want to have less stuff.
5 Tips for Better Downsizing
- Get to know the space where you’ll be going. If you’re moving into a new house or apartment, you probably already have a strong sense of your new space. However, if you are helping your senior loved one move into a senior living community, you may need to make an extra visit or two to really consider the space where they are moving. How big is the living area? How much furniture can they really fit into that space? What will they have in terms of a kitchen, if anything? Getting those questions answered in advance will help a lot as you downsize.
- Consider working with a senior move manager. Believe it or not, there are trained professionals called senior move managers who help older adults decide what to keep and what to get rid of as they move or downsize. They also can supervise the moving experience. Visit the site of the National Association of Specialty and Senior Move Managers to find out if a senior move manager can help your senior loved one.
If you or your senior loved one is downsizing due to a death and you have estate management tasks to complete, then Secure Aging can help as well.
- Establish some rules about keeping items. For instance, unless something has particular sentimental value, you can make a rule that says you will discard any item not used over the past year.
- Use technology to your advantage. Instead of holding onto every one of your grown son’s school artworks, think about digital tools at your disposal to hold on to those memories. Take pictures of items that you don’t need to keep physically. Consider moving pictures in photo albums into digital storage.
- Make distinct piles as you clean out things. Those piles can be: throw out, donate, sell (if you or someone you know is handy with Craigslist, eBay, or similar sites), and give away to family or friends. Setting up these piles in advance should make downsizing a little easier.
Call Secure Aging to Find Out How We Can Help Seniors With Estate Management
At Secure Aging in Bradenton, we transform the weight of the world into a sigh of relief for our senior clients and their concerned family members. The mission of Secure Aging is to protect and preserve our client's independence and dignity through careful and thoughtful financial and care management. As our client's age, it is their desire to remain independent and age with dignity. Our services protect our clients from talented con artists looking to exploit and deplete the financial resources of our vulnerable seniors. Secure Aging helps families in Manatee County and Sarasota County and in and around the communities of Anna Maria, Bradenton, Bradenton Beach, Ellenton, Holmes Beach, Lakewood Ranch, Longboat Key, Myakka City, Palmetto, Parrish, and Sarasota. Call us at 941-761-9338, or visit us online at www.secureaging.com.
