8 Tips for Downsizing With to Independent Senior Living With Care

#1 Adjust Your Thinking About Belongings

 

Before you even think about pulling out that packing tape, take time to honor your feelings about the move. It’s perfectly normal and okay to feel mixed emotions. Try not to get stuck there though. Bilotich says reframing your thoughts around objects can help. “Objects, people, and memories are not the same,” she says. “Tell yourself, ‘I can get rid of stuff, and still keep relationships and memories.’”

 

You can also think of parting with excess belongings as an act of love for others. Bilotich names a few ways letting go of items can feel more like love than loss:

 

• Releasing the burden of sorting items for the next generation 

• Helping a spouse feel less stressed and weighed down 

• Helping people in need through donated items

• Freeing yourself to be more mobile and flexible

 

“Clip these thoughts, and put them somewhere obvious to remind yourself,” says Bilotich.  “Add your own thoughts and perspective.”

 

 

#2 Start Small

 

Thinking about sorting and packing up an entire house can feel overwhelming to anyone, especially if you’ve been living in the same space for decades. Bilotich recommends making a list of all the rooms in your house and focusing on one room at a time. “Do not think about the entire house,” she says. “Start with an easy space or room, and work your way up.” Chipping away at smaller pieces of the project instead of the whole kit and caboodle keeps anxiety in check, and can prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and immobilized.

 

 

#3 Ask Yourself 3 Questions

 

When going through belongings, it’s easy to get stuck in thoughts like: “One day, there could be an occasion to wear that dress that hasn’t seen the light of day for 15 years,” or “I haven’t used that breadmaker since the 90s but, you never know?”

 

If you’re hesitant to part with an item, Bilotich recommends asking yourself three questions:

 

1. Do I love it?

2. Do I use it? 

3. Do I need it?

 

If you answer yes to these three questions, put the item in the “keep” pile. If not, it’s time to say sayonara. 

#4 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

 
Before you move onto the next room, categorize your discard pile. Sort it into four parts: 
 
Offer to family and friends
Sell
Donate
Recycle/trash
 
Depending on the timeframe between taking inventory of your home and moving, you could have a yard sale or use online services like Craigslist or eBay for items you wish to sell. Make it a positive experience by putting money from sales into a few items to spruce up your new space. 
 
If you have sentimental items that you’re on the fence about, consider sharing them with friends and family. For instance, maybe someone is in the market for a new armchair or a piece of artwork. When you go to visit these loved ones, you’ll see your items being enjoyed by people close to you.
 

#5 Evaluate Items You Keep

 
Keeping a few pieces of furniture and decor is a nice way to ease the transition from one home to the next. You’ll want to make sure these items fit into the new home’s floor plan. If you’re moving into a Holiday Retirement community, reach out to them and request a copy of the floor plan to get an idea of your new space. Each community web page also has a “plan your apartment” option that allows you to “virtually” arrange your new home online.
 

#6 Celebrate Little Wins

 
Little wins add up to the big ones. After you finish sorting a room, check it off your list and pat yourself on the back before you move onto the next one. Do something nice for yourself. Go on a walk. Treat yourself to a favorite snack. Call a friend. A little self-care will motivate you more to keep the momentum going. “Make sure to congratulate yourself after each room,” says Bilotech. Each finished room is significant progress toward your final goal!”

#7 Make Your New Home Feel Like Home 

 
With a few mementos, you can seamlessly make your new home in an independent senior living community feel warm and welcoming. Sort through family heirlooms and childhood photo albums to find items that truly make a house feel like home. They should be the first ones brought to your new home. 
 
Use your big move as an excuse to update outdated décor or play the role of decorator. Retailers like IKEA, Walmart, and Target specialize in inexpensive décor that works nicely in smaller settings such as independent senior living apartments. 

 

#8 Focus on the Positive

 

Your house may have been where your son brought home his blue ribbon from the 3rd grade field day and where your daughter had her first sleepover with her best friends, but it very well could have had some quirks that will be nice to avoid. Knocking the ice out of the gutters every winter or mowing the lawn and tending to a large garden every summer can become cumbersome as we age. 
 
Letting go of unnecessary items  can be extremely therapeutic. Physical decluttering can make your mind feel less cluttered as well. Making the move to a smaller home in a senior living community can alleviate a lot of the headaches of a large home while still allowing for the freedom of having your own space.