Downsizing Your Home

Retirement comes with many new beginnings and changes, and one of the biggest ones may be downsizing your home. After living with family or others in a larger house, many retirees feel they are ready for something smaller and more manageable. Downsizing can promote many incentives such as lower costs, maintenance, and less clutter lying around. If downsizing sounds like something you want to include in your retirement journey, there are a few key things to remember. With some planning and an open mindset, you can make the downsizing process smooth and enjoyable. Here are some tricks on how to downsize in retirement to meet your new needs. 

ASSESSING YOUR NEEDS

The first step in the downsizing process is understanding your needs and desires for the future. You should think about your lifestyle and the kind of home you want to live in to support that. Some questions to ask yourself are: is your home too big to maintain, does it have amenities you no longer need, are you close to friends/family? Some other factors to consider are accessibility and comfort. Take into account future needs, such as having no stairs, being near public transportation, and even proximity to healthcare. By taking time to understand your needs, you can more easily search for a home that fits your new lifestyle. 

REDUCING YOUR POSSESSIONS

One of the scarier parts of downsizing is sorting through your belongings. After a lifetime of living, it can be easy to collect things you may not need. The good news is that downsizing allows you the opportunity to go through and let go of those items that no longer serve a purpose in your life and new home. By starting with one room at a time, you can make decluttering an enjoyable process, and even stumble upon some old memories. For the more sentimental items, a way to save the memory of them is to take a picture or video for a digital album. When deciding if you should keep an item or not, it’s important to think about if you use the item regularly or if you would buy it now. By starting early and taking it room by room, you can make it easier to sort through your belongings without feeling rushed. 

LIFESTYLE

It’s important to remember that while the size of your home may shrink, your lifestyle doesn’t have to diminish. With a little creativity and planning, you can still enjoy your favorite hobbies and activities. You should think about the things that brought you joy in your previous home to find ways to incorporate them into your new life. By prioritizing the things you love, you can streamline your life without sacrificing it. 

BUDGETING

Something to remember when establishing your new life is to set a realistic budget. The things 

you desire now may not be the same costs as they were before retirement, so it’s important to do your research when you’re planning. New rent and mortgage prices should be considered when deciding on your move, as they play a large factor in your moving process. 

GET HELP

Hiring professional help can take moving from a daunting task to one of ease. There are plenty of professionals such as real estate agents, organizers, and movers who specialize in this field and have all the best tips and tricks to make moving a seamless transition. Real estate agents can help you determine the best time to move and guide you through putting your home up for sale to get the best profit. Agents can also help you find a property that meets your new needs in retirement. Organizers can help with sorting and packing your belongings to be moved to your new home. Alongside organizers, moving companies can also help packing, transporting, and unloading your belongings, making the process less stressful and strenuous on the body. 

LONG-TERM PLANNING

Finally, when downsizing, think about your long-term plans. You need to consider whether your home will meet your new living conditions and lifestyle in the years to come. As your health changes as well, it’s important to make sure those potential changes are a factor in your decision. Features to consider in a new home are single story spaces, open floor plans, easily accessible walkways and entrances. If your health is a concern in your later years, making sure you find a home in close proximity to healthcare and amenities is important as you plan your future. When making a decision, you can create a home that’s smaller and better suited to your new life in retirement. 

Downsizing your home in retirement can be a liberating experience, emphasizing the freedom of your new life. By taking the time to declutter your things, plan for the future, and assess your needs, you can create a comfortable home that makes your retirement a joyous time. This is a chance to simplify your life and enjoy the things that matter most to you. With some planning and a willingness for change, you can open the door to a new chapter in your life.