Ease the transition: Early tips for downsizing

Written by Lisa Salem

When it comes to downsizing, it's really never too early to get started. It's actually wise to have this discussion with your parents and put a plan into action well before they need to relocate to a smaller residence. Keep reading to learn how being prepared can benefit everyone involved in the process and reduce the amount of future stress.

Living a more minimal lifestyle is becoming much more common these days for many different reasons. Some of these include financial concerns due to the rising cost of living (especially housing), people having less children, or a lack of storage space in homes. More people are also boycotting consumerism and embracing eco-conscious lifestyles, such as repurposing what they already have and borrowing instead of buying. Others are simply having to move into smaller dwellings, such as condos or long term care centres, due to aging, health, or mobility issues.

This hasn't always been the case, though, as some generations before us tended to accumulate more due to larger families and homes being more common, or because of people having collector mentalities. Some of the usual suspects in many of our grandparents’ or even great-grandparents’ homes could include multiple sets of dishes or fancy china, cookbooks, artwork, trinkets displayed in cabinets or on bookshelves, encyclopedia sets, and more. People were also less reluctant to let go of things and would save items to pass on to their grandchildren or hold onto things due to their cost or sentimental value if they had the space to do so. Other reasons could include the way some people grew up during times of scarcity, where everything was deemed valuable, or due to mental health issues such as trauma, depression, or hoarding.

What many older adults are left with now (I have personally seen this many times as a Professional Organizer!) are large homes filled with decades of stuff, with only a small percentage of it still being utilized. Some of the common things I see are items that parents have offered to their children (even if they have declined them), including lots of dishes and china, large amounts of kitchenware – once used for entertaining large groups – old camping gear, paperwork, items from their or their kids’ childhoods, luggage sets, records and musical items, and antique furniture.

Reasons people may still hold onto certain items as they age include “just in case” they think they may use them again, they lack the time to go through them, the thought that their children may change their minds about wanting certain things, or they just don't see the need to get rid of stuff if they have the space to store it. In other cases, people simply aren't physically or mentally able to tackle the clutter (for example due to mobility issues or the onset of dementia). This is why getting started early is the best idea, so when the time does come, where it's absolutely necessary for your parents to downsize, this overwhelming, time-consuming project will be crossed off the list!

5 Benefits of Downsizing Early

1. More time to make decisions on items. Having ample time to sort through items and make decisions on what to do with them, especially sentimental ones, will take the stress out of having to do this further down the road, where decisions may have to be rushed. This is especially true if time is of the essence, such as a parent needing to move quickly due to a sudden decline in their health or mobility.
2. Extra time to sell valuable items. Your parents may have some rare or high-value items, such as antiques or furniture, that could be sold to gain extra money. If you get a headstart on this process, you can have specific items appraised to see what they are worth.  This process can be time-consuming, however, so the sooner you can do it, the better. This is also a great time to remind your parents that items can lose value over time, especially if they are worn, and that many people’s styles and tastes have changed, so things they view as valuable may not be perceived the same by others.
3. More space to relax in and entertain guests before needing to move. If your parents’ home is cluttered with stuff, extra space is most likely not on their side. Imagine your parents having more room to entertain family (especially if they have grandchildren) and friends before they are required to move to a smaller home – simply by decluttering!
4. Less stuff to pack/unpack. Moving and life changes can be hard on anyone, but especially for older adults, as many have lived a certain way and in the same home for decades. The less stuff that has to be packed or unpacked can help reduce the stress of the moving process, while also saving money in the long-run.
5. Less need to rent a storage unit. If a home isn't decluttered before moving, any remaining items that don't fit in the new space will most likely have to go into storage (unless family or friends are able to help store things), and this can be incredibly costly.

Final tips

If possible, have family members or friends gather to sort through items together. This is not only a great way to relive old memories but also serves as the perfect opportunity to make decisions on who will take what. Remember to kindly but firmly decline any items your parents offer to you that you do not wish to keep. Instead, you can suggest some charities or organizations that could benefit from these items and offer to take them with you to donate if you are able to do so.

After the downsizing process is complete, ask your parents if there are any specific items (from the stuff they are keeping) that they would like to give to other family members, such as grandkids or friends, or even donate to certain charities after they pass. If so, write them down on a list. Once a parent does pass, the most important thing for their loved ones is having sufficient time to mourn. Having the added stress and guess-work on what to do with their belongings can interfere with the grieving process.

Lisa is a mom of two and a Trained Professional Organizer. She is the owner of Light at The End of The Clutter Professional Organizing Services. For more information, visit her Instagram page at Light at The End of The Clutter, or her website lightattheendoftheclutter.com.

See our related articles:

• How to Have a Downsized Holiday
• 10 Things to Declutter Every Time You Move
• Helping the senior in your life find a new home