Downsizing presents a great opportunity to eliminate clutter in your life. By thoughtfully deciding which of your possessions deserve to come along for the ride (and which deserve a fond or not-so-fond farewell), you can build a beautiful, stress-free home. To get started, review our downsizing tips for seniors. And if you’ve already downsized, refresh your space using our handy recommendations.
Downsizing Tips for Seniors
Go Slowly
Downsizing often unleashes a range of emotions, so it’s important to give yourself time to carefully consider each item and say goodbye to those you’re leaving behind. Begin the packing and de-cluttering process long before it’s time to move so that you’re not rushing through the emotional aspect.
Create a System
For example, you may wish to have designated areas for items to keep, items to donate, items to give to loved ones, and items to recycle. Staying organized will help you avoid feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
Keep the New Space in Mind
Before you start piling items into the “keep” pile, consider how much space you’ll have in your new home. Is there realistically enough room for all those pieces of furniture and possessions? Break out your tape measure if needed.
Be Realistic
It’s tempting to say that every item in your home carries special memories and deserves a place in your new home, but you can’t possibly bring everything with you. Take a hard look at each item you pick up. If you haven’t used the item in a year or more and it isn’t a cherished memento, it’s probably time to say goodbye to it.
How to Refresh Your Home
If you’ve already downsized and you’re simply decluttering, you may also wish to update your space. How would you describe your home? Does it make you feel comfortable and happy? Or has it been feeling a little stale, bland, or boring? Even a beautiful home can begin to feel drab if it hasn’t been updated in a while. So why not give your home a revamp? Use the following easy, affordable tips to liven up your house:
Update Your Art
All you need to do is find other prints, paintings, or photographs that fit within your existing frames. Numerous options are available online at places like Etsy and Society6. Whether you consider yourself an artist or not, you could also try creating some of your own art!
Add a Plant or Two
If you want to add a little life to your space, why not add an actual living thing? If you have a green thumb, you could try a more finicky plant. If not, look for a low-maintenance plant that will prosper in the lighting available in your home. Not only will a plant benefit your space’s appearance, but also indoor plants have been shown to boost your mood, increase creativity, reduce stress, and even eliminate air pollutants.
Decorate for the Holidays
Finally, if you want to keep your space feeling fresh throughout the year, consider decorating for the holidays – and not just Halloween and Christmas. You could put up decorations for all your favorite holidays: the 4th of July, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, St. Patrick’s Day, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, etc. In addition, you could put out a new bouquet of seasonal flowers at the start of each quarter, such as tulips for spring, daisies for summer, mums for fall, and poinsettias for winter.
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Humans are incredibly adaptable. We hope that our downsizing tips for seniors have helped you edit out some of the clutter in your life and put a spotlight on the things that truly bring you joy.
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