Why is it so hard to downsize and move?
Downsizing and moving can be very difficult for most seniors. It not only means giving up some of your belongings to move into a smaller home, but it may also mean giving up some of the things you are used to doing. This is not necessarily due to moving to a smaller home, but due to age and health.
Kim Forrester, Senior Move Manager
717-552-5686
kim@freshstart-organizing.com
Having worked with many clients who are facing this situation, the clients who are looking forward instead of backwards go through the process much easier and remain happier throughout. This is much easier said than done, of course, but aging and declining health are something you have no control over, so try to look ahead at what you can control and the positive aspects of this change.
As you begin the process of downsizing, it can be very emotional. One thing that can be very disappointing is the value of the items you hold very dear to you. It is best to get advice from an expert concerning the value of your items but be prepared for the amount to be less than you expect. This generation appears to have an influx of items from seniors cleaning out, and the market just cannot sustain the value of the items.
Also, be prepared for the response of family members to wanting some of the items you are not taking with you. Each person is different, but your children likely already have an established household so do not really need many things, and grandchildren may still be young and not settled into one place yet.
It is also important to remember that as each generation is removed, something that is sentimental to you may not be so to someone in a younger generation. For example, if you have something special from your grandmother, or even your mother, your children and grandchildren may have never even met or remember that person, so it holds no sentimental value for them.
While this all seems negative, it really is not. Just remember the joy each item brought to you, even if it is not the same for someone else, the item was for you to enjoy, and you did. Now look forward and select the items that bring you the most joy to take with you. The less you have around you, the easier to focus on what you do have. The same with the activities you used to enjoy. Try to look forward to new or different activities you can enjoy, despite letting go of old tasks.
