Priority Downsizing
Ready to downsize to a smaller living space? What are you going to take with you? The question is simple enough and yet answering it can prove to become an episode of Mission Impossible. Have no fear. There is a way through. All you need to do is prioritize.
Of course, it’s always best to begin the downsizing process early, no matter how much lead time you have before you move. The earlier, the better, as it will give you more control over your decisions. A thoughtful approach to what you are keeping is much better than last minute crisis decisions that can lead to potentially costly and regrettable mistakes. Apply these ideas to your decision making and you may be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
Take time before the downsizing begins to track items used in a week or those considered the daily essentials. It may be eye opening to look back over that list and see how few items are actually used ‘all the time’.
Choose favorites: what are the ‘go to’ items. Favorite pajamas, favorite coffee mug, favorite books. You get the idea. Just remember, if everything is special, nothing is special.
Prioritize smaller pieces of furniture. This may be challenging, but so is downsizing to a smaller living space. Think about how certain pieces of furniture can be used differently in different rooms. This may help to expand storage options while keeping some beloved pieces.
Consider today’s lifestyle. Most of us are holding onto lots of things that we may have used frequently - once upon a time. Formal china and dress suits for work come to mind. Do today's typical activities require you to have a business wardrobe, or place settings for 12?
Measure, measure, measure. Careful planning and placement is key when moving into a smaller residence like a senior living community. This is not only true for furniture; it applies to other areas like the kitchen or bathroom where the width and depth of cabinets and drawers may be much smaller than in the traditional home.
Go digital. Paperwork, photos and books take up a lot of space which, plain and simple, may not be available. There are lots of tools to help store and preserve these items safely, keep them accessible, and not use up valuable, physical space. Scan documents to store in digital files, upload photos to digital frames and consider audio books for your listening pleasure. If you feel you are not tech or computer savvy, not to worry. There are lots of services available that can do this for a fee, or a family member may be able to help.
Prioritizing your belongings is a great approach to zero in on the important items. Think about each item’s usefulness or functionality and how it will fit in your new lifestyle and smaller living space. It’s a good way to curate your belongings, allowing you to keep your most meaningful possessions. Remember, it is perfectly fine to keep items that you just want to keep and not focus soley on the essentials. Sometimes a possession’s function is to bring happiness.
Entering a new season of life is the perfect time to let go of any items kept out of guilt, anything you have been holding onto ‘just because’, or perhaps quite literally, someone else’s baggage. Prioritize items that fulfill your needs and wants to successfully downsize.
It is possible.