The Secret to Happy Downsizing
There is an upside to downsizing, particularly when the upkeep and maintenance of your current home is becoming a chore.
Reducing clutter is all the rage these days. That’s a great thing for downsizers, because there are suddenly so many good reasons to throw stuff out. It may be the upkeep of your current home, but everyone has their own definition of what downsizing means.
There are blogs, websites and instruction manuals all dedicated to downsizing…but what does downsizing mean and does chucking out accumulated junk really make you happy?
According to Websters dictionary, to downsize is to reduce in size and let’s face it, we all have things that we’ve accumulated over the years. Some of it used, some we just look at or keep for “good”.
Chances are some of the stuff you need to downsize isn’t even your so you may need to enlist family to help you sort through the treasures and the trash.
Remember, it’s not always about stuff
We also need to acknowledge that downsizing is about more than possessions, more often than not it’s about the memories associated with the space that makes downsizing a daunting task.
Try to remember this new phase of your life will bring a raft of unexpected freedoms, opportunities and responsibilities, so aim to have a little fun with it all.
Be creative, take your time
Work on one room at a time so the task is not too daunting
Set limits on what you can take, make a list of must have items and start there
Enjoy the joy on the face of a loved one who receives their gift now rather than as a part of your legacy
Ultimately, don’t be too hard on yourself. If you are struggling to let something go, there’s probably a good reason but you should view downsizing as a unique opportunity to reduce clutter in your life before moving to a new home.