Understanding the Sentimental Value of Downsizing to a Retirement Community

One of the most common concerns seniors have when it comes to independent living is downsizing their possessions. It can feel overwhelming to sort through an entire residence and determine what to keep or remove.

Additionally, sentimental value may be placed on items such as the fine china dinnerware or the dining room set, which are not typically used on a daily basis. Here are some tips  to help downsize and manage your loved one’s expectations while helping them determine what is truly valuable.

How to Downsize Your Home: Tips for Helping Your Loved One

For some, retirement can be an exciting time, providing an excuse to  downsize and declutter before moving to a retirement community. But where do you begin when helping your loved one downsize, especially when they are hesitant?

Here are some tools to navigate your loved one’s hesitancy and have a successful downsizing experience:

Focus on the positives.

One of the common struggles of downsizing is focusing on the items being given up rather than the new life your loved one is creating. Until you help your loved one see the benefits of downsizing, you may experience struggles throughout the process.

For example, discuss the positive points of senior living with your loved one. Remind them of the amenities, new friends, and low-maintenance lifestyle they can look forward to in an independent living community. It may also help to focus on moving into a more manageable, smaller space rather than a residence where many of the rooms may go unused.

Introduce the concept of rightsizing.

Once you’ve discussed the “whys” with your loved one, It’s time to focus on which items best accommodate the new life they are about to create. How do they see themselves living? Which items in their current home truly bring them joy?

To stay organized and focused throughout the process, it will help to go room by room, starting with the most-used rooms first, such as the living room, kitchen, and bedroom.

Help your loved one determine what they use each day.

Ask your loved one which spaces and items they use most frequently. This can help them realize that the china set they’re attached to has been sitting in a cabinet untouched for years.

Along with this, focus on the love and use their items will get if they are donated. This removes the negative spin that they’re “getting rid of” the china set, and instead giving it to a family who may find happiness and their own traditions with this item.

Start the process early.

This is important to ensure you have plenty of time for organizing and packing if your loved one is moving to a smaller space, such as an independent living apartment. If you wait too long to start the downsizing process, it can be harder to remove items, resulting in more reluctance, rushing, and stress during the moving process.

Planning out the process ahead of time enables you and your loved one to take time to decide which items will be kept, donated, or sold. Set specific goals for each area of the residence to streamline the process and keep focused.

If your loved one is moving into an independent living community, make sure you know the floor plan and dimensions so you and your loved one can plan where furnishings will go in the new space.

Preserve photo albums.

Sentimentality is a common reason for hanging on to family heirlooms and other items. Consider preserving sentimental items in a digital picture frame so your loved one can continue to enjoy memories without clutter.

If there are home videos your loved one cherishes, try converting these items to a digital format. Your loved one will still be able to enjoy the memories, but without the clutter and additional storage space to store physical home videos.

Create a New Chapter in Senior Living

Your loved one’s golden years should be vibrant, maintenance-free, and focused on enjoying activities they love. Not sure if it’s the right time for senior living? Take our free assessment to learn about your options.