Consider the Emotional Side of Downsizing your Home
People downsize for a variety of reasons,
from the “empty nest” syndrome to convenience or hardship. Here are a few
things to consider as you contemplate moving to a smaller home. “Before any
move, focus on how you want to live. People don’t think enough about why
they’re moving,” said Mary Jo Zeller, director at Gero Solutions, which manages
moves for seniors. “Increasing numbers of downsizers these days want to
exchange the worry and expense of maintaining a large property, for the luxury
of low maintenance and the opportunity for more leisure time.”
Emotional ties to the family home is one of
the main barriers to downsizing, but equally, deciding on where to move to, and
what style of property will best suit, can be just as daunting a prospect. During
the downsizing process you may be surprised at how attached you have become to
your possessions and how difficult it might seem to part with them. A good tip
is to start getting rid of your items a few months before your move so donate,
recycle, e-bay and give away some of those items you really don’t need anymore.
This will make the move much easier and your smaller home less cluttered. Decorators
recommend sketching floor plans for your new home to see where all your current
furniture will fit. You shouldn’t wait until you move in to discover that
there’s just no room for that armoire or extra stools.
For those already on the top of their
property ladder, they may find that reversing course and heading down is the
right decision for them.