When is a good time to start downsizing?
Last week, for fun, I googled “when is a good time to start downsizing.” The top three results were interesting.
After55.com advocated for aging in place and starting sometime around the age of 64, to coincide with retirement.
Homelight (realtors) talked about home sale trends and transitioning from the big house to a smaller home.
Financial expert, Dave Ramsey, of course, focused on the financial benefits of downsizing for retirement.
While all of these scenarios are true, it feels like the only time you’re supposed to think about downsizing is when you’re old. The difficulty with that thinking is you’ve spent a lifetime accumulating, growing, and building your life collection; and it’s physically demanding to sort through your entire life when you’re older, never mind the emotional toll. Can you imagine having to sort, purge, and organize in your 80s?
I’m here to tell you that the best time to start downsizing is now. Not when you’re 65+, but when you’re in your 30s, 40s, and especially your 50s. You might be thinking:
“I don’t have time…”
“Well, the kids are still growing…”
“I’m not ready to let go…”
“Someday, we might….”
I’m not saying you need to purge your household, I’m simply suggesting you need to maintain it by decluttering, paring down, or downsizing continuously, not just once. Here are a few things you can do to get started:
Make time. If you want to get something done, you have to make a plan and then block time in your calendar to actually do it. Habits form when you remind yourself to do something, then actually do it. Use triggers like a change of season, when the kids start school, or post-holidays to help remind you to take the time to downsize.
Go for low-hanging fruit first. Things you don’t use, no longer need, or want should be the first to go. Rooms you rarely access are also a great place to start. Ask yourself, do I really need this? Is there value in keeping it? Remember, whatever you keep means you have to manage it.
Pass it on. We all have items we want to pass on to someone else when we’re gone. Maybe it’s a piece of art or a book collection. If you know you want to give it away when you’re gone, why not pass it on now? The benefit of passing in on now is that you can watch your loved one enjoy something you both treasure.
Make getting rid of things easier. Designate a space in your home for things that need to be donated or given away (usually near the garage or entryway). Use a box or bag for collection and then once it’s full, you simply put it in the car, and drop it off. That box or bag serves as a reminder to declutter.
We know that trying to decide what to keep and what to let go is hard. The challenge is that so is holding on. Holding on to things for someone else, or an event that may never happen feels heavy and exhausting and can have a negative impact. If you tackle a little bit as you age, you will free yourself from the heavy burden when you are older. Downsizing should not be a result of a life event, it should be an element of your lifestyle.
Are you ready to start downsizing?
