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Where do you want to grow old?
Aging Well | Last Active: Oct 15 9:41pm | Replies (267)Comment receiving replies
To answer the original question about where to grow old, my husband and I are moving to Maryland to be near son. He and his wife want us near and we want that, too.
I’m 71 and still working full time. My husband is semi-retired. He’s 68.
We are leaving our longtime home in the sun belt. I’m not looking forward to the colder climate.
I would like to hear advice from seniors who have made this move. I am finding this overwhelming. Our two story house is full of stuff. I’m purging as much as I can, but it’s a huge task. We will put house on market in October.
Other people who have done this have advised me to sell or give away as much as possible and replace it in Maryland. Thus, save a fortune on moving and storage.
Thoughts?
Replies to "To answer the original question about where to grow old, my husband and I are moving..."
Two dear friends loved cooking. Over the years they introduced me to wonderful foods, prepared and presented beautifully. They opened a world of food to me.
I house sat for them while they traveled, and I found they had a simpler kitchen than any I had seen. Every pot and utensil served its purpose beautifully. There was a rather small selection of spices and seasonings, but they were of very fine quality. It was easy to cook because the shelves were not crowded with clutter. Everything you needed was obvious and at hand, and nothing more.
As I've aged and simplified my life, I've tried to make my shop, office and personal closet as simple and well chosen as their kitchen, but I have a long way to go.
Daniel Dennett writes about how as we age, our home becomes an extension of our mind, a sort of analog computer for solving the problems of living. Does an object help solve the problems of living, or does it create more problems?
Great plan! You have given yourself good time frame to prepare.
I agree wholeheartedly with the advise to 'travel light'. I moved across country 5 years ago; saving on m9ving costs is excellent advise. I had pirged all my stuff, but did bring my furniture. With hindsight I would do this differently: I would pack up any heirlooms that I truly love. Once I arrived with my furniture, some didn't look quite right, and had to be switched out anyway.
I would get out the 'famous three' boxes: one to keep, one to give away, and one for trash. Keep reviewing the stuff to continually purge. When I consider what I could have gained from sales and the cost of freight, it would have been a financial benefit to arrive with my keepsakes only! The money spent would have gone a long way in refurbishing my new place! And so many less headaches!
Good luck on your plans, and all the best in your 'new' life.
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I don’t know about uprooting to be near a family member. What if they decided to move, or their job forced them to relocate? I say this because years ago my daughter wanted me to move across the country to live near her in California. Now her and her husband are living in Virginia. And then she asks me to move there?! 🙁 no thanks, I don’t wanted to be stranded in a different state by myself.
I have friends that this happened too also.