Hi there @sueinmn, yes I have tried some of these options. And my life has certainly changed. Jay and I had been going back and forth between my mountain home in Idyllwild to Adam's Landing here in St. Cloud. Two summers ago in 2018, with the realization that my known health conditions were progressing, leaving me in greater pain and discomfort, I decided to perform a test. I flew back to the mountain with the goal of seeing if I could manage by myself for a month. Living in a valley at the top of a mountain range brings with it lots of unusual living life issues. Everything is "off the hill" especially medical facilities.

My granddaughter drove me up from San Diego and I settled in. Within a week or so the five plume fire was created by an arsonist. I was sitting playing mahjongg with friends when I got the call to evacuate.

I struggled with all of the evacuation details and found it difficult to get all the hot embers off my decks, refrigerators emptied and contents lugged to the transfer station, AKA the dump. So....we assessed our options and chose to sell my mountain home. The home we have in Minnesota lends itself to "aging in place". There is a guest suite that can be used for us when we need daily care. The main floor can accommodate the laundry in the overflow pantry. And we are planning a "kitchenette" for the guest suite.

Here's the great part.....I feel light as a feather. The house sold immediately while Jay was still doing 5 days a week of proton therapy at Mayo and we were staying at Hope Lodge. My friends face timed me and I made "stay or go" decisions remotely. We left Mayo and flew to CA with 3 days left before the close. So....not much of the sorting and decision making was left to be done. And emotionally, I held it all together.

My home was filled with art from my gallery and there was so much entertaining "stuff" because I would have 75 folks come for up close and personal evenings with my artists. I also had an office and studio for my design clients.

I gave all of it away.....to customers, friends and families of friends. There is great joy in giving. The coffee shop needed a microwave and the newspaper office needed a shredder. A newly married young couple needed furniture. Customers wanted pieces from their favorite artists. Although I think about some of the "released" items once in a while.....I am very comfortable living without the closets of objects that I had collected over the years. I have one box of keepsakes......my grandfather's pocket watch and a few envelopes with family history treasures. That's enough.

May you have happiness and the causes of happiness.
Chris