Downsizing, To Move or Not to Move? That is the Question

Posted by Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor @rosemarya, Apr 12, 2020

At some point as we age, we will have to make a decision about leaving our homes and downsizing. Maybe in our own town or to another town. Maybe to smaller home, condo, apartment, or assisted living/senior community.

When the time comes to downsize, seniors can struggle with a multitude of emotional, physical, and financial challenges.

How do you make an informed decision about when to downsize?
What tips do you have to share?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

@sueinmn

Oooh Sundance, we know the Southern route well. My teeth chattered for 3 days afterward!
As for the packing, how much did you pack to keep, to donate & to toss? That's the real key!

I figure for every place a attack, about 50% stays, 25% is trashed, and 25% is donated. We have a group on Facebook here called "Buy Nothing [City Name]" - you post whatever you want to get rid of, interested parties respond and you arrange a safe pickup. We have rehomed so much between there and the charity that sets people up in new housing.
Sue

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Sue, As I may have said, I have been on some very "Rough Roads" in my 75 years of traveling through the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest, it is byfar one of the Ugliest! Have talked to the rangers and they are serious about leaving that way! In someways it makes sense! It is a Very Special Place! Unfortunately the average person seems to want to leave their mark.
I don't know if you are farmilier with the Stone in the Opening that marked various time of the year. I think it was the Winter Solstice, I maybe wrong. Anyway several years ago someone came in and moved it from it's place!
VERY SAD!
Late fall and early Spring(if the wind is not blowing) my most favorite time to visit Chaco! Less people and just a Magical Time to sit and Meditate on top of a msea!
I have had some truly Mystical Experiences at Chaco!
So back to my moving! Have a lot of different statues, bowls, and other mementoes in the living roon and dinning room. All one room! Packed up four boxes this morning! Just a start! My releastate agent when she was going through the house with me just shock her head!
She says you have a lot to move! I have given myself three months to clean ou and list the house! In NM when winter comes my yard turns from beautiful shrubs and vines to what we call "Albuquerque Brown!"
We took picture in the early to mid fall when vines were still green and Trees had a little yellow and red for the listing!
So time has come!
Some of the problem is I have no one to help! My family wants to sell the house but they don't want to come down and help! Plus with whatever I have, Lyme Disease, Fibromyalgia or who knows what somewhat limits me as to how much I can do at a time before things set in!
But I will get it done!
Enjoy the rest of winter.
I used to work for National Car Rental when it was located in Minniapolis. Was in town usually one to two times a month for meetings or coming back into the US on my way home! Have had some very wonderful times there! Probably even left a few of my Brain Cells there. I used to stay at the Sofetel! One of my favorite hotel chains in the world at that time! The food was always Incredable!
Hope you have a good week!
From The Land of Enchantment!
Sundance(RB)

REPLY
@sundance6

Sue, As I may have said, I have been on some very "Rough Roads" in my 75 years of traveling through the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest, it is byfar one of the Ugliest! Have talked to the rangers and they are serious about leaving that way! In someways it makes sense! It is a Very Special Place! Unfortunately the average person seems to want to leave their mark.
I don't know if you are farmilier with the Stone in the Opening that marked various time of the year. I think it was the Winter Solstice, I maybe wrong. Anyway several years ago someone came in and moved it from it's place!
VERY SAD!
Late fall and early Spring(if the wind is not blowing) my most favorite time to visit Chaco! Less people and just a Magical Time to sit and Meditate on top of a msea!
I have had some truly Mystical Experiences at Chaco!
So back to my moving! Have a lot of different statues, bowls, and other mementoes in the living roon and dinning room. All one room! Packed up four boxes this morning! Just a start! My releastate agent when she was going through the house with me just shock her head!
She says you have a lot to move! I have given myself three months to clean ou and list the house! In NM when winter comes my yard turns from beautiful shrubs and vines to what we call "Albuquerque Brown!"
We took picture in the early to mid fall when vines were still green and Trees had a little yellow and red for the listing!
So time has come!
Some of the problem is I have no one to help! My family wants to sell the house but they don't want to come down and help! Plus with whatever I have, Lyme Disease, Fibromyalgia or who knows what somewhat limits me as to how much I can do at a time before things set in!
But I will get it done!
Enjoy the rest of winter.
I used to work for National Car Rental when it was located in Minniapolis. Was in town usually one to two times a month for meetings or coming back into the US on my way home! Have had some very wonderful times there! Probably even left a few of my Brain Cells there. I used to stay at the Sofetel! One of my favorite hotel chains in the world at that time! The food was always Incredable!
Hope you have a good week!
From The Land of Enchantment!
Sundance(RB)

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Hello Sundance,
Where are you moving to? Back to California where you were born?
We have excellent hospitals where you will probably be diagnosed properly.
As far as help packing your belongings, there are plenty of companies that will assist you in packing. Have you called a moving company? They come with the wrapping paper and plenty of boxes, and in no time the job gets done.
Have you thought of donating belongings you no longer need to charity?
Stay well,
Funcountess

REPLY
@gingerw

@sueinmn Belly dancers doing upholstery work. The visual is bringing a smile to my face!
I am still sorting quilt patterns from a huge tote bin. I will be sending yarn on to a friend who now lives full-time in a motorhome and travels, in her color choices. Found more flannel that is used for backing my quick lap quilts, so definitely no need to buy more! Going through everything makes me more enthused about tackling projects I want to do. Downsized books from 3 six-foot bookcases to one 6' plus part of a four foot one. Have promised myself to borrow from the local coffeehouse and return read books there. Hoping to go through kitchen drawers and rehome duplicates. Why do we need two breadmakers?
Ginger

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Two bread makers! Wow, I don't have one. A quick story about me in the kitchen yesterday (always a near-disaster). I was making banana nut bread and needed a mixer to get the lumps of lard to meld with other ingredients. I thought I had two hand mixers, but could not find either. I resorted to an old-time hand beater and it worked although it took more muscles than I thought I had. My husband came home and I showed the hand beater to him. It was from Nana, his grandmother. He looked at it and noted the top handle and the grip that moves the beaters were vintage green. He thought it might be from the 1930's. Isn't it amazing how some old things really do still work? My husband said this was the best banana nut bread I have ever made. It must have been. I ate two slices and he ate three, all covered with butter! @joybringer1

REPLY
@joybringer1

Two bread makers! Wow, I don't have one. A quick story about me in the kitchen yesterday (always a near-disaster). I was making banana nut bread and needed a mixer to get the lumps of lard to meld with other ingredients. I thought I had two hand mixers, but could not find either. I resorted to an old-time hand beater and it worked although it took more muscles than I thought I had. My husband came home and I showed the hand beater to him. It was from Nana, his grandmother. He looked at it and noted the top handle and the grip that moves the beaters were vintage green. He thought it might be from the 1930's. Isn't it amazing how some old things really do still work? My husband said this was the best banana nut bread I have ever made. It must have been. I ate two slices and he ate three, all covered with butter! @joybringer1

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@joybringer1 Yup, inability to put my hand on a specific tool led the way to my ongoing cleanout/downsizing effort. We also have at least one working hand beater. It would be quite a trick for my to lose my mixer, though - it is an 18 lb 40 year old KitchenAid.

Quite a few years ago, when we added a cabinet to our kitchen, we made a baking station with a built in appliance garage - wired and with a roll down door. Mixer, blender, toaster, utensils and can opener all hidden away in one place, all the sugars, flours, spices housed above, and the baking pans below. I never imagined I would have such a luxury in my own home.

Sue

REPLY
@funcountess

Hello Sundance,
Where are you moving to? Back to California where you were born?
We have excellent hospitals where you will probably be diagnosed properly.
As far as help packing your belongings, there are plenty of companies that will assist you in packing. Have you called a moving company? They come with the wrapping paper and plenty of boxes, and in no time the job gets done.
Have you thought of donating belongings you no longer need to charity?
Stay well,
Funcountess

Jump to this post

No not going back to Califonia! Staying in my "Third World State, New Mexico"! My family lives up in an area called the Four Corners. It's where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico meet, only spot in the US where that happens. The are where they live is just on the New Mexico boarder of Colorado and the town of Durango. I have four different towns to look at and be close to them.
Going to have a moving company come in and do the final move. Just have a lot of Sh&% to move. Sue recomended a cite she uses to get rid of stuff locally. I was just going back though her thread to find it again!
As I said, I have spent the last few months really digging in doing research on what all of this is from! Having a "Coming to J.C. meeting with my PCP to run some tests, even though we have done them before. I know a lot more than I did two years ago!
I WANT TO TKAE A MOMENT TO RECOMEND SOMETHING TO THOSE WHO READ OR RESEARCH THEIR ILLNESS OR DISEASE! i FOUND SOME LITTLE METAL BOOK MARKS CALLED "BOOK DARTS"! iF YOU GO ON LINE TO EITHER BOOK DARTS OR JET PENS YOU WILL FIND THEM! THEY HAVE BEEN INVALUERABLE TO ME WANTING TO NOTE OR KEEP AS A MEDICATION OR EXERCISE THAT I MAY WANT TO COME BACK TO AT A LATER TIME!
THEY ARE INCREDABLE!
FROM THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT!
SUNDANCE(RB)

REPLY
@sueinmn

Oooh Sundance, we know the Southern route well. My teeth chattered for 3 days afterward!
As for the packing, how much did you pack to keep, to donate & to toss? That's the real key!

I figure for every place a attack, about 50% stays, 25% is trashed, and 25% is donated. We have a group on Facebook here called "Buy Nothing [City Name]" - you post whatever you want to get rid of, interested parties respond and you arrange a safe pickup. We have rehomed so much between there and the charity that sets people up in new housing.
Sue

Jump to this post

Sue, Forgot to write the site down for selling Stuff! Just did!
Thanks,
Sundance(RB)

REPLY

Rosemary, You are so true! I've always had issues with moving. Being very Senior now it is hard going through all the things you pointed out! I know Sue has been a Big Help and advisor!
Sundance(RB)

REPLY
@sundance6

No not going back to Califonia! Staying in my "Third World State, New Mexico"! My family lives up in an area called the Four Corners. It's where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico meet, only spot in the US where that happens. The are where they live is just on the New Mexico boarder of Colorado and the town of Durango. I have four different towns to look at and be close to them.
Going to have a moving company come in and do the final move. Just have a lot of Sh&% to move. Sue recomended a cite she uses to get rid of stuff locally. I was just going back though her thread to find it again!
As I said, I have spent the last few months really digging in doing research on what all of this is from! Having a "Coming to J.C. meeting with my PCP to run some tests, even though we have done them before. I know a lot more than I did two years ago!
I WANT TO TKAE A MOMENT TO RECOMEND SOMETHING TO THOSE WHO READ OR RESEARCH THEIR ILLNESS OR DISEASE! i FOUND SOME LITTLE METAL BOOK MARKS CALLED "BOOK DARTS"! iF YOU GO ON LINE TO EITHER BOOK DARTS OR JET PENS YOU WILL FIND THEM! THEY HAVE BEEN INVALUERABLE TO ME WANTING TO NOTE OR KEEP AS A MEDICATION OR EXERCISE THAT I MAY WANT TO COME BACK TO AT A LATER TIME!
THEY ARE INCREDABLE!
FROM THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT!
SUNDANCE(RB)

Jump to this post

Yes, book darts are wonderful. I use them when reading books or magazines for pages I want to revisit. They are easier than paper clips. I keep them on my bedside table and find them helpful when reading late at night and not wanting to take the time that evening to note somer passages of importance or interest to me. My beloved father-in-law gave them to me as a Christmas gift one year. (Of course there were other gifts.) Ah, those were the years. Using them reminds me of my father-in-law. @joybringer1

REPLY
@joybringer1

Yes, book darts are wonderful. I use them when reading books or magazines for pages I want to revisit. They are easier than paper clips. I keep them on my bedside table and find them helpful when reading late at night and not wanting to take the time that evening to note somer passages of importance or interest to me. My beloved father-in-law gave them to me as a Christmas gift one year. (Of course there were other gifts.) Ah, those were the years. Using them reminds me of my father-in-law. @joybringer1

Jump to this post

What is a book dart?
Never heard of them.
I read a lot, and use book marks, but book darts???

REPLY
@sundance6

No not going back to Califonia! Staying in my "Third World State, New Mexico"! My family lives up in an area called the Four Corners. It's where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico meet, only spot in the US where that happens. The are where they live is just on the New Mexico boarder of Colorado and the town of Durango. I have four different towns to look at and be close to them.
Going to have a moving company come in and do the final move. Just have a lot of Sh&% to move. Sue recomended a cite she uses to get rid of stuff locally. I was just going back though her thread to find it again!
As I said, I have spent the last few months really digging in doing research on what all of this is from! Having a "Coming to J.C. meeting with my PCP to run some tests, even though we have done them before. I know a lot more than I did two years ago!
I WANT TO TKAE A MOMENT TO RECOMEND SOMETHING TO THOSE WHO READ OR RESEARCH THEIR ILLNESS OR DISEASE! i FOUND SOME LITTLE METAL BOOK MARKS CALLED "BOOK DARTS"! iF YOU GO ON LINE TO EITHER BOOK DARTS OR JET PENS YOU WILL FIND THEM! THEY HAVE BEEN INVALUERABLE TO ME WANTING TO NOTE OR KEEP AS A MEDICATION OR EXERCISE THAT I MAY WANT TO COME BACK TO AT A LATER TIME!
THEY ARE INCREDABLE!
FROM THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT!
SUNDANCE(RB)

Jump to this post

Sundance,
Wherever you move to, make sure there are major medical hospitals, universities close by. Very important as we age. Also, as time goes by we are less inclined to want to travel any distance for care.
That’s why I suggested california, since you are a San Fernando valley baby. UCLA is just over the hill.
Try and get rid of as much as you can before the move.
I’ve been downsizing for over a month now. The charity thrift stores would love your stuff, I’m sure.
Wondering, have you been tested for arthritis?
Just don’t over do it, aches and pains are not worth it.
Funcountess

REPLY
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