Downsizing... it's never too late

At 87, my Mom said her and Dad missed their chance to sell their home of 50+ years and downsize to something more manageable. It was now officially “too late to downsize”. She was envious of her friends that moved in their 70’s and were now living more carefree. She was filled with dread over the idea of cleaning out a lifetime of possessions from the attic to the garage and all rooms in between. Guess what, it really never is too late (for anything!). My parents are now enjoying single floor living, in-unit laundry and no maintenance. It wasn’t an easy process to get to this point, that’s true. My sister and I found that socializing the idea of a downsize (many times)and talking through the possibilities, were good places to start😊

Here’s some other tips for navigating tough conversations with your loved ones:

Start with empathy, not logistics-“I know the house holds a lot of memories for you.” This lowers defensiveness and shows you’re not trying to “take things away.”
Focus on goals, not getting rid of things- Less maintenance and stress, safer living environment, easier lifestyle. “What would make life easier for you over the next 5–10 years?”
Ask questions instead of making decisions-Let them participate in the process. “What parts of the house are hardest to manage now?” “If you moved somewhere smaller, what would be most important to keep?” “What worries you most about downsizing?

And most of all, break this up into small discussions and small steps, instead of one big change. It will be easier for you to feel confident enough to approach the conversation and easier for them to digest.

Then… add a great Realtor into the mix and you don’t have to navigate it all alone.

Downsizing… it’s never too late