Downsizing can be emotional and overwhelming for older adults and their family members. If your parent needs to declutter and downsize, you might not know where to start. There may be rooms full of furniture, closets full of mementos, and a house full of memories. Here, we offer suggestions on how to approach the downsizing process, what supplies you might need, how to adjust your approach when necessary, and how you can ask for help.
Start with a decluttering and downsizing timeline
Downsizing and decluttering start long before you sort through items and schedule a donation pickup. It begins with understanding when the task needs to be completed. Ideally, downsizing is a process that can be spread out over months. However, you might be in a position where it needs to happen more quickly. In either case, understanding your timeline can help you make crucial decisions and set benchmark goals so that you can meet the deadline.
Consider setting goals for your downsizing project by room. For example, you might have three months to downsize. Can you commit to having the bathrooms downsized in the first two weeks? Could you then work on the bedrooms for the next three weeks? Write down your timeline and room goals and keep yourself accountable.
Get supplies in order
Now that you’ve established your decluttering and downsizing timeline, it’s time to gather supplies that can make sorting easier. Try not to purchase anything new (you’re trying to downsize, after all) and instead use items already in the home.
- Plastic bins/totes: Having designated bins to pack away items you choose to keep will be helpful. Pack as you go so you aren’t stuck packing everything up at the end of your downsizing.
- Garbage bags: You’ll be donating and throwing away items, so be sure you have plenty of garbage bags to put them in as you sort them.
- Markers: Mark bags and bins with the designations “keep,” “donate,” and “throw away.” This way, everyone knows where to put items as they are sorted. This is especially helpful if you have a group of people helping out at once or spread out over time. You might also choose to mark certain items if they are gifts for specific people.
- Journal: Use a journal to write down logistics, like where you left off or the phone numbers of local donation centers. A journal is also a great place to jot down your emotions, especially the positive ones that can motivate you as you celebrate your progress.
Adjust your approach as needed
A traditional keep/donate/throw away approach is often the go-to downsizing method. It keeps things easy by having only three categories in which to place items as they are sorted. However, you may find that this approach doesn’t work for you. You might notice your senior loved one wants to keep everything during the process or that you need another bin for items that your loved one wants to give to family members. It is certainly OK to adjust your downsizing approach to better suit your situation.
You might choose to only seek direction from your loved one on certain items while you take care of the rest. You might want to work independently for weeks at a time, or you might find that inviting many family members over for a downsizing and dinner party sounds more effective (and fun). Give yourself the grace to adjust your approach as you need.
Prepare for emotions
Many items you will encounter during decluttering and downsizing don’t hold sentimental value. You can easily choose to donate or throw away items that don’t have any meaning. However, it might be more difficult to know how to downsize items with an emotional attachment, such as your dad’s favorite recliner or the dinner plates your parents have used since you were a child.
When sorting through these sentimental items, you might find it helpful to put them in a bin of their own so that you can return to them when you have some more time. While you can’t keep every sentimental item, you can choose to preserve them (and their memories). Consider taking photos of items that you will downsize. Then, frame the photos to hang in your loved one’s new home or in a special spot in your home. You can also make a coffee table book of the photos; this is a unique conversation starter and it can also be used as a reminiscing tool.
You might also find that your loved one wants to give away their favorite sentimental items to family or friends. Let them choose who to give them to, and if they are up to it, they can write a note about why they chose that item to give.
Ask for help with decluttering and downsizing
You don’t have to take on downsizing alone. Take this opportunity to ask for help from family, friends, or professionals so that you can have the reinforcements you need to take on the project without the additional stress of managing it on your own.
Professional organizers and movers can be especially helpful, making downsizing a lot easier for everyone. When possible, find a local expert who has extensive experience in senior downsizing. They will offer services ranging from giving you a list and timeline to follow to bringing in a team to take care of the task themselves.
Downsizing and decluttering have significant positive benefits, including boosting creativity and mood, sharpening focus, and relieving anxiety. You’ll feel these benefits as you help your loved one with downsizing. Downsizing can seem overwhelming at first, but with the right tools and team in place, you can take it on, step by step.
