Retirement Perks: Downsizing

By looking at downsizing as a perk of retirement rather than a necessity, you will have a much better frame of mind going forward.

Converting from a large home to a smaller home - or, no home at all in the case of travellers, takes a lot of thought, effort and dedication. Let's face it if you are not dedicated to your new mantra of "less is more" you will soon acquire new "stuff".

The New Home:

Location! Location! Location! Evaluate how you want to live and this will help you decide where you want to live.

For example, if you dont want to cook anymore, living in an area with a wide range of restaurant choices would be a essential factor in determining where you want to live. Also, you would no longer need a large kitchen. However, if you dream of living out in the country with no neighbors and a long trek into town you would need lots of pantry storage and a working kitchen. Both options can save you money in different ways.

When downsizing to your new home every room should have purpose, be utilized daily and be multi-purpose if possible. No more unused "formal" spaces. A great room provides, seating, viewing and dining all in one space. You can sit in your living space, watch television and have a table and chairs for dining all in one area. An extra bedroom should be multi-purpose. You can use if for tv and office, or guest room and office, or even guest room, office and tv/reading. Built-in storage and shelving, as well as a murphy bed or sleeper-sofa will be great investments.

Converting a closet to a computer credenza makes good sense and is much more useful. Creating and making the most of built-in storage and shelving systems will utilize volume of space from floor to ceiling. Creating storage is a vital component of downsizing as well as employing the volume of the space.

If you decide that you will travel during the first part of your retirement years you may decide that puting everything in a climate-controlled storage facility makes more sense and saves money. So what do you put in storage? Only the basics, items you will need/want when you are ready to move into a home again. Basic furniture items, kitchen items and mementos you cant part with, bed and bath items. You may find that many of the items you couldn't bare to part with in the beginning don't hold the same importance to you after you've been travelling and living without them for so long.

Perks of Downsizing: You are living your newly designed lifestyle. Less cooking. Less cleaning. Less maintaining. More dining. More relaxing. More freedom.

Purging and Clearing the Clutter:

It took many years to collect everything in your home. Many of those items hold emotional ties. Downsizing means you must re-evaluate and let go of many of your belongings. Some things will be easy and you will laugh at how silly it seems now to have held onto them for so long. Others will be extremely difficult to let go of.

First of all, it is best to ask children and family members if they want any of the items you are considering getting rid of. Your children may want old photos, heirlooms and furniture or yard maintenance items. I have listened to many stories of family members who are fighting over items they want as mementos of their parents once they have passed on. Why not give them those items now while you are still with them. Whatever items your family members dont want you need to respect and understand that your tastes are not theirs. You enjoyed the collection and that's what's important. Now you can look at the items as good investments - by selling these items at a garage sale you are making money that you can invest with.

Photo's: Keep a few family photos, the rest can be scanned and copied onto disc's and disc's can be copied and distributed to family members.

Clothing: Do not store clothing. Evaluate what you will need and use, and get rid of the rest.

Furniture: Keep only what you will use and wont become outdated. Pass on heirloom pieces, sell or donate the rest.

Holiday/Seasonal items: Keep one small box of your favorite things, distribute the rest among younger family members with small children and big homes! Your future holidays will be spent travelling or visiting family.

Collections: This is the hardest to get rid of. My best advice: Use, Donate, Sell.

Perks to Purging: You have addressed the issues of who gets what. You are freeing yourself of possessions. You have freedom to move.

Downsizing Pets?!

Yes it's true. When I moved into a larger home four years ago we had two hampsters, two finches, two cats and one medium sized dog. Well, hampsters get tumors and finches have a short life span. As the beloved pets passed on, I passed a new house rule - no more caged animals. Seeing how I was the only person cleaning the cages this was easy for me. We still have the cats and the dog but I inform my kids - regularly it seems - that when they move out they are taking their pets with them. By carefully planning the future, I will have only a small lap pet during my retirement, one that can travel with me, otherwise, I will have no pets at all.

Perks for downsizing pets: Less mess. Small space = small pets. Freedom to travel.

Downsizing provides more time, more money, more freedom and less burdens. Downsizing is indeed a retirement perk!