Downsizing Your Home for Your Golden Years

Planning for the Future | 01/31/21

When you make the decision to move to Monroe Village, it may be for a number of reasons. For resident Guy Darrin, both future health concerns and his large home were major factors in his choice. He shared with us: “The big thing was, I had a six-room house. How do I get rid of all this furniture?”

No matter your reason for choosing to move to a senior living community, the actual move can take a lot of planning and time and even more energy. That’s why Monroe Village created the Move Ahead program. Our experts work with you and your family throughout the process — starting with finding a new living space, all the way to setting up your new home. Our certified downsizers begin by assisting in sorting items, organizing an estate sale and lending a hand with packing. The team will also work directly with your realtor to help with small repair recommendations and home stage, and our Move-In-Coordinator will be there to assist on the day of your big move.

Difficulties often seem to coincide with this transition, so we are here to offer some insights to help you. Below are a few downsizing tips to get you started.

How to Downsize Your Home

• Decide what’s important. As you sift through the belongings you’ve accumulated over the years, repeatedly ask yourself, “What is important to me?” This question will help you separate the meaningful items from the clutter so your new home can be filled with only cherished possessions.
• Mark all of your boxes. Start by making a few different piles: items to keep, items to sell and items to donate or discard. When you begin to pack boxes for moving day, be sure to clearly label each one with the room it belongs in. This way, those who are helping you move will know exactly where each box should be unloaded, and you won’t have to spend the day giving directions.
• Set a goal for each step of the process. It’s important to keep your focus throughout the downsizing process and work toward a goal. Whether it’s boxing up everything in a specific room or tagging all the items for a garage sale, being able to check items off a list will help keep you motivated. There may be some frustrating moments but support from your loved ones and the experts at Monroe Village will make the positive side of this new adventure shine through.

Learn More About the Senior Downsizing Services at Monroe Village

Monroe Village is here to help you every step of the way with our Move Ahead program, just like we did for Guy Darrin. “My daughters were a big help. So was Karen Cerreto here at Monroe. She told us how much room we had for furniture and gave us apartment sketches and sizes, so we knew what would fit.” And once you’re here you’ll feel right at home. Guy followed up by saying, “The people here — the staff as well as residents — are all very, very friendly. You don’t pass anyone in the hallway who doesn’t return a ‘good morning!’ I decided on Monroe Village and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

See how vibrant life can be here at Monroe Village by scheduling a personal tour or contacting our team to learn more about our Move Ahead options.