Downsizing Tips for Seniors

Thinking about downsizing for a move to Assisted or Independent Living? Falcons Landing offers a range of spacious living options, but you still might find yourself needing to cut back on your belongings before the move. Even if you have plenty of space, downsizing can help you simplify your life or make your home feel more comfortable and inviting. These downsizing tips for seniors help you prepare, so you can make the most of your space and avoid that cluttered feeling. 

Start Early

Whether you've already found your new home or you're still in the planning stages, start downsizing now, long before the moving truck pulls up to your house. Intentional decluttering and downsizing takes time to consider what you truly want to keep and what you can live without. Even if you're used to being the take-charge type after a lifetime in the military, you still need time to go through everything you own, which you've likely acquired a fair amount of over the years. Starting early lets you think about each item so you don't regret your decisions. It also allows time for donating or selling items you don't want. 

Digitize Photos

Photos might not seem like they take up much space, but years of memories captured on film can pack several photo albums full and envelopes of prints can fill multiple boxes. Digitizing your photos lets you hold onto those special moments while taking up less space. Having digital copies can also be a good backup in case the physical copies get damaged.

If you want to hang photos in your smaller space, choose a few snapshots to print and display, such as family portraits, special places you've visited or memorable moments with family and friends. Another space-saving solution that works well with your digitized photos is a digital photo frame. You can upload a collection of images to a digital frame, which cycles through the different pictures. It lets you display a variety of photos without taking up a lot of space. 

Go One Room at a Time

Trying to tackle the whole house at once can overwhelm you quickly and could actually halt any real progress toward your goal. Instead, go one room at a time to methodically cut down your belongings. Start with a small room with very little clutter to ease into the downsizing project. This might be a bathroom or a spare bedroom. When you finish that room, move on to the next. You might do one room per week or two to spread out the workload. Or you could take a few days off between rooms to give yourself a break. 

Have a Place for Everything

As you downsize, make sure you have a dedicated spot to store everything you keep. If you're moving into a new independent living space, look at the dimensions of the rooms on the floor plan and the storage options within the space to help you plan. Designating a home for everything helps you stay organized and reduces the chance of overstuffing small rooms or available display surfaces. When you're thinking of buying something new, think about where you'll put it. If you don't have a place for it, leave it behind. 

One In, Two Out

A gradual way to downsize is by using the one in, two out rule. This can also help you keep your clutter under control once you've already downsized. Whenever you bring something new into your home, get rid of two items that you already own. You might sell them, donate items or simply toss them if they're not in usable condition anymore. It's a good ongoing strategy for continuous downsizing and decluttering.

Schedule a Visit

If you're looking for Independent Living or Assisted Living community with top-notch amenities, you'll want to check out Falcons Landing. Contact us now or call 703-404-5100 to schedule a visit today.