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Downsizing: Incentives & tips
Getting ready for retirement living

Downsizing: Incentives & tips

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Downsizing: Incentives & tips

Moving out and cutting down can be a big job, there's no doubt about that. If you’ve decided to move from your family home and into a retirement village or somewhere smaller and a little more accessible, here are some tips for making the downsizing process easier for you.

Picture your new retirement home

Spend some time contemplating your dream home environment. For some, retirement is an opportunity for a clean slate and an even cleaner living room. Others love to keep full shelves full of treasures from a life well lived. There's no one right way to retire. Instead, we encourage you to think about what will make your new house feel like a home.

As you plan for this move, always keep your new home in the back of your mind. Consider the layout and the available space when making decisions about what to take and what to leave behind. Having room measurements or a floorplan of your new home is a useful starting point. You’ll then be able to measure your furniture and possessions to see what will fit in your new space.

Make lists and more lists

Nothing will keep you on track and organised better than a good list. Create a list in your phone or jot everything down, including:

  • A weekly and daily task to-do list to help organise your moving agenda into a manageable plan of action.
  • A list of your must-haves including furniture and special appliances.
  • A checklist of important tasks, including switching off utilities, changing your postal address, and forwarding your mail.

Prepare your packing supplies

Sorting through all your things is easier with the right supplies. If you’re planning to move with the help of friends or family, you’ll need to source a range of boxes, bags, labels, bubble wrap, and packing tape. If you’re planning to use a removalist, they may be able to do the pack up and unpacking for you. Speak with your removalist about what they offer.

Begin with some quick wins - start small

If the thought of sorting through decades worth of boxes in the garage is overwhelming, shift your focus to a smaller task. Instead, start with somewhere you know you can make easy progress - a cupboard here or there. Once you begin, you’ll start to build momentum and feel ready to tackle the bigger jobs.

Don't try to do it all at once

Downsizing isn't a job for one weekend. Reach out to friends and family and work together to move through each room of your house over several weeks or months.

Take a walk down memory lane

Treasured keepsakes invoke beautiful memories, but sometimes there's no choice but to say goodbye when moving into a smaller space. Give yourself the space and time to reflect on the memories attached to these items before you let go.

Sort your possessions into categories

Decide how you will sort through your things and designate each item into a pile. You might decide on six piles or categories, which could be:

  • Sell
  • Donate to charity
  • Gift to friends and family
  • Dispose
  • Pass on for safekeeping (for example, important documents to your lawyer)
  • Keep.

Downsizing can be daunting, but with the right plan in place, you'll be ready to move into your new home in no time.

Moving out and cutting down can be a big job, there's no doubt about that. If you’ve decided to move from your family home and into a retirement village or somewhere smaller and a little more accessible, here are some tips for making the downsizing process easier for you.

Picture your new retirement home

Spend some time contemplating your dream home environment. For some, retirement is an opportunity for a clean slate and an even cleaner living room. Others love to keep full shelves full of treasures from a life well lived. There's no one right way to retire. Instead, we encourage you to think about what will make your new house feel like a home.

As you plan for this move, always keep your new home in the back of your mind. Consider the layout and the available space when making decisions about what to take and what to leave behind. Having room measurements or a floorplan of your new home is a useful starting point. You’ll then be able to measure your furniture and possessions to see what will fit in your new space.

Make lists and more lists

Nothing will keep you on track and organised better than a good list. Create a list in your phone or jot everything down, including:

  • A weekly and daily task to-do list to help organise your moving agenda into a manageable plan of action.
  • A list of your must-haves including furniture and special appliances.
  • A checklist of important tasks, including switching off utilities, changing your postal address, and forwarding your mail.

Prepare your packing supplies

Sorting through all your things is easier with the right supplies. If you’re planning to move with the help of friends or family, you’ll need to source a range of boxes, bags, labels, bubble wrap, and packing tape. If you’re planning to use a removalist, they may be able to do the pack up and unpacking for you. Speak with your removalist about what they offer.

Begin with some quick wins - start small

If the thought of sorting through decades worth of boxes in the garage is overwhelming, shift your focus to a smaller task. Instead, start with somewhere you know you can make easy progress - a cupboard here or there. Once you begin, you’ll start to build momentum and feel ready to tackle the bigger jobs.

Don't try to do it all at once

Downsizing isn't a job for one weekend. Reach out to friends and family and work together to move through each room of your house over several weeks or months.

Take a walk down memory lane

Treasured keepsakes invoke beautiful memories, but sometimes there's no choice but to say goodbye when moving into a smaller space. Give yourself the space and time to reflect on the memories attached to these items before you let go.

Sort your possessions into categories

Decide how you will sort through your things and designate each item into a pile. You might decide on six piles or categories, which could be:

  • Sell
  • Donate to charity
  • Gift to friends and family
  • Dispose
  • Pass on for safekeeping (for example, important documents to your lawyer)
  • Keep.

Downsizing can be daunting, but with the right plan in place, you'll be ready to move into your new home in no time.

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