Here’s How to Downsize from a House to a One Bedroom
Think about every place you’ve lived and how each one helped you get more out of life. When you were young, having a small apartment gave you the freedom to socialize, make friends and do what you wanted to do. Then, when you met someone you wanted to start a family with, you found a place with more square footage where everyone had room to grow. If you’re finding your current home is now more than you want to take care of, maybe it’s time to reflect on how much more freedom you had before you took on the responsibilities of home ownership. Maybe it’s time to consider downsizing to an option that fits your current lifestyle better.
Downsizing to a Senior Living Apartment
After decades of pursuing hobbies, going on trips and celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, you can collect a lot of stuff. That’s probably why one of the bigger questions of moving is, “What do I do with everything?” Here are some important downsizing and packing tips to consider:
Do one room at a time: The garage or a closet is often a good place to start. Don’t move on to another room until you’ve finished the first.
Go slow: Sorting through a lifetime of important memories isn’t something you can get done in a weekend or even a week. Pick one box or collection of items and go through it piece by piece without rushing. After you finish with that box, start on another.
Have fun: Put on some of your favorite music. Invite a friend to help. Plan on a treat at the end of the day: maybe ice cream, a favorite cocktail or special dinner.
Remember: Looking at keepsakes and mementos can bring up memories of significant life events. Take the time to reminisce over special moments and tell stories.
Be homey: Keep only the possessions (collectibles, heirlooms, mementos, art) that make your house distinctively your home.
Clean the kitchen: At a community like Freedom Village, you’ll be cooking less and taking advantage of our dining venues more. Consider keeping only the pots, pans and utensils you’ll need and giving the rest away.
Let go of your library: Make sure to keep your favorite books and then consider donating or selling the rest.
Freshen your linens: Go through your sheets, blankets and bath towels, and throw away any threadbare, stained or unmatched items. In fact, once you’ve moved, you might want all new items to match your new space.
Clothes and jackets: To help you figure out which clothes you no longer wear, take all your items hung in your closet and turn the hangers backward. Then set a calendar reminder for six months and go about your life. Every time you wear something from your closet, turn the hanger around so that it’s no longer reversed. After six months, you’ll know exactly what you haven’t worn.
Get organized: Create a list for every room in your house and sort each possession into one of four categories: keep, sell, give away and decide later. Note: Everything on the decide later list must eventually move to one of the other columns. Use these key questions to figure out which list to put each item on:
- Do I use it regularly? Have I used it in the past year?
- Does it truly enhance my quality of life?
- Will it fit in my new living space and future lifestyle?
- Does it have a significant monetary value?
- Is it necessary?
- Does it have sentimental value?
- Would a family member or friend appreciate the item or use it?
Where to Donate Your Unwanted Items in Bradenton
Donating anything you don’t plan to take with you is a great way to downsize that not only helps support causes you believe in, but it could be tax deductible. (To be sure, check with your tax advisor.) If you already have some places in mind, awesome. If not, here’s a list of a few local options to get you started.
Salvation Army Bradenton: Your donations help the Salvation Army provide assistance to individuals and families in need, resources to combat addiction, shelter and disaster relief, as well as fight human trafficking.
Turning Points: Now collaborating with Goodwill, which handles all clothing donations, Turning Points provides critical services, including rental and utility assistance, free medical and dental care, and employment support. Donate clothing and household items directly to Goodwill Manasota, which will then sort and deliver clothes to Turning Points. You can donate items like laundry detergent, personal care products, sneakers and bicycles at the Turning Points campus as well.
Habitat for Humanity: They accept donations of appliances that are less than 10 years old, furniture, building materials, flooring, cabinets, lighting, hardware, plumbing supplies, electronics, bicycles, clothing, furniture, household items and more.
St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store: They gladly accept clean, new and gently used clothing, accessories, shoes/purses, crafts, books, DVDs, CDs, albums, personal items, flat screen TVs, small electronics and small appliances that are clean and in good working condition, jewelry, linens, kitchen items, household goods, decorative items/artwork, furniture/lamps and patio furniture. Your donated items are then sold at their thrift store, the proceeds of which help support their programs and services they provide to the needy in our community.
Upsize Your Life at Freedom Village
Freedom Village of Bradenton has independent living floor plans – including one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments – to fit any and every senior’s lifestyle. For more information or to schedule a personal visit of our community, use our Community Assistant chat feature or contact us here.
