How To Downsize Your Home (Even If You Aren’t Moving)
How to downsize your home (and help older relatives do the same)
Downsizing is physically and emotionally exhausting. The job becomes infinitely harder when you’re tasked with helping older relatives—your parents, perhaps—clear out their attics and basements overflowing with items they’ve accumulated throughout the decades.
Should you consider downsizing and decluttering now so your kids don’t one day find themselves stuck with the job?
When helping older relatives clear out their clutter, how can you empathically and responsibly disperse their possessions without absorbing them all into your own living space?
I’m posing these questions and more to my friend and simplicity coach Rose Lounsbury. Today, Rose is on the show to offer her best tips as they relate to downsizing both your home and your parents’ and grandparents’ homes.
Here’s a preview of this week’s episode:
[5:45] 2 suggestions for managing the (many) emotions behind downsizing
[14:00] Security and stuff: How generational divides may impact how you downsize your home
[20:30] When to know it’s time to hire an estate sale company or a senior move manager
[25:00] How to help older relatives downsize without getting stuck with their junk
[31:30] Swedish death cleaning: Motivating, or morbid?
Resources mentioned in the episode:
- The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson
- Send Stephanie an email
- Rose’s Minimalism Is Fun Facebook Group
- Rose’s Monthly Min group
* Thank you to Gemmist for sponsoring this episode! Use code MINIMALIST at checkout for 20% off and free, 2-day shipping.
* Thank you also to Quince! To get 50-80% off luxury apparel, accessories, home goods, and more go to OneQuince.com/SUSTAINABLE.
* Want more episodes like this one? Check out Rose’s first appearance on the podcast via episode #017: Financial Freedom and Minimalism.
* Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Pinterest.
* NEW FEATURE! Leave a voicemail with your question and I’ll answer it on-air! Here’s how: State your name then leave the show a message at (508) 960-9046. (This new feature only works with audience participation, so don’t be shy!)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
