Downsizing Tips for Empty Nesters

Becoming an empty nester is an exciting and monumental accomplishment, but simultaneously a terrifying and difficult adjustment. First and foremost, congratulations! You’ve successfully raised and sent your children out into the world, and for that you should be proud! Now comes the harder reality that it’s time to downsize. There is a LOT to think about during this monumental adjustment, but our experts have compiled the best tips for downsizing in this post. Empty nesters, read on for professional advice about how to make this the most seamless and enjoyable transition possible.

This is a critical step in the process of downsizing! Typically, and depending on the circumstances, downsizing can be a very emotional process. It’s okay to grieve! Letting go of the places and things that have been an integral part of our lives for many years (or even decades) can be hard. We know this. You know this. And it is okay to admit the difficulty of this and give yourself time to acknowledge how you feel. This is a process, and you are making a big change as you enter an entirely new phase in your life; give yourself grace! Work on one room at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself trying to do everything all at once or give yourself an unrealistic expectation that it can be completed in a very short period of time.

When beginning to tackle the massive task of downsizing, closets are a good place to start. Keep in mind the number and size of the closets in your new home so that you can determine how much you will need to let go of. In your own closet, donate unused clothing and pack up out-of-season clothes or anything that will not be needed in the next few months. In addition, create a donate (and sell) bin within your closet so that as you notice items you no longer wear or like, you can add them to the bins on the spot. This will make decluttering a much smoother, less intimidating project.

Then, look through the rest of the closets in the house. If you open them would it be an avalanche of stuff? One-by-one, purge through every closet in your home and donate/sell anything you realistically have no use for any longer.

The first thing you’ll want to do in each of the major living spaces is determine what furniture you can take with you into your new, smaller home. Take note of pieces in each room that are larger and you know won’t fit. Will you have a spare bedroom, office, etc. where they can be relocated and kept in the new home? Or do you have items that will need to be sold or donated? Any furniture you don’t plan on taking with you should be sold or donated. You can also check with family or friends to see who could possibly use or want the pieces you no longer have space for (especially family heirlooms or antique/expensive items).

If your children have rooms in your current home, have them come by and take any of their personal effects they’ve left behind. Allow them to be included in the decision of what will be kept and what will be purged. Declutter any “extra” items you’ve been holding on to. Things such as additional bed linens, quilts/blankets, etc. won’t be needed for the new home and should be let go or passed along in this stage of the process.

The kitchen is a big landing spot for unused/forgotten items: on the countertops, in the cabinets, and in the pantry. It is important you sort through all these spaces one-by-one and purge. Determine what kitchen items/appliances you still actively use, and those of which you haven’t seen or thought to get out in years. Donate or sell anything you don’t need or use. Again, keep in mind the number of cabinets/drawers and the pantry space you’ll have in your new home. It may be helpful to create a list noting these differences between the old and new homes. For example, “Drawers: current house- 7, new house- 5”. This will give you an idea of how much needs to be purged so that everything being kept will realistically fit in the new kitchen. Measure, if necessary, to make sure any appliances you intend to bring with you will also fit in the new space.

For many households, the garage and/or attic can be the biggest “catch-all” or clutter hotspot. Determine how much storage space you will be losing in these areas when moving into your smaller home. Sort through all stored items (such as holiday décor) and purge. Donate, sell, or trash anything that is broken, hasn’t been recently used, or simply won’t fit in the new home. You should also go through any sporting equipment once used by your children. These items can be returned to them or donated. This also applies to stored lawncare equipment and gardening tools. Do you have a yard at your new home? Will your garden be as large? Are you responsible for all outdoor upkeep? Consider all the above and purge/sell/donate accordingly.

It may be in a variety of locations within your home, but I’m sure you have an abundance of files and memorabilia that has accumulated over the years. You’ll certainly want to go through all these items and downsize as well. Identify any personal or sensitive documents that you may have held on to for your children (such as birth certificates, social security cards, etc.) and  give these items to them if you haven’t already. You can make copies of them beforehand if you’d like. Just be sure to create a small file for each child and store properly. Sort through all files and paperwork found within your home and determine anything you have that you no longer need. Items such as old bills, personal tax forms and paperwork older than three years, pay stubs, etc. can be appropriately disposed of.

This is also a good time to consider going digital! Scan in any documents, photos, etc. you wish to keep and store them in a cloud, removable storage device, or in folders on your desktop. For photos and home videos you may also consider digitalizing options such as those provided by Legacy Box, EverPresent, or ArtKive. I recently appeared on Good Morning Texas and talked about the best ways to organize digital files; if you plan to tackle digitalization during your downsizing check out the segment here!

The last step of the downsizing process should be preparing your home for sale. Fix anything that is broken. Make a list of any and every broken thing around the home and have a handyman come out for a day and fix them. Pack up any personal effects that you plan on taking with you. You should also pack any items that you will not need until move day and have those placed in storage until the move.

The more organized your home the easier it will be to keep it clutter free while the house is on the market. Create “zones” for items family members use on a daily basis. Do a fifteen-minute declutter each evening where everything gets put away before going to bed. This way, the house is show-ready the next day.

Downsizing is a lot. Don’t be afraid to get help! Use a home staging professional to stage the furniture and décor. Use a professional organizer (we have a recommendation for a great one!) to help declutter the storage spaces and put systems in place to keep you organized and clutter free for showing your home. Use a cleaning professional to keep your home clean and spotless. It’s not that you can’t do it all on your own, but by enlisting the help of professionals the process will be much less stress and work. (Plus, your home will likely sell faster!)

We know that downsizing may not be something you want to admit it’s time for. We know it can be a lengthy, emotional, and difficult process. But we also know that with these tips and potentially some professional help you can absolutely tackle this transition with ease and grace. Here at Sorted Out we have certified organizing specialists ready to assist. We tackle downsizing, decluttering, moving day, digitalization, and setting up new organizational systems daily and would love to make this process an easier one for you. Don’t hesitate to get in touch at info@sortedout.com and let us help with the hard parts of this transition so you can be on the fast track to enjoying your next phase of life.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Tonia