# Downsizing...



## Jace (Nov 22, 2021)

Does anyone have plans? Ever consider? Or is it too overwhelming?


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## officerripley (Nov 22, 2021)

I would love to downsize; new house wouldn't necessarily have to be smaller but on a smaller lot and closer to town (stores, etc. we could walk to) but husb refuses to.


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## terry123 (Nov 23, 2021)

I am still giving away things as I have too much stuff.  Takes awhile.


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## dseag2 (Nov 23, 2021)

We tried to downsize when we moved from South Florida to Dallas 16 years ago, but none of the builders wanted to build smaller houses on any lots because they couldn't make any money.  We traded a 2800 square foot house for a 2900 square foot one for a lot less money.  

We are still living here.  The master bedroom is on the first floor, so we will stop going up the stairs when the time comes.


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## Aunt Bea (Nov 23, 2021)

terry123 said:


> I am still giving away things as I have too much stuff.  Takes awhile.


Me too!

_“When eating an elephant take one bite at a time.” _- Creighton W. Abrams Jr.


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## hollydolly (Nov 23, 2021)

dseag2 said:


> We tried to downsize when we moved from South Florida to Dallas 16 years ago, but none of the builders wanted to build smaller houses on any lots because they couldn't make any money.  We traded a 2800 square foot house for a 2900 square foot one for a lot less money.
> 
> We are still living here.  The master bedroom is on the first floor, so we will stop going up the stairs when the time comes.


In the UK what you call the first floor, we call the ground floor.What you call the second floor is the First floor to us !


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## Ronni (Nov 23, 2021)

We live in an 1800 sq ft home, all on one level. A step up to the kitchen and a step down to the den (older home added on to before us) and so easy to ramp if it became necessary. Driveway leads to back patio which leads to back door all one level.

As we’ve renovated the house we’ve pared down our belongings and given away to the kids and friends, or otherwise gotten rid of things we can live without. We’re still in that process and it likely will continue because it’s so easy to accumulate stuff! But really we don’t have much anymore so when it comes time for the kids to take over it won’t be awful for them.


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## RobinWren (Nov 28, 2021)

We moved to a smaller home in 2014. Now that I am one I am glad that we did it then, this house is much easier to manage.


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## bowmore (Nov 28, 2021)

We moved from two 1800 sq ft homes to a new 1400 sq ft home when we married. My wife's furniture and small appliances were better than mine, so mine all got donated or sold.


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## Alligatorob (Nov 28, 2021)

Jace said:


> Downsizing... anyone have plans?


Thinking of giving the cat a pink slip...  Does that count?

Actually we live in a ~4,000 ft2 (~400 m2) house, way to big for us.  And it is full of "stuff".  There are rooms I have not been in for months, guess we need a good fire...


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## katlupe (Nov 28, 2021)

I moved from a two story farm house in the country to a small studio apartment. I got rid of a lot of things by selling on eBay for a number of years. Then got rid of even more. I had not only my belongings but my parents' too. It was a big job. I love living here and could not have this much freedom if I had stayed there.


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## Capt Lightning (Nov 29, 2021)

Either SF is inhabited by relatively wealthy folk, or large houses are relatively inexpensive in the US .   Here in the UK, most new houses are small and crammed into tiny plots with inadequate access and parking.  Of course we are told that people don't want spacious houses with gardens, where the likely truth is that the builders want to maximise profits.

We actually 'upsized' slightly when we retired, but to a house ( 1400 sq ft) that sounds like a garden shed  by US standards.  Now, I love this house, but the main trouble is the lack of local amenities, and that issue is getting worse.   With hindsight, I might have placed more emphasis on local facilities than on the house size.  The on-going maintenance of a house almost 200 years old and the need to travel will need to be addressed.


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## StarSong (Nov 29, 2021)

2500 SF house, all on one floor except for a step up in a couple parts of the house (additions were done on slab rather than raised foundation). 

I've thought about downsizing but the pandemic's stay-mostly-at-home requirements made me glad my husband had been so strongly against it. Our three extra bedrooms are being used as a guest room, a second guest room/office, and a toy room for the grands.

As others have said, we're slowly purging possessions we no longer need, use or want and aren't replacing them with new "treasures."


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## OneEyedDiva (Nov 29, 2021)

Downsizing can indeed be overwhelming if one tries to tackle it all at once. I've been purging and/or trying to purge for years. What seemed important to keep last year didn't seem important this year. It's a process. At my age, I feel it's a necessary one, not only for myself but for those I leave behind.


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## JustBonee (Nov 29, 2021)

My major downsizing project was about 4 years ago ... moving from large house to small  apartment.   
Took about 6-8 months of dedication to do it all.  

Since that time,  and my new lifestyle,   I watch  everything I buy carefully.


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## Jules (Nov 29, 2021)

OneEyedDiva said:


> What seemed important to keep last year didn't seem important this year.


Very true.  

Bit by bit, I’m trying to get rid of things.


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## hollydolly (Nov 30, 2021)

Capt Lightning said:


> Either SF is inhabited by relatively wealthy folk, or large houses are relatively inexpensive in the US .   Here in the UK, most new houses are small and crammed into tiny plots with inadequate access and parking.  Of course we are told that people don't want spacious houses with gardens, where the likely truth is that the builders want to maximise profits.
> 
> We actually 'upsized' slightly when we retired, but to a house ( 1400 sq ft) that sounds like a garden shed  by US standards.  Now, I love this house, but the main trouble is the lack of local amenities, and that issue is getting worse.   With hindsight, I might have placed more emphasis on local facilities than on the house size.  The on-going maintenance of a house almost 200 years old and the need to travel will need to be addressed.


I looked at a showhouse in a new build housing plot being built with 400 houses ..... the interior was beautiful and ultra modern, but the rooms were tiny...the livingroom would have got a sofa and TV  in it.. the master bedroom a bed and bedside tables at a squeeze, nothing else... and there was no land to speak of.
A Tiny plot of land at the rear they laughingly call a garden surrounded by fencing and inches from the neighbour, and no garden at the front whatsoever... .. to have any  privacy at all one would have to remain indoors .....


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## Leann (Nov 30, 2021)

I downsized when I purchased my home seven years ago. BUT somehow, spaces that were empty back then have since become occupied with stuff. Not overwhelming amounts but my original intention was to keep things to a minimum. 

Also, I inherited boxes of collectibles from two family members who passed in the last ten years. All of it sits in my basement which I conveniently ignore. It's long past the time for me to sort through all of it and make some difficult decisions. It's a goal for next year.

I live in a quiet small town with the usual amenities and I think (pray) I can age out here. I wouldn't want to move if I didn't have to.


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## Capt Lightning (Dec 1, 2021)

As I said, we upsized when we stopped work in our mid 50's. Now at 70, I wouldn't want the hassle of taking on a house that needed re-furbished.
Here's   'before and after'  pics (taken from streetview).




Not a flattering photo, but it is set on a nice tree-lined road with a large open green space at the end.  This is typical of 60's housing and could be almost anywhere in the UK.     This village was established as a shortcut on the road from Portsmouth to London.




Quite a difference.  Open fields from front and back.  You can see the difference in the stonework of the 1830/40's front on the house, and the later 1896 extension to rear.


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## Jeni (Dec 1, 2021)

it is hard and increasingly harder for some. Had a friend determined to save all her junk in hopes of some day being valuable. 
i see it all the time someone who finds some knick knack that someone else will pay a lot for. 
who know what it will be so people seem to never get rid of items just in case.


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## DGM (Dec 2, 2021)

Whenever "downsizing" is discussed I repeat some of the best advice ever given to me.  It was from a 105 year old (sharp as a tack) postal patron with whom I visited after she suffered a mild stroke:  "When I moved from a five bedroom house to a one bedroom apartment it was SO stressful, what to try to keep, what to give away (she outlived all of her kids) what to donate etc.  All that stress and all that worry and THIS is what we all wind up with:  (she points as she says) a bed, a dresser a TV and a chair."  When we downsized this became our mantra.


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## Victor (Dec 2, 2021)

I am trying to UPsize...get more stuff, a bigger home.


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## StarSong (Dec 2, 2021)

DGM said:


> Whenever "downsizing" is discussed I repeat some of the best advice ever given to me.  It was from a 105 year old (sharp as a tack) postal patron with whom I visited after she suffered a mild stroke:  "When I moved from a five bedroom house to a one bedroom apartment it was SO stressful, what to try to keep, what to give away (she outlived all of her kids) what to donate etc.  All that stress and all that worry and THIS is what we all wind up with:  (she points as she says) a bed, a dresser a TV and a chair."  When we downsized this became our mantra.


You've told this story here before.  The wisdom of it struck me the first time I read it and I've peated it many times to friends and relatives my age.  

Most people shrink back at the thought of this - they see it as very depressing. I see it as a good motivator to continue purging possessions while there are people in my life who want them and can use them. 

So glad you told it again so others can benefit from it.


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## RobinWren (Dec 2, 2021)

Capt Lightning said:


> As I said, we upsized when we stopped work in our mid 50's. Now at 70, I wouldn't want the hassle of taking on a house that needed re-furbished.
> Here's   'before and after'  pics (taken from streetview).
> 
> 
> ...


am I missing something here?


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## funsearcher! (Dec 2, 2021)

Less and less-every time you bring something new in, you let go of something out. Works for me.


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## RobinWren (Dec 2, 2021)

My husband and I used to love flea markets, garage sales and I would buy stuff? intending on selling when I retired. While working I sold quite a lot and enjoyed doing it , now that I am retired I am not interested so I still have stuff? Once in a while I consign, considering how much I got rid of with our last move I find myself surprised at what I have left.


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## SeaRaven (Dec 17, 2021)

Post retirement downsize took almost a full year. Had to clean out basement, workshop, attic and rooms in a 2800 SF house. Not easy but I was motivated to get to recently purchased 900 SF condo near ocean.
Best thing was I bought a burn cage  
(husband hoarded papers;  school notebooks, canceled checks, junk mail..etc..) 
 I'd wait for a not-too-cold winter night and get that burn cage roaring with hundreds of papers.  I'd stir with tree branch till it all became ash.  Very Cathartic.  
Glad to be out of a house that took up way too much of my physical and mental energy. Parting with stuff turned out to be a huge relief.


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## SeaRaven (Dec 17, 2021)

Ronni said:


> We live in an 1800 sq ft home, all on one level. A step up to the kitchen and a step down to the den (older home added on to before us) and so easy to ramp if it became necessary. Driveway leads to back patio which leads to back door all one level.
> 
> As we’ve renovated the house we’ve pared down our belongings and given away to the kids and friends, or otherwise gotten rid of things we can live without. We’re still in that process and it likely will continue because it’s so easy to accumulate stuff! But really we don’t have much anymore so when it comes time for the kids to take over it won’t be awful for the


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## SeaRaven (Dec 17, 2021)

I agree wholeheartedly that a person's accumulated stuff should not become someone else's burden to deal with.  Even if you're not downsizing or moving anywhere, it's only fair that your stuff should be cleaned up and  dispersed by you.  
You know those closets of old clothes, the broken vacuum cleaner you were meaning to fix and hundreds of old snapshots in bins?  Yeah, your kids and grandkids don't want them either.


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## carouselsilver (Dec 18, 2021)

Our house is about 1622 sq. feet. We have two floors and a basement. We recently bought it, and we are now reluctantly agreeing that it is too much house for us. We plan to have a single level home next, as neither of us can bear living in an apartment ever again! As for downsizing, I am collecting a lot of stuff in the basement to donate somewhere. It will be cathartic, I am sure, to get rid of so much stuff!


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## Butterfly (Dec 19, 2021)

Jeni said:


> it is hard and increasingly harder for some. Had a friend determined to save all her junk in hopes of some day being valuable.
> i see it all the time someone who finds some knick knack that someone else will pay a lot for.
> who know what it will be so people seem to never get rid of items just in case.


Yeah, but never getting rid of those knick knacks that "might" some day be valuable just means stockpiling a lot of junk in the meantime.


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## Aneeda72 (Dec 21, 2021)

Downsized from a three story house four years ago, to a 1400 sq foot house 2 years ago and now in a 2 bath 2 bedroom apartment 1000 sq ft.  Got rid of a lot of stuff and now just have the basics.  Want to downsize next summer to a one bedroom one bath as its too cold to move now.


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## Sliverfox (Dec 21, 2021)

Been here 46 years,, have a LOT of  things that need to GO.
Three or  4  old tractors,  couple Hudson vehicles that will never get restored  by us.
Two boats ,one wooden that might be collectors item.
That's just tip of  what we've amassed in 58 years of marriage.


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## Jules (Dec 21, 2021)

A reminder to those that save things because they might be valuable someday - that’s only true if you can find someone to buy them.


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## Skyking (Dec 21, 2021)

The old house was killing me so we upsized to a low-maintenance community. We doubled our square footage (thanks to a full-size basement). It was a year-long process. The new house has appreciated at least 20%, (good inflation).   So, was it worth it? Yes!!!  Upkeep now is minimal, as everything is new. The old neighborhood never looked more tired. And our new neighbors are now some of our best friends. We party a lot. But it's a ton of work and it took yet another year to pull the new house together. COVID and the supply chain didn't help. Sadly, the honey-do list is back,  same day, just different stuff. Think hard, good luck.


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## katlupe (Oct 23, 2022)

I have been watching videos on YouTube about doing this. It is such a big thing that people have started businesses assisting seniors who are moving to smaller places. Tons of videos about it. I don't think I have really learned anything new about it just that I didn't do everything I knew. Having had a huge job cleaning out my parents' home I was glad that I didn't keep broken or useless items ever. My father could fix things so would save broken things to use the parts. And yes, everyone went to him to fix some item that he had a part for.


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## C50 (Oct 23, 2022)

I haven't downsized but do work at making my house and property more manageable.

For instance....every few years I had to restain my barn, big project.  Three years ago I steel claded the entire building, never will I stain again.  Four acres fenced in for horses, got rid of the horses, took down all the fencing so now I don't have to weed wack around 160 post every week.

  I have always kept a clean and clutter free home so not much to get rid of but I have tried to centralize my living space.  My house has three sets of stairs so to minimize going up and down stairs I've tried to set up my living space all on one level.

  I would like to have a ranch style smaller home but I just don't want to give up my property.


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## Gary O' (Oct 23, 2022)

We upsized a couple years ago when we moved from our 200sf cabin to our 800sf house in town
Just enough space to be comfy
Ridding nothing
Buying little


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## carouselsilver (Oct 23, 2022)

We will be faced with that in a few years. I hope to clear away a lot of junk that is just taking up space, and give it to charity. The woman from whom we bought this house sold us the things she had left behind for staging, so we decided that if or when we decide to sell, we will use her stuff to stage too, then sell it to the new owners.  We want to live in a single story home because the stairs are getting hard to manage.


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## funsearcher! (Oct 23, 2022)

Sold the house, moved to an apt-downsized
Left the city, moved 1000 miles away--downsized during Covid, so had to bring things with me.
Two years and 15 trips to thrift store, let go of garage and more furniture--now finally less stuff.
Relieved!


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## Bella (Oct 23, 2022)

I'm working at getting rid of things a little at a time. Donating some things and simply ditching others. None of the kids I know are interested in anything that's used, old, or "collectable". They want brand spanking new things. I have an unbelievable amount of tools to get rid of... my husband's tools, his father's tools and his grandfather's tools. I'm up to my eyeballs in tools.  Every time I look at all the tools, I feel faint.        

I'm not adding any more stuff to my home. The last thing I want to do is accumulate more stuff! I only buy what I need or replace something that's broken or worn out.

My house and property are too big for just me, and I'm tired of taking care of it by myself. Ideally, I'd like to move to a small ranch house on less property.


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## NorthernLight (Oct 23, 2022)

As we become less able to do things, it seems natural to want less stuff. For example, I don't want to sew any more, or bother with kitchen gadgets. It felt good to get rid of the kitchen items, and the person I gave them to was happy.

I was thinking about buying a shelf unit to deal with my storage closet. The shelf would cost CAD 200 plus tax. It's probably more sensible to reorganize or get rid of some things.


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## Teacher Terry (Oct 23, 2022)

_I have moved across the country a few times so no stranger to downsizing. 18 months ago I sold my house because of a divorce and moved into a 850 square foot condo. I came with some furniture and 60 medium size containers. I have 3 closets and they aren’t all full. I find it really easy to keep it clean and it’s fast.  

I have helped friends and family downsize and my ex had a ton of stuff that became my problem when the house sold in a few days and I had to empty it in a month. _


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## katlupe (Oct 24, 2022)

I have joined Freecycle in my area (4 cities) and have started adding things to offer. It is free. The person who wants what I am offering will meet me across the street at the library or park in front of the courthouse. I cannot sell anything any longer or it will affect my rent. So I am giving it all away and I don't really care. I just want open spaces so I can get around with my walker easier. And it will be easier to clean and use. I hate having to take everything out of a cupboard for one thing. Easy access is what I need. I saw what they do here when a person dies with nobody to take their things. They put it in the dumpster and good furniture was donated to the local charity.


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## MickaC (Oct 24, 2022)

katlupe said:


> I have joined Freecycle in my area (4 cities) and have started adding things to offer. It is free. The person who wants what I am offering will meet me across the street at the library or park in front of the courthouse. I cannot sell anything any longer or it will affect my rent. So I am giving it all away and I don't really care. I just want open spaces so I can get around with my walker easier. And it will be easier to clean and use. I hate having to take everything out of a cupboard for one thing. Easy access is what I need. I saw what they do here when a person dies with nobody to take their things. They put it in the dumpster and good furniture was donated to the local charity.


Happy to hear what you’re doing to make your life and living easier.
But…..
I’m sad to hear, that you can’t sell items without having to claim as income.
Here, there is nothing like that……unless if someone sells on a place like EBay, someone here had mentioned that.
It’s terrible you can’t sell a few things, even to get a little extra money.


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## katlupe (Oct 24, 2022)

MickaC said:


> Happy to hear what you’re doing to make your life and living easier.
> But…..
> I’m sad to hear, that you can’t sell items without having to claim as income.
> Here, there is nothing like that……unless if someone sells on a place like EBay, someone here had mentioned that.
> It’s terrible you can’t sell a few things, even to get a little extra money.


I know. I used to sell on fb marketplace but they even request your SS# now. If you sell more than $400. in one year you have to pay taxes on it. You also go into the computer system that means that any type of help you get, like my rent, is affected by it. So now I am just looking forward to making more room and giving things to people who might really want or need them. At least I don't have to package them up.


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## MickaC (Oct 24, 2022)

katlupe said:


> I know. I used to sell on fb marketplace but they even request your SS# now. If you sell more than $400. in one year you have to pay taxes on it. You also go into the computer system that means that any type of help you get, like my rent, is affected by it. So now I am just looking forward to making more room and giving things to people who might really want or need them. At least I don't have to package them up.


Even on FB Marketplace, we don’t claim or pay taxes.
I’m proud of your generous heart..


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