The complete guide to downsizing for seniors

It’s one thing to imagine how great you’ll feel living in a new place that’s easier to manage and offers excellent lifestyle amenities. It’s another to think about how to downsize from a house or large condo, whether you’re moving or helping loved ones. In our complete guide to downsizing for seniors, you’ll find expert tips from around the world to help you decide which key furniture and household items to keep so you can fully embrace the companionship, enriching activities and other perks of senior living.

Furniture and accessories for small space living

Experts agree its best to start your downsizing efforts on furnishings and other large items. Read our planning and decluttering guide for seniors to learn more about:

  • Creating a floor plan of your new space
  • Keeping furniture that suits the scale and needs of your new suite and lifestyle
  • Personalizing your space with your favourite art and accessories
  • How to donate or sell furniture you don’t need

Identifying what to keep when you’re downsizing

The less-is-more approach works when you only keep the things that bring you the most joy. Download this organizational primer by filling in the form to discover:

  • The top tips of decluttering experts such as Marie Kondo and Margareta Magnusson
  • Key questions to help you decide what to keep or give away
  • Tricks to help you discern which clothes, books and gifts you’ll actually use again, and how to emotionally let go of those you won’t
  • Best ways to save beloved photos, books and recipes
  • How to sift through old letters, cards and mementoes and box up only the ones that resonate most
  • Strategies to sort paperwork to centralize important legal, insurance and financial documents and part with outdated receipts and correspondence.

What to do with unwanted goods

How you choose to get rid of items you no longer need will depend on their value and your time and resources. To help, our seniors’ downsizing guide offers advice on:

  • Determining the best way to sell items, from an online site or consignment shop to a yard sale or professionally run estate sale
  • Finding local organizations that will pick up or accept donations of large furniture, appliances and other household goods
  • How to thoughtfully gift valuable items to family and friends.

Downsizing takes work, but this guide definitely makes it easier. The reward is a fresh way of living, surrounded by the things you truly love.