While a recent Del web survey revealed that 22% of 50-60 year-old Americans in or approaching retirement are doing a 180 on housing, as more choose to upsize their residences and enjoy the fruits of their savings labor, the majority downsize as they hit retirement age. In this lies a dilemma: What to do with all that STUFF?
The Financial Times recently published a story on this subject, and I too have personally witnessed the anguish those who have collected and gathered their favorite things, now compelled to sell, gift, or donate them…or worse, throw things away. As a professional real estate advisor, this is a component I find myself often dealing with, and my goal is to guide my clients to resources to help them. Here are some thoughts:
- Simplifying can be DIVINE. I always tell my downsizers that almost every single one of them before felt the exact same way until AFTER they had completed the task, when they felt a HUGE sense of satisfaction and relief once the process was completed. Less clutter and stuff de-stressed them and allowed them to refresh their lives, not just their home environment.
- Take inventory of all the things you CAN use in your new home first.
- Identify all the items you wish to gift to relatives and friends, knowing some may not want what you gift. Ask first, while keeping an open mind.
- Identify all items you might want to donate for charitable purposes. What you might consider tired, may be TREASURE to someone less fortunate.
- Identify all the items you wish to sell, knowing that most stuff has little resale value in the second-hand market. If you have fine art, rare or collectible items, it is wisest to hire a professional appraiser and/or estate sale service.
- If they above items 1-5 seems overwhelming, consider hiring a professional organizer to assist you with getting through the process. They are worth their weight in gold!
Whether choosing to upsize, downsize, or just refresh, I have outstanding resources for all of the above, and more. I look forward to the opportunity to meet with you about how I can help you with all your real estate needs. Please contact me at 619-944-2798, or at [email protected]