Downsizing- Ideal Age?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never, staying in my house as long as I can.

I'm staying in my house but clearing it of junk. My basement and costs are pretty much clear of things i don't use regularly.

I have divested cumbersome things like commercial property, timeshares, etc. I talked to my kids and they don't want to deal with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best time is years ago; second best time is now.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 54 and DH is 66 and we are doing it now. Bought a new house, it's 2,000 sq feet and we are purging stuff. For example I've finally made peace with a Kindle and am taking boxes of books to McKay's every day until most are gone.

LOL. 2000 sqft is a big house.

[Anonymous]

(Not) dealing with this now with my ILs. Large longtime home with packed to the literal rafters unfinished full basement. FIL (77) just bought a 4th car (MIL doesn’t drive) and because one side of his two car garage is also packed with junque, constant scramble to move cars and store cars.

They also have a little-used vacation condo slightly less cluttered.

Sometimes, no plan is a plan. It’s going to be a mess to deal with and since my help, advice, guidance has not been needed nor heeded, I joke that I’ll be on an extended tropical vacation while DH hires a junk hauler. I’ll come back when it’s all gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 54 and DH is 66 and we are doing it now. Bought a new house, it's 2,000 sq feet and we are purging stuff. For example I've finally made peace with a Kindle and am taking boxes of books to McKay's every day until most are gone.

Good for you...but that is larger than the house we raised our two kids in and host our family events.

Well, it’s a lot smaller than what we are coming from hence the need to downsize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never, staying in my house as long as I can.

What about all the stuff?

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I think it’s more important to purge and declutter than it is to relocate depending on your home. My parents house is perfect to age in place. My in-laws never purged or cleared things out. That’s what took so long after they passed.

[Anonymous]

Don’t leave this for your DC to handle. I’ll tell you now they want very little.

My last parent died one year ago and I still have a small storage unit filled with furniture and 2 huge plastic tubs of memorabilia and photos (including all of my baby pictures).

I’ve decided that I do not want a thing left in the storage unit so my siblings will handle and close. Also, grief is weird - I have grown to dislike two large pieces of furniture I took from my childhood home. I’m donating these ASAP.

The plastic tubs make me sad. I need to sort through and scan and then toss. Also have my parent’s journals, calendars that I can’t bring g myself to read because it documents last years of life and illness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 54 and DH is 66 and we are doing it now. Bought a new house, it's 2,000 sq feet and we are purging stuff. For example I've finally made peace with a Kindle and am taking boxes of books to McKay's every day until most are gone.

This is why the question of "downsizing" is too broad to be meaningful. Too much depends on the circumstances. DH and I are 59, and we're planning to upsize in the next few years, not downsize. But the house we raised our kids in is 1400 square feet, with no living area big enough for more than 5 adults to sit and watch a movie or sporting event, one (of 3) bedrooms so small it can't hold more than a single bed, and no bathroom on the main floor. We want a house that is big enough for our grown kids to bring their partners and children to. And also that can be liveable if one of us can't manage stairs. I'm thinking 2000 to 2500 sqft., with a bath and something that can be used as a bedroom on the first floor.

[Anonymous]

I would never downsize, but my house is 2400 sqft so not a mansion. I love that my parents still have their house (similar size) with a nice yard, we can visit comfortably.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never, staying in my house as long as I can.

I'm staying in my house but clearing it of junk. My basement and costs are pretty much clear of things i don't use regularly.

I have divested cumbersome things like commercial property, timeshares, etc. I talked to my kids and they don't want to deal with it.

Getting rid of the timeshare was smart. Dealing with those is a nightmare and rarely do the children have the time or want to use them.

[Anonymous]

The healthy 60 something empty nesters should live how they want. Don’t put a priority on making your kids lives easier after you die. If downsizing makes you happier/less stressed then do it. If it doesn’t then don’t.

My parents never downsized prior to them passing. Taking care of& cleaning out their belongings was one last way my siblings and I were able to honor our parents. It didn’t take very long. It’s not a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:YOu should be doing it all the time, now. Go to that corner of the basement and purge. Cull the holiday decorations that never come out. Get rid of the toys the kids have outgrown. Organize the guest room. I don't think it should be a massive job for a future time. Doing it on the regular means you can enjoy the results now.

it actually is very freeing to purge and clear away clutter. Fact is, the kids do NOT want all your crap. You likely don't either. So get rid of 75% of it. We do a yearly purge/cleanout of the garage and basement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once kids are out of the house. DH has a sillyidea about keeping a big house for grandkids, but no.

Agreed! One kid lives 2K miles away, 2nd is likely to be on the other coast. So yeah, when they come to visit, we will rent a place for that week or get them a hotel room nearby for sleeping. Who wants a large home for a few weeks a year. And if they somehow end up near us, well then you also don't need a huge home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 54 and DH is 66 and we are doing it now. Bought a new house, it's 2,000 sq feet and we are purging stuff. For example I've finally made peace with a Kindle and am taking boxes of books to McKay's every day until most are gone.

LOL. 2000 sqft is a big house.

It's all relative. If you came from a 4K+ sq ft family home, going to 2000sq ft is smaller

We went from a 4.4K sq ft home to a 1500 sq ft condo (2 bed/2 bath). It's a shock, and as we looked we quickly decided that 1100 sq ft was just too small for our likes.