Many of us have been in the position of helping reluctant parents downsize, sell their home and possessions and make difficult choices. We don’t want that, for ourselves, our siblings, our friends or kids. What’s on your list as you make a lifestyle choice that's about right-sizing so you can follow your dreams for the future?

Unlike the generations before us who had to hold onto family real estate (like the family farm) in order to ensure a future for our children, most of us have been in the position of helping reluctant parents downsize, sell their home and possessions and make difficult choices.

We don’t want that, for ourselves, our siblings, our friends or kids. In fact, having owned the family home, taken care of the family home, and invested in the family home - we’re ready to invest in a tomorrow of our choosing.

For some of us, right-sizing means choosing a home with less upkeep so we can begin living the retirement life while we’re still working. And, it may mean ensuring there’s an extra bedroom for kids or parents who bounce back from time to time. For many of us, it means having a home near a community with the amenities we value; parks, bike trails, waterways, restaurants, sporting venues, the arts, and places to invest our time and give back.

Taking into account both now and future needs means that right-sizing, while we’re fully capable, creates opportunities. That’s not to say that moving isn’t stressful; it just is. But, doing it our way, in our time (and not under duress) - means avoiding the wrenching process we’ve seen people make when they wait too long and are forced to down-size.

In fact, a friend of ours put her decision to sell the family home like this, “Freedom.” She said, “I had taken care of the family and the big family home for decades. It was a lot of work and a lot of stuff, and I was ready to scale that back so that I could start living our retirement dream now, while we’re still working. Our right size was an upgrade to a life where we kayak, bike, and travel. We’re way ahead of most of our friends - but I’m so glad we did this while we were young enough to enjoy the perks. It was a great move. Our four grown kids who were a bit apprehensive at first, see our life now and agree that right-sizing was an absolutely brilliant move!”

If you’re thinking about right-sizing, it’s a good time to think about the lifestyle you want and the kind of spaces you might need.

Some things to consider

• How can your new house be the house that creates freedom for living?

• When you think ahead, will you cut back your hours or work more from home? Will you want a home office? A studio for your craft?

• Do you need to make a space for kids or grandkids who stay from time to time?

• Will you need to accommodate aging parents?

• Do you think about your next home as a home that you can grow old in? What kinds of amenities will help ensure that you can age in place? (Things like one-level living.)

• What community features would you value having in close proximity?

As you begin to dream about a right-sized future, we’ll talk about the spaces you’d like to see in your new home, the lifestyle you want to live, and those with whom you may want to share this space. Then, for a moment we’ll forget about room names and imagine how each new space might accommodate your needs.

Getting Ready

As you get ready to downsize, a great first step is to go ahead and start decluttering. For many of us who have become holders of the family treasures, this is a big job. Make a list of the valuable pieces and furniture you really don’t want to take into your future - and shop that around to family and friends, asking them to let you know with 4-weeks if this is something they want. Let them know that after that you’re going to begin posting and selling those items. It can be surprising to discover that the things we thought we had to hang onto, no one wants. Once we get past the shock of that, there really is freedom in not having to hold onto things we really don’t want either.

Using your cell phone to capture photos of those items allows you to email or text photos to family and friends - of the stuff you’ll no longer need - as well as make it easier for you to post online photos in order to sell stuff directly on Facebook, Craig’s List or at local second-hand shops. When possible, meet online buyers in a local parking lot; like at a grocery store. When it’s a larger item, move it to your garage (when possible) and avoid having people enter your home (especially when you’re there alone).

My friend (above) sold everything from dining-room tables, china cabinets, beds and dressers to bikes and snowblowers. The rest she donated. She had painters in to prep her house for sale, and scheduled furniture viewings for days when painters were present (so smart). And then, she took her proceeds and invested those in the cost of moving and in buying new toys (like kayaks) for her new, right-sized life. Brilliant, right?

Right-sizing is taking charge of your future

If a big house in the suburbs crammed with amenities that are no longer important and furniture you don’t really need is no longer the way you want to define your life, then be bold. If you’re ready for a change - for a walkable community, leisure activities that create a fit-life, or hobbies that you loved and want to make space and time for - be bold. Right-sizing is about creating a life that aligns with your next-stage dreams.

Us Space & Fun Space

Another friend who decided to right-size, bought a house that was nearly half the size of their previous one. And they’ve been incredibly happy. They decided that house layout and location was more important to them then the square footage. So, they got a house with what they call “us space” and “fun space” in a neighborhood with “community space.” They’re loving their right-sized life that freed up their mind, heart and time to focus on the things that bring them happiness.

In addition to the savings that come from having a space that can cost less to maintain (less repairs, cooling, heating), right-sizing can be a time when people invest in upgrades that create a lifestyle that’s comfortable and energy efficient; like adding heated wood floors or energy saving solar energy. When done on a smaller scale, these upgrades and amenities can also be cost-saving.

Saving More than Money

One family who right-sized (way before retirement) found that they saved $33,000 a year. They used that amount to pay-off the difference in their new mortgage and are now living debt free. They said, “By not having those expenses hanging over our head for things we didn’t need, we freed ourselves to use our income to follow our dreams and help causes we believe in.” In fact, right-sized and with the low over-head, they’re now free to invest a month every year serving a mission abroad. Today, they’re saving more than money.

What does your new freedom look like? If you’re ready to explore the possibilities of right-sizing, give me a call.