The prospect of downsizing your home for retirement is often associated with a sense of loss. The idea of giving up the home that you built all your life and where your children grew up may be disheartening to some people.
“Retiring soon” is an exciting thought, but it can also be overwhelming. Planning to downsize for retirement can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be.
At Heritage Oak Glen, you can enjoy your golden years with peace of mind of knowing you’re in the right place. Call us today at 916-988-6668 to learn more about our senior mobile home community.
And now, read on to learn more about our downsizing tips for retirement.
Take inventory of your belongings and get rid of things you don’t need
Downsizing is a lot to think about and plan for, so you may want to get started by taking inventory of your belongings. You can do this by photographing or writing down the value of each item in your house.
Make sure to include sentimental items, even though they’re only worth a little amount of money, like family photos or souvenirs from vacations. It will help you decide what is important enough for you to keep and what isn’t worth moving into your new home.
Once you’ve taken inventory, consider making a list of everything that would be ideal in your new smaller house. Then prioritize those things so they’ll all fit in the space available!
Start slowly and set aside time every day
Downsizing is a long process. Don’t try to do it all in one day, week, or month.
You’ll need to continue purging after the move. That’s because there will always be more clutter than you can fit into your new home.
That’s why you need to start slowly. By going one small step at a time, you will feel more comfortable along the way and be able to tackle downsizing in stages so that it’s not such a big task.
Consider donating or selling unnecessary items
Donating your unwanted goods to charities will help those in need. It will also reduce the amount of clutter in your home and save space in your storage unit.
You can often donate clothes, electronics, and furniture directly from your home by contacting a local charity such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army. The latter has a website that lists charities where you can drop off items for donation.
If bringing an entire couch or dining room table over to Goodwill yourself is not practical, try selling these at Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. You can also try your local second-hand shops.
Be strategic about where you place storage items
When downsizing to a senior mobile home park in Orangevale, California, one of the most important things to consider is where you will use your storage items. If you’re planning to keep an item, make sure it’s not so large that it will get lost among your other belongings and take up too much space.
The same goes for closets and cupboards. You want to be able to find what you need easily.
Think about your space in your new mobile home before buying furniture or other objects. Some areas might only have room for smaller items like bookshelves or desks.
When deciding where or whether something should go, ask yourself: “How often will I use this?” And also, consider how easy it would be for someone else (a family member or friend) who might visit more frequently than expected (e.g., during holidays).
Make sure everything has an assigned place before moving into your mobile home in one of the senior communities in Orangevale, California. So there aren’t any last-minute scrambles when trying to figure out where things should go once everything has arrived at its destination!
Conclusion
We hope these tips will help you get a better idea of how to downsize for retirement. As we said earlier, it’s all about being strategic about what you need and wants in your new home and then planning accordingly.
If you start slowly and work consistently over time, senior living in Orangevale can be an exciting process that leads to a more fulfilling life in the years ahead!
At Heritage Oak Glen, we offer a wide range of amenities so you can choose the activities you enjoy the most. For more information, contact us at 916-988-6668 or drop us a message.
