Sep 15, 2016 / Your Home

4 Tips: Make Downsizing Someone’s Home Easier

 

Downsizing.

Even the word sounds negative. But it doesn’t have to be a horrible experience, in fact framed as working towards a new adventure, saving money or having less upkeep can keep the downsizing process on the move.

Whatever your reasons (buying or selling the family home) for moving or downsizing, attitude counts. And the more upbeat you are, the more help you’ll garner and the smoother things will go.

As real estate agents, we chat a lot about downsizing. And for many clients with aging relatives, downsizing has become an important topic. In fact, it’s such a big topic, that I’ve divided the topic into two different posts.

In this post, I will share ideas and tips for downsizing someone else’s home whether it’s your elderly parents, aging neighbours or favourite aunt. In the next post, my real estate team and I share our hacks for downsizing your own home.

When it comes to downsizing, if you’re worried that you don’t know where to start, don’t worry, we do!

How to help someone downsize their home.

Allow lots of time

Whatever else, be prepared to dedicate some time to the process.

I agree it’s far more efficient to plough through the house in one go, but that can be both physically and emotionally stressful for everyone involved.  If it’s a senior’s space you are downsizing, think months, not days.

Start by tackling one room (like the kitchen) or one project (like photos) at a time. Two-hour stretches is ideal, probably for you too. Keep in mind that your work doesn’t end after a two-hour sort. There’s the packing, tossing out and taking away element of downsizing as well.

Ask questions that require Y/N answers

Taking a moment to properly frame your questions so they require yes or no answers are much easier to manage then open ended questions. Dialogue along the lines of:

‘ I’ve got your best frying pan, a large pot and your kettle together, how does that sound?’ or
‘ I went through your scarf drawer and chose the 5 that I think suit you the best’

is easier to manage over: “Which one of these do you want to keep?”

For many of us the newest and shiniest isn’t necessarily the favourite and the one used daily. What may seem old and useless could be the source of comfort and therefore worth moving, such as my favourite coffee mug, which I’m never letting out of my sight.

By handing a sense of control over the family member who is ultimately the decision maker, you are putting them in the driver’s seat and quite possibly making it easier for them to give away more things.

Breaking through the sentimentality

Getting rid of sentimental treasures can make for difficult conversations.

But you can help your senior decide what’s really meaningful by asking them:

“If you could take only 3 pieces of artwork or 10 books which would they be?”

That helps identify which ones are more meaningful. The chosen ones you can take, the others then become negotiable.

Photos, memorabilia and collections take up a lot of space and need to be culled.

Begin by getting the story behind the objects (where did it come from, when was it last used) and make sure it’s noted and that the story follows to the next person who uses it. This allows the importance of the memento to carry forward.

It’s hard to enjoy sealed boxes of photos. Having them digitized and organized into albums is really affordable. Albums or books can centre around themes, events, or a book dedicated to each family segment. Sorting and organizing photos into groups might be something that can be delegated to another family member.

Keeping an album of paintings is also an alternative. I agree that having photos of paintings, isn’t the same as owning, but it’s a space saving way to continue enjoying without owning.

Let the legacy start today

If an item is meant to be a gift, encourage giving it now rather than the next milestone. Suggest that your relatives enjoy the feeling of giving right now with the benefit of seeing others enjoy what they hold in high regard.

And if it’s simply too much, hire a professional. There are many agencies that will make your downsizing experience a smooth transition. Connecting you with moving services, is part of helping you sell your home. Sharing information is what real estate agents do best!

If you would like more information on downsizing, we would be thrilled to work with you. Contact us Today!

Our team of real estate sales professionals is committed to finding you, your dream home. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, the Karen Paul team is here to help with any questions.


Interested in learning more? Send us a message here and we’ll be in touch with you soon after.

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