The children are grown and out on their own. Now what? If you think you are ready to downsize - check out this article. Alot of great points made. kc
Flying the Empty Nest: Strategies for Downsizing
Are your children living on their own, married, or off to college? Have you
decided to replace your family home with a smaller residence? Whether you want
to focus on other priorities, or build the cottage or beach house you've always
dreamed of, or simply no longer wanting to spend energy maintaining a large
home, consider the following strategies for downsizing your home:
Decide Where To Go
• If schools have always prioritized where you have lived, now think about
other criteria important to you, such as rural living or closer proximity to
recreational pursuits.
• Consider laying the groundwork for a retirement lifestyle. Your new home
could also be the one you retire in.
• With fewer living expenses, you may have more expendable income and
find that you can increase the luxury or convenience of your lifestyle.
• Determine how much space you actually need. Examine your current
home and subtract the square footage of rooms you don't need anymore.
Add in the measurement of new spaces you might want, such as a
workshop or sunroom.
Sort Through Your Stuff
• Where do you begin if your current home is packed full with a generation's
worth of accumulation?
• If you have grown children's belongings in the house, next time they are
home, have them sort their things into four piles: what they'll take right
now, what they need you to hold for them, what they want to give away,
what can be tossed.
• Go through the rest and determine future needs. Some possession might
be family-sized, such as camping gear. Do you foresee future activities of
a similar nature? Other possessions might be house-oriented. For
example, if you're moving to a townhouse, you can sell the lawn mower
and weed whacker.
• Keep memorabilia and other sentimental keepsakes in the family while
getting them out of your house. Give your grown children the arts, crafts,
projects, trophies, and holiday decorations they had as kids. They may
appreciate having them as they start creating their own family traditions.
Great way to help the buyers that are trying to look to downsize. I enjoy Empy Nest downsizing clients. They are the most qualified "most of the time"
Kara - good information. Where did you find the article?
Good advice - the advice should start with 'don't make a hasty decision' - you may want to downsize now but when family starts moving out of area and want to come back for a visit you may wish you had the room, holiday meals and family get-togethers are not the same in a home that is not 'home' to the kids who have moved out and on their own. Just think twice about leaving friends and loved ones to 'spread your wings'.
Thanks Penny - This article was in some of my SRES materials. And, Mary - that is so true. There is alot to think about when making a decision to downsize.
Have a great day y'all. kc