The Five Year Downsizing Plan | Rock-n-Roll Real Estate Agent

By Bob Kelly, Guest Writer

Are you at the age where you know somewhere in the not too distant future you will be facing the daunting task of downsizing? Or do you know you will be helping an elderly parent move from a single home to a significantly smaller living space.?Yes I can hear the groans from here.

After rolling up my sleeves to help in two separate scenarios, one of an in-law downsizing and the other selling a deceased parent?s home, I now can say that I will do everything in my power to make sure those encumbrances aren?t left to my children. They are difficult on so many levels.

If you are dealing with a parent in poor health, it is important to find out from them what are their wishes and preferences with regard to the family treasures.?I?m not talking about things that are included in a will per se but furniture, artwork, or other items that have sentimental significance.? Perhaps your mother played the piano and knows of a niece who might enjoy having one.?Unless you discuss it, you will never know, and the piano may just be donated to charity.?A grandfather clock, an heirloom rug, hall table, or bedroom furniture all may be things that someone in your circle of family and friends may be admiring from afar but reticent to mention.

Sometimes parents don?t want to discuss this topic because it makes them have to come to grips with reality.?Which is why I suggest the 5 year plan:

Year 5 ? Start weeding through the attic, basement, and storage areas.?Anything that doesn?t have sentimental value or has not been called into service in the past 2-3 years, get rid of it. Those old toasters, TV?s before digital, scout uniforms, t-ball trophies are gathering dust for a reason?? they are never and will never be used.

Go through cabinets and closets relieving them of outdated and un-used clothing, expired prescription and non-prescription drugs, lotions and potions.

Year 4 ? The vinyl record and other such collections that may be of interest to collectors and should be investigated at this point in time, not when the pressure is on and you have to get rid of things fast.?With the luxury of time on your side you can find either the right price or the right home for such items.

Begin sorting through paperwork, shredding old tax returns and anything that will not be needed from this point on.

Year 3 ? By this time a garage sale may be in order.? Sometimes going through things that could bring in a few extra dollars is motivation to keep digging for more. The old ski exerciser that was caked with dust from underuse, great grand mom?s dishes, cameras through the ages, old books and magazines all may be of interest to the perusers of flea markets and yard sales.?You will be pleasantly surprised as long as you are reasonable in your expectation of price.

Year 2 ? Make the approximate decision of what furnishings are accompanying their owner to the new residence and what needs to find a new home of their own.?Once that crucial decision has been made then you need to find out who among your family and friends would be interested in what will eventually be available.?After all that has been agreed upon, put a label on the back of each item stating who its rightful new owner will be.?Also keeping the same information in a central log book would be advisable since labels can fall off when items are moved.

Year 1 ? The task of paring down should be much easier with the big move about 12 months off in the future.?There is probably a better idea of where the move will lead and how much actual space there will be.?That will be the guide for deciding what can be packed and what is left to toss.

While no one has a crystal ball to know what the next 5 years has in store for us or our parents, we can at least try to work together to make the transitions as easy as possible. It is much more comforting to know that if there are some things that are valued and cannot be moved to the new home because of space constraints, they will be in the hands of someone with true appreciation and enjoy them as you or your loved one did.? It is disheartening when things wind up in the trash because the whole process was left to the last minute and the pressure was on to make quick decisions.

Click here to read more posts by Bob Kelly.

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