Downsizing with joy

For most part of our lives we work hard to establish ourselves among our colleagues, our friends, and even our family. Building up wealth, buying a house and making it a home by filling it with possessions and ‘things’ that we love. Over the years we acquire more and more of these things because it makes us happy to do so.

But there comes a time in one’s life when you start to look back and you soon realise that your happiest moments have not been as a result of the ‘things’ but rather the people you’ve met, the experiences you’ve had and the family-filled memories that you’ve made along the way. 

So when it comes to downsizing - a common step for many ageing adults as you start to accept that living in a big house, or even living alone, may no longer be the best situation for you – the process offers an opportunity to re-evaluate your space, declutter your mind (and things), discover the joy of giving and to appreciate that less is surprisingly more.  

Making the change and moving to an assisted living facility such as Le Domaine Care means that your future is set to change; but we truly believe that, for a number of reasons, it is all for the better and we’ve got some tips to help you prepare for this exciting new chapter. 

However, the positives of the situation can certainly outweigh all those negative feelings as you transition to a smaller space. Think smaller and more manageable gardens; less or no stairs; no costly maintenance…

RE-EVALUATE YOUR SPACE.

Downsizing can be both physically and emotionally draining as you move from the known to the unknown. There’s no doubt about it. Change is hard. Especially when your body and mind are already going through dramatic changes. The older we get, the more accustomed we become to our ‘things’ and the longer we put it off, the harder it will be to make the move. 

However, the positives of the situation can certainly outweigh all those negative feelings as you transition to a smaller space. Think smaller and more manageable gardens; less or no stairs; no costly maintenance; lock-up-and-go living; the benefits of immediate emergency and medical care; the convenience of daily activities and state of the art facilities; not to mention the joys of being surrounded and appreciated by a community of like-minded individuals.

TIP: Contact your chosen care facility and ask for a tour. Walk through the gardens and familiarise yourself with what will soon be your new surroundings. Seeing the space in person before you make the move will help you to visualise and prepare; with a better understanding of what and how much to take with you in the move.

DECLUTTER: YOUR MIND & YOUR THINGS

Once you have settled on a new living space, don’t wait until the week before you move to start packing. Your home is filled with a lifetime of treasures, so get an early start by slowly sorting through everything; deciding what you would like to take with you and what doesn’t need to come. Don’t do it all in one day because that can be both exhausting and upsetting. If you rush through the packing process, you’ll find it overwhelming when in fact it’s a wonderful chance to declutter your space and in turn, your mind, as you prepare yourself for an exciting new chapter.

TIP: Tackle one room at a time and give each room your undivided attention. Take some time to stop and page through old photo albums and appreciate the memories that have been made. Then create a YES and a NO pile. If a particular item brings up negative emotions, or no emotions at all, then put it in the NO pile. If something makes you happy, then keep it and place it in the YES pile. The idea is to surround yourself with a smaller collection of things that you love. Just because your new home will be smaller it doesn’t mean it can’t be filled with happiness.

DISCOVER THE JOY OF GIVING

You’ve spent most of your life collecting artwork and décor and discovering favourite pieces of furniture. You still have that priceless ornament that was passed down from your great grandparents, and the painting in the lounge that warms your heart every time you walk past. These are your treasures and the sentiment that you attach to them should not be tossed aside. 

However, there is something to be said about sharing the joy. If you have certain items that you love but know that they either won’t fit in your new home or you feel like it is simply time to pass them on, why not gift these items to members of your family. There is nothing more special than receiving a pre-loved item from an older family member; something that can be appreciated and cherished by your grandchild or son or daughter. And with it, a memory of you.

TIP: Once you have created your YES and NO piles, invite your children and grandchildren over to go through your unwanted items. They may discover some real gems that would fit beautifully in their homes or even items that they remember fondly from their childhood and want to hang on to. It’s a great chance for you to bond with the young ones; let them help you pack, talk to them about family heirlooms, reminisce about the memories you all made in your home, and spend some quality time together. 

Alternatively, there are so many charities looking for pre-loved items. Contact your local SPCA. If your donation is large enough, they will come and collect it from you.

LESS IS MORE

When you have fewer possessions, you’ll be more inclined to appreciate them more. Not to mention that you’ll have fewer things to keep clean, organize, dust and keep track of. Which means you’ll have more time to do hobbies and the things you love. Unless cleaning is a hobby of yours… in which case you’ll have time to find a new hobby.

TIP: Reduce the number of duplicates you have. If you love nature and have 12 books on gardening, now is the time to choose your favourite one and donate the others to a secondhand bookstore. You’ll probably find everything you need in one book you’ve kept. Now apply this same idea to your kitchen utensils, linen and your clothes and see how well you can cope with far less.

At Le Domaine Care, we see downsizing as an exciting new chapter in your ageing journey. That’s exactly why we pride ourselves on offering a sanctuary of quality living. And we hope you see it the same way: a new home from which to truly live your life and feel safe, loved and at peace. We can’t wait to welcome you home!