Are you considering selling your home and retiring? Maybe somewhere warmer? We all know the main areas for retiring are Florida with many cities being ranked in the top 10. I was surprised to see Myrtle beach- SC, Ann Harbor MI, and Lancaster, PA in the top 10 and I did not see Arizona in the top 25. In fact it looks like they were #38 in the 2020 ranking. Times are changing for sure! Where do you think Washington ranked? We ranked 46 out of 50!

Over the years seeing Seniors in my church, neighbors and with my own parents I have seen many challenges as we age that make you decide to move. After struggling to help one family move that had many medical challenges I decided I need to learn more to help this population and is why I am proud to be an Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES). Helping those make a move that is more senior friendly and working with their family in taking the time they may need for their next adventure in life.

So where do you start when you are starting to consider a move and have lived in your current home for 20+ years?

1. Start with the easy stuff.

Eliminate anything that’s broken, damaged, or no longer wanted. Then, go to the out-of-the-way spaces like attics, crawlspaces, and garages. Progress in these “easier” parts of your home will help you build momentum and tackle the harder-to-decide areas.

2. Ask yourself,  “If this disappeared tomorrow, would I run out and replace it?”

If you wouldn’t miss it or need to replace it, it’s probably not worth keeping.

3. Don’t be a storage unit for others.

If friends or relatives have left things for you to store, it’s time to ask them to pick up their possessions—or arrange to have them shipped. You may need to be tough and set a firm deadline, after which you will donate the items.

4. Ask for help.

Although you can do much of this work on your own, a family member, a good friend, or even a professional organizer can help make the job more manageable.

5. Decide what’s important.

Pretend you are moving overseas, but you can only take a severely limited number of items because it costs a small fortune to ship them. What items belong on your list? These are the things that matter most to you!

6. Is this something from a lifestyle I no longer have or want?

For example, if you have three cabinets full of plastic containers, but only cook for one or two people, it’s reasonable to eliminate a few plastic sets—and dishes, pots, and pans.

7. Schedule a regular time each week—or several days a week—to work on rightsizing.

Realize that rightsizing is a life-changing marathon, not a sprint. You didn’t accumulate everything overnight, and you won’t sort it all out overnight, either.

8. Value what you keep.

The fewer things you keep, the more you will treasure and enjoy what you have, instead of tucking items away in a closet or stacked among dozens of other things. These are the select, meaningful items worth having in your personal space.

9. Prevent new collections from forming.

Instead of material gifts, ask people to spoil you by sharing time, enjoying new experiences, and helping you indulge in luxuries (spa certificates, imported chocolate, a musical or other theatre production, gift certificates for dinner out, etc.). In other words, ask for special treats that you love and want, but don’t always buy for yourself.

10. Use age to your advantage.

Now is a great time to give items to family members that you eventually want them to have. Take a photo (preferably a digital one) of your recipients holding their treasured gifts and create a scrapbook of “next generation” memories. These images can serve as powerful reminders of your most cherished items moving forward into posterity with the most special people in your life.

It takes time once you decide you want to start making the steps for a move. The average time frame I work with Senior sellers that have decided to move is a few months to a few years. I had one couple that I worked with for 3 years! They had been in their home for 32 years. Raised their kids and finally decided it was time to move into a ground floor condo with no steps and then go see the world. It takes time to navigate and sometimes many meetings to help them make decisions and keep them on their path. I helped with so many referrals and even some of the heavy lifting before we did the heavy selling. 🙂

Want more information on what a SRES can do for you? Visit the consumer site to learn about the value of working with a SRES and content with topics to assist you like Senior housing options, adapting your existing home and more.