Downsizing Your Home in Your 60s? Read This First

By Rita Wilkins
The Downsizing Designer

When you reach the age of 60, you’re beginning to enter a new stage of life that can be both terrorizing and exciting. It’s a time of change… big change, and these changes can be scary because you’re being confronted with stepping out of your comfort zone and letting go of what has been comfortable.

• Downsizing from the house you raised your kids in

• Leaving the neighborhood where everyone knows you and you know them

• Retiring from a job or career you’ve had for 20 to 30 years

A common strategy for baby boomers 60+ who have become or will soon become empty-nesters is to consider downsizing to a smaller home, one that is more manageable, more efficient, and more affordable.

This kind of life-changing decision is not easy.

As a matter of fact, it can be so overwhelming and emotional causing some baby boomers to resist and defer their decision to declutter and downsize to someday in the future.

So how do you know when you’re ready to downsize and declutter?

1. The big house is just not working for you anymore

With the kids gone, the house feels empty. There are too many unused rooms. The house is too big, too expensive, and too expensive to maintain.

You’re spending time, money, and energy just keeping up with the big house… and it’s wearing you out!

2. It’s time to discover what’s missing in your life

Do you hear yourself saying, “Something’s missing in my life?”

It feels like your life is on autopilot. It’s like being on a hamster wheel, getting nowhere. You’re tired of status-quo living. You’re longing for a new life and lifestyle that lights you up, makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning, and that you have more time money, and freedom to pursue what matters most to you.

You may not even know what that something missing is, but it is calling you.

3. It’s time for YOU… and it’s about time!

Your kids are grown. they’ve left the nest, and your responsibilities are much lighter.  

Your life has changed. You’ve changed. It’s time for you to prioritize yourself and what matters most to you at this stage of your life.

Are any of these wake-up calls calling you?

If so, recognizing and acknowledging that something is calling you is the easy part. The hardest part is to answer that call and act upon it so you can move forward.

Remember: someday is not a day of the week. If you are being nudged to let go, and move on to a new home and a new lifestyle, take heed. Listen to that voice and take action now.

If not now, when will you make the decision to downsize and declutter?

Here are some quotes from baby boomers who waited too long. They regret not downsizing and decluttering sooner.

“I wish I had downsized sooner. I wish I had said goodbye to the big house it was no longer working for me and said hello sooner to a smaller home that feels right for my new stage of life.”

“I wish I had seized down the opportunity to live my life more intentionally rather than living by default. I could’ve had more time, money, and freedom to travel more when I was younger and still healthy.”

“I wish I had prioritized myself sooner and spent less time worrying about making a perfect choice.”

“If I had stepped out of my comfort zone sooner, taking a chance on living in a smaller space, I would’ve had much more time money, and freedom to do more of what I wanted to do and less of what I had to do.”

 “I wish I had given myself permission to Downsize and Declutter sooner. I realize now how much time and money I wasted I’m trying to impress others with my big house, when in fact, I’m so much happier now that I live in a small home. My life is so simple.”

These are just a few examples of real people’s experiences… And regrets they didn’t listen to that wake-up call sooner.

As you are trying to discern whether you should take that big step to downsizing and decluttering your 60s or not, I encourage you to listen to that little voice in your head saying, it’s time.

The easy part is hearing that call.

The hard part is answering it and taking action so you can live more fully in your third act, making it your best act yet!