Whenever someone asks me when they should start downsizing, I always give them the same answer: Now!
I say “now” whether someone has plans to move, or they don’t. Whether the person asking is closer to 50 or to 90.
The best time to start downsizing is as soon as you think about it. Downsizing takes longer than you think it will. And doing it slowly will be easier than doing it in a rush. The most important reason to start downsizing now is because the more you do it, the better you’ll feel! So why wait?
Here are just a few of the unexpected benefits you may realize when you start downsizing.
- Things will be where you expect them to be.
Downsizing not only means clearing things out, but choosing appropriate places for similar items to be stored. Imagine how much easier your life would be – how much time you would save even in one day – if every time you went to look for something it was exactly where it should be.
- You’ll feel calmer.
Mess leads to stress. When your living space is cluttered and confused, your head starts to feel that way, too. When you start decluttering, you’ll notice yourself feeling calmer with each space that you clear out. Visual calm leads to mental calm. It’s a wonderful feeling!
- You’ll have time to make good choices.
As you go through your things, you’ll find many things that are still of value – but no longer useful to you. Start downsizing now and you’ll have time to make sure things go where you want them to – whether that’s to family, friends, or a charity of your choice.
- It will be easier on everyone.
Think going through your stuff is hard to do? It would be even more challenging for your kids. Chances are good that they’re not interested in holding on to things you’re ready to let go of. Don’t waste time the time you have together arguing about what you should keep or throw away. Take care of cleaning up your stuff now. Your kids will appreciate it. And it will be better for you, too.
- You can enjoy letting go.
Want to spend endless hours reminiscing on memory lane? When you downsize at a leisurely pace you can do it. You like tossing stuff with abandon – without having to explain your choices? Leave yourself enough time and you can do what you want to do, just the way you want to do it.
However you do it, downsizing is not a “one size fits all” process. Give yourself enough time by starting now, and you can decide what works for you.
