Downsizing? Crafting a Creative Retirement?
Get Tips & Support For Starting Your New Simpler Life
Getting ready to live more lightly?
Make sure you're focusing on what matters most.
Downsizing is becoming an attractive option or even the only alternative for so many right now.
Moving back home. Moving across town. Moving across the country. Moving abroad.
The very idea of making a downsizing move can stir up a sense of fear, loss, and disappointment,
or conjure feelings of joy, excitement, and liberation.
How you feel about downsizing depends on both your personal circumstances
and your attachment to people, place, and possessions.
The good news: you can CHOOSE to view downsizing as a lightening rather than a loss.
And in the face of a forced move, your chosen perspective will determine your experience in the following months and even years.
Whether you're downsizing from a five-bedroom to a three-bedroom house,
settling into a one-bedroom condo after raising a family, or selling everything you own to move abroad or backpack around the world, you'll need to consider the best ways to pare things down and prepare in order to avoid regrets later.
By creating a simple strategy for finances, logistics, and support, you can ensure that your move will leave you feeling giddy and grateful rather than shattered and stuck.
I've gone from fully-furnished house to nothing but a carry-on bag multiple times in my life.
I haven't always embraced a minimalist life, or had full choice in the matter of a move.
But I have learned so much over 40+ years of personal moves
and 20 years of guiding families, couples and individuals as they
reduce their belongings, lighten their lifestyles,
and create a whole new life stage they love.
The key: make living light feel like a luxury.
My husband and I are currently doing a slow-nomad lifestyle and live very happily on under $1000 a month
(including health insurance for two people over 55!)
But we've had small-town and suburban homes and gardens, lived in big-city apartments,
and done the farm life in the countryside...in six different countries.
No matter what your budget, destination, or particular concerns may be,
I can help you plan and fully prepare for your downsizing move
and conjure up thrilling retirement ideas!
It can be a wonderfully exciting and liberating process
once you know what to focus on (and what to avoid!)
Know this: there will be surprises along the way.
The best plan to ensure a smooth transition is to
ask yourself all the relevant questions and get sound advice from others who have made a similar move.
(Tip: this should far outweigh the advice you get from those who have not made that move!)
Let's be clear: your next stage may be temporary, and it may help to think that way.
If you're already dreading getting rid of things, fear that it will be a painful process, or worry that you'll be getting rid of valuable items (like furniture) that you'll want later, consider
your options for making your current change.
Will you be storing stuff at a friend or relative's home (and how likely will that still work for you a year from now?)
Are you planning to pay for storage? (And have you figured that into your budget?)
Or, are you liquidating your current lifestyle in order to go super-light for the foreseeable future?
But even more important than thinking about stuff is thinking about money.
Not having a realistic budget and a clear idea of your available resources (and how to access them)
is the number one way to sabotage your plans.
A lack of consistent income or sufficient savings will make it harder to make the move itself and sustain your needs,
and could undermine your ability to manage if(when!) unexpected expenses arise.
Every downsizing experience is different, and it's essential to have a clear idea of what you're facing
in terms of physical space requirements (for storage, living, and traveling),
financial needs (savings, income, and access to those funds),
and support from others (physical support for moving, as well as emotional support from loved ones and new friends).
If you're looking for guidance as you prepare (or pounce on) your downsizing plan,
I'd love to help with personalized tips, advice, and resources that will make it all so much easier.
Moving back home. Moving across town. Moving across the country. Moving abroad.
The very idea of making a downsizing move can stir up a sense of fear, loss, and disappointment,
or conjure feelings of joy, excitement, and liberation.
How you feel about downsizing depends on both your personal circumstances
and your attachment to people, place, and possessions.
The good news: you can CHOOSE to view downsizing as a lightening rather than a loss.
And in the face of a forced move, your chosen perspective will determine your experience in the following months and even years.
Whether you're downsizing from a five-bedroom to a three-bedroom house,
settling into a one-bedroom condo after raising a family, or selling everything you own to move abroad or backpack around the world, you'll need to consider the best ways to pare things down and prepare in order to avoid regrets later.
By creating a simple strategy for finances, logistics, and support, you can ensure that your move will leave you feeling giddy and grateful rather than shattered and stuck.
I've gone from fully-furnished house to nothing but a carry-on bag multiple times in my life.
I haven't always embraced a minimalist life, or had full choice in the matter of a move.
But I have learned so much over 40+ years of personal moves
and 20 years of guiding families, couples and individuals as they
reduce their belongings, lighten their lifestyles,
and create a whole new life stage they love.
The key: make living light feel like a luxury.
My husband and I are currently doing a slow-nomad lifestyle and live very happily on under $1000 a month
(including health insurance for two people over 55!)
But we've had small-town and suburban homes and gardens, lived in big-city apartments,
and done the farm life in the countryside...in six different countries.
No matter what your budget, destination, or particular concerns may be,
I can help you plan and fully prepare for your downsizing move
and conjure up thrilling retirement ideas!
It can be a wonderfully exciting and liberating process
once you know what to focus on (and what to avoid!)
Know this: there will be surprises along the way.
The best plan to ensure a smooth transition is to
ask yourself all the relevant questions and get sound advice from others who have made a similar move.
(Tip: this should far outweigh the advice you get from those who have not made that move!)
Let's be clear: your next stage may be temporary, and it may help to think that way.
If you're already dreading getting rid of things, fear that it will be a painful process, or worry that you'll be getting rid of valuable items (like furniture) that you'll want later, consider
your options for making your current change.
Will you be storing stuff at a friend or relative's home (and how likely will that still work for you a year from now?)
Are you planning to pay for storage? (And have you figured that into your budget?)
Or, are you liquidating your current lifestyle in order to go super-light for the foreseeable future?
But even more important than thinking about stuff is thinking about money.
Not having a realistic budget and a clear idea of your available resources (and how to access them)
is the number one way to sabotage your plans.
A lack of consistent income or sufficient savings will make it harder to make the move itself and sustain your needs,
and could undermine your ability to manage if(when!) unexpected expenses arise.
Every downsizing experience is different, and it's essential to have a clear idea of what you're facing
in terms of physical space requirements (for storage, living, and traveling),
financial needs (savings, income, and access to those funds),
and support from others (physical support for moving, as well as emotional support from loved ones and new friends).
If you're looking for guidance as you prepare (or pounce on) your downsizing plan,
I'd love to help with personalized tips, advice, and resources that will make it all so much easier.
