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An exterior of a home at a Lifestyle by Hillwood communtiy An exterior of a home at a Lifestyle by Hillwood communtiy

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The Empty Nesters’ Guide for Downsizing Your Home

January 12, 2021

For couples, there comes a time when the home you’ve made for raising children has become too spacious and is no longer serving your current needs.

Let us be your guide to downsizing your home, maximizing your new space, and most importantly, finding the perfect forever home to create new memories and traditions. We’ll dive into the practical steps that help empty nesters scale down their home, the types of homes that are available to them, and what to look for in transforming an empty nest into a new, full one.

The Nitty-Gritty of Downsizing Your Home

The biggest logistical challenge is always figuring out which items will travel with you and which are ready for a different home. Decluttering is often the first step: getting rid of those long-lost items you no longer use, the old lawnmower you’ve long since upgraded, or those old files and paperwork that you no longer need. All of these small items certainly add up and are often the easiest to cleanse. Getting this out of the way will free up some much-needed space and make the rest of the process run much more smoothly.

What Matters Most

This is where the rubber meets the road and it’s time to make much harder decisions. After decluttering, you’re left with the more sentimental side of material things. Furniture, family heirlooms, collectibles, and those small trinkets can hold a lot of emotional value, but the truth of the matter is you may just not have the space. 

Now, not everything has to be given to Goodwill—you can part with the things you wanted to pass down to your children much sooner, but you’ll be able to see them enjoy it and breathe new life into the things that made your house a home. Handing down china sets, silver flatware, photo albums and everything in-between will ensure that these things get to the people who matter most and keep them in the family. This is the time to reach out to your family for help downsizing your home.

Great Qualities in Empty Nester House Plans, Homes & Communities

After you’ve decided what’s coming with you, you get to turn your attention to the exciting part–finding your new home! It’s a decision with many different factors. You have to find the home that fits your look and function, as well as one that serves the way you want to live your life. To make things less overwhelming, here are some things to consider while looking for your forever home.