Downsizing Tips for a New Year

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The New Year is here, and you know what they say: new year, new you. Well, even if you're not looking to completely redesign who you are and what you do, there's one thing you should definitely think about doing in the new year: clearing out some of the clutter in your home.

Whether you're considering moving to a new home for work or retirement or you just want to reclaim some existing space, there's nothing like shaking things up with a good downsizing. Here are some great tips to ring in the new year right:

How often does this happen to you? You're all raring to go when it comes to downsizing clutter, but then you open that closet or garage and see a giant, intimidating mess — and suddenly you run for the hills. The mess is still there, you now feel terrible and the clutter only gets worse. How in the world do you get around this?

It's simple: start small. Don't go straight to the biggest problem area of your home, as that's the best way to get overwhelmed with the task at hand. Instead, begin with a much more manageable task. Stick to reorganizing and cleaning out a junk drawer in the kitchen or a single shelf in a closet or cabinet. Then, move to another small task. Before long, they'll begin to add up!

It can be hard to part with an object cluttering your home if you feel like it's the only one of its kind. That's why another great place to start is to pare down your supply of multiple objects. If you have doubles of something that you really only need one of, it's time to reclaim some space by getting rid of the extra one.

Obviously, this is context-specific. If you're a whiz in the kitchen you might need multiple identical spatulas, for example. But if you spend more time ordering in than you do whipping up original meals, you might not need that full set of duplicate pots and pans collecting dust in your cupboard. The same goes for duplicate bathroom products and the like; do you really need two of every hairbrush?

We collect a lot of things over the course of a lifetime, and one way these things tend to accumulate is in the drawers of our wardrobe. Be sure you take some time to go through your clothes and pull out pieces that either don't fit anymore or that you haven't worn in years. Unless it's got emotional significance, like a handmade onesie your great-grandma Gertrude gave for your 1st birthday, you might want to move it out of rotation and reclaim some of the space in your wardrobe.

If your clothes are still in good condition, consider donating them to a good cause. There are likely to be places near you that either have clothing drop-off bins or that accept donations. This gives you the double endorphin boost of not only freeing up space but also knowing that your discarded clothes are going somewhere they'll be helpful.

Downsizing is great because you feel a real sense of accomplishment after decluttering the spaces around you. You've got so much more breathing room now. Things look so much neater and more put-together. In fact, you've got an entire shelf or cabinet's worth of space that you've reclaimed; a perfect place to put all the stuff you've been holding on to and never had a place for before because your place was so cluttered.

Stop right there. Do you see what just happened? You spent all this time and energy downsizing only to start recluttering your place! You're erasing all that hard work by refilling those new spaces you just reclaimed. Instead, how about giving your overstuffed shelves a break? Otherwise, you're just going to have to downsize again that much sooner than you originally planned.

Finally, there's one more component to downsizing, and it's one that quite often gets overlooked: cutting back on more than just the amount of stuff in your house. In fact, downsizing can also mean cutting back on the number of extraneous things that you try to squeeze into a certain day or week.

This doesn't mean you should shirk things you've got to do, of course. Running errands still need to get done. By the same token, using a grocery delivery service once in a while to save yourself a trip helps you unclutter your day, and your own mind. This, combined with transforming your home into a more serene, uncluttered space, will provide you with some important peace and tranquility.

Whether it's in preparation for a move or if you're just sick of the clutter surrounding you, downsizing is a great way to begin the new year on the right foot. Starting small, getting rid of duplicate items and old clothes and not restocking your shelves with more things are all great strategies to launch your downsizing. Follow these few great steps and you, too, can reap the benefits of downsizing.

In these uncertain times, Acts Retirement-Life Communities is here to help. There is hope on the horizon and it's time to start planning your future. Don't put your life on hold. There are plenty of ways to stay safe while working towards the next exciting chapter in your life. You can conduct research, plan for your financial future, explore virtual tours and community floor plans, and talk to retirement experts all from the comfort and safety of your home. For more information on retirement or how to plan your next chapter, read these articles by Acts Retirement-Life Communities:

• What is the Average Cost of a Senior Independent Living Community?
• How to Prepare for a Recession if You Are Retired
• Should I Sell My Home During a Recession?

By Acts Retirement-Life Communities

Acts Retirement-Life Communities is the largest not-for-profit owner, operator and developer of continuing care retirement communities in the United States. Headquartered in suburban Philadelphia, Acts has a family of 23 retirement communities that serve approximately 8,500 residents and employ 6,200 in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida. For more information about Acts visit actsretirement.org.