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Emotions About Downsizing: How to Go from Anxious to Grateful

A senior woman and a senior man with moving boxes

Your home has been a hub of activity for your family, with countless memories made within its walls over the years. The idea of moving to a senior living community has a lot of appeal as you plan for retirement, but dealing with the emotions of downsizing can leave you feeling overwhelmed, worried or reluctant to let go. Recognizing what’s behind your feelings and using strategies to cope with the emotional side of downsizing can help you move forward with confidence and move from anxiety to a sense of calm and gratitude.

Moving from a larger home into a senior condominium home is a choice many older adults make, often motivated by issues such as: relief from the burdens of maintaining a home, family/life changes, finances, or health issues. Whatever the reasons behind it, downsizing your home is a life transition that can trigger a range of emotions, from sadness and grief to stress and anxiety, according to Harvard Health.

Feeling Anxious About Downsizing?

The work of downsizing and decluttering can be physically demanding, but the emotional aspects may be even more exhausting at the end of the day. Let’s walk through how to manage emotions related to downsizing to help you transform an anxious experience into an experience of calm and gratitude as you prepare to move.

Seniors often move after major life changes such as losing a spouse, children moving out of the house, getting a divorce or retiring from a job, according to AARP. If your move is tied to other transitions in life, the process of downsizing can be even more emotionally complex. Every person’s journey is unique, and you may experience the following emotions (and others) in your own way:

  • Sadness about moving on. Your home and the personal items within it are embedded with memories. These items can be symbolic of special times in our lives, and we may hold onto items to keep those memories close.
  • Anxiety about change. You may worry about the unknowns of moving to a new place and what life will be like, from how you’ll arrange your furniture to what you’ll eat for breakfast.
  • Overwhelmed by the task. Sorting through personal belongings you’ve owned for years, decades or generations, and deciding what to do with each item can be overwhelming.
  • Grief. Downsizing can bring beautiful and painful memories to the surface, and it’s important to realize that the feelings aren’t necessarily about the things in your home, but about the stories behind them. It’s normal to experience feelings of grief and loss as you wade through your belongings and the memories attached to them.

Coping with the Emotions of Downsizing

Put a positive spin on the situation and focus on the practical benefits of downsizing, such as the financial advantages, less stress and more free time to do what you want. When you take a smart, well-planned approach to downsizing, you may be surprised by how great you’ll feel. Consider these tips:

  1. Downsize on your own terms. The process is likely to be easier when you’re making a proactive decision versus waiting until a decision is necessary due to a health issue or other crisis.
  2. Allow yourself time. Be realistic with your expectations for the time you’ll need to downsize. Keep in mind that it took a lifetime to accumulate your possessions, and it will take more than a few days to sort and decide what to do with them.
  3. Map out a strategy. Bouncing around from room to room can stir up emotions and cause you to burn out quickly. Instead, set incremental goals that keep you focused on one room or one closet at a time.
  4. Seek support from others. A family member or trusted friend can be objective, helping you stay focused on the task when it’s easy to get caught up in emotions.
  5. Share the love. You may find opportunities to pass certain heirlooms on to friends and family. Doing so now can allow you to personally share those pieces of family history and the stories behind them.
  6. Give back by donating items. Enjoy the satisfaction of donating items that are no longer useful or valuable to you to an organization or person who needs them.
  7. Look to the future. Downsizing your home can give you the freedom to focus on other goals as you plan your retirement years. Downsizing to a smaller space allows you to live lighter and brighter, with more time to do the things you want.

Find a Senior Condominium Home You’ll Love

Ready to move into independent living? You might not have to downsize as much as you’d think! Explore our spacious senior condos at The Peninsula Regent.