Thanksgiving is on the horizon! Many of us are probably planning delicious meals, jotting down grocery lists, and wondering whether or not we’ll save any room for pie after such a big meal. This brings such a good point to light: how do we save some room for the good stuff in our lives?
Once we’re lucky enough to retire, we should have a lot of time to do other things. Most of us dream about the freedom retirement brings, but continuing to manage the things we don’t need can weigh us down. Excess is anything in our life that we don’t need to live. For many of us, that means extra stuff inside of our homes. From collections of cookie jars and recipe books to the odd copies of the TV Guide, extra things can cost time, money, and peace.
Find Senior Living Near Me
Are your drawers and closets filled to the brim? Do you have rooms filled with things you don’t use or a storage unit you’re paying for to hold your extras “just in case?” According to Mercari, 1 in 5 Americans pays rent for self-storage. Mercari also concluded that 50% of Americans feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff they have inside their homes.
While things around our homes can hold sentimental value, what does life look like without them? Would you have more time to do other things without dusting or side-stepping around those items? What about extra cash? How would you spend that additional money if you stopped buying more to add to your collection?
Make Way for Greatness
If you’re ready to reduce your collection of things, a great first step is to go through your home to determine what you need, want, no longer use, and no longer need. Sticky notes can be a wonderful first step to understanding how big this job might be.
Reducing your items doesn’t need to be a race. Little by little, room by room, begin making notes or organizing items into boxes or bags. If you plan to see family during the holidays, you might be able to unload a few things their way or even recruit some helpers to get things packed.
Once you clear your space for more exciting activities, it might be a good time to consider whether you need all that space. If you have family over fairly often, perhaps it suits you well. However, if family visits to your home have become less frequent, it might be a good time to reassess your needs.
Get Back Your Time, Money, and Energy
If cleaning, home maintenance, and lawn care are less than joyful, a smaller space could be a gift. With fewer responsibilities to manage, you’ll be able to leave plenty of room in your day for the good stuff!
Here are a few good thinking points to consider:
- Cleaning takes less time and effort in smaller spaces.
- A more compact home can save you money on heating and cooling.
- Having a smaller home to maintain can leave more time for hobbies & staying healthy.
- Single-level homes present fewer risks for those who are navigating advanced age.
- An apartment building or a smaller neighborhood can pave the way for social opportunities.
- Moving from owning to renting can save money on big-ticket things like roofs and major repairs.
Food for Thought During the Holidays
If you’re hoping to discuss big topics over the holidays, like downsizing or even moving to senior living, starting small is a great idea. Having good information available is the key as well. Moving can be a very emotional topic during the later chapters of life, and you can learn a lot by gauging someone’s interest before you dive into that conversation. If they are interested or you’re looking for your own options, stop in for a tour or join us at one of our holiday open-house events. Seeing senior living first-hand can help take the mystery out of it.
If you have questions about independent living, assisted living, or memory care at Edgewood, email us at info@edgewoodhealthcare.com.
