As we know, downsizing does not necessarily mean you are planning to move. Still, it means you are ready to eliminate the excess in your life — thinning out the abundance of stuff and bringing happy order to your environment.

 

Let's start at the beginning: "Why are you downsizing?" Is it to sort through, pare down, and declutter the excess in your home to make it easier to care for and navigate through? Do you want a new, fresher, updated look for your home? Or perhaps you've found a smaller, more manageable home and now have a tremendous need and desire to pare down.

 

The path to living a simpler, less complicated life through downsizing may start with the best intentions, but can, without much warning, take a sudden, unexpected turn. It's inevitable that things will pop up that interrupt your progress but don't let those interferences derail you; identify the "why" and get back on track as soon as possible. We'll address some of the reasons good intentions go sideways and share some solutions to regain control of your situation and begin to make progress once again.

 

Here are a few reasons for interrupted progress:​

• The "why-how" not clearly defined. Goals not identified. "This is what I want to accomplish." Clearly stating and setting goals then incorporating them into a downsizing plan is KEY. No goals. No plan. No progress. No success. Reminder: goals must be specific, realistic, and attainable or discouragement and even defeat will creep in and derail everything. Click here for the link to our blog post on Making a Downsizing Plan.

 

• No written plan in place, no roadmap to follow. An effective downsizing plan is an important accountability and tracking tool that lists goals, tasks, and dates for completion of tasks or phases of the plan. Difficulty with finding that honest desire to move forward with an achievable plan to make it happen. Keeping your plan where it can be seen and reviewed on a daily basis is also helpful.​ As tasks are completed check them OFF!

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• Desire lacking; half-heartedness. Back-and-forth, hot-and-cold about intentions and outcomes. If there is no real desire to succeed, there simply won't be success.​

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• An overly aggressive time frame. Frustration sets in; simply not enough time allowed to complete everything. Taking on too much and not having a realistic view of tasks. *

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• Becoming overwhelmed. Working through a narrow window of time and being "behind the eight ball" before you even get started is not a fun situation to be in. *​​

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• Self-sabotage. Excuses for not staying on track. Allowing outside forces to interfere and influence efforts and outcomes.​

 

The Time Squeeze.

*There are many reasons why time squeezes occur, but from our professional experience the number one reason, besides procrastination, is the fast sale of a house. Closing dates can come quickly so to avoid the scramble, plan ahead and begin working on tasks like sorting and paring down and even packing items that will be moving with you. It's the old leg-up advantage that will give you peace-of-mind when a contract is accepted.

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Procrastination.

The second most common enemy of time stealing is procrastination. Knowing what needs to be done, or should be done and doing it, are two different things. If you know you are a procrastinator, it's all the more reason to allow extra time to complete your downsizing plan. Get creative by coming up with ways to beat this enemy, for example, do the tasks you absolutely dread first to get them behind you. Be patient with yourself, but not so patient that you get nothing done.

 

More Tips and Observations:

• Downsizing tasks vary in difficulty factor, so be reasonable about your capabilities and stamina when setting the time it will take to complete them. Be realistic and assign time accordingly.

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• Ask for help if you need it. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it, whether it comes from a family member or a friend, or a professional. As professionals, we act as coaches and emphasize teamwork and do not make decisions for our clients.

 

• When you become overwhelmed, take a break. Adding a little distance between you and your tasks can keep you from going bonkers and giving up. If your emotions become too much it's time to stop, take a breath, and maybe talk to someone about what you're experiencing. You are feeling what you're feeling for a reason so don't ignore your emotions. We have held many hands throughout the years and know how overwhelming the downsizing process can be. Slow things down and take care of yourself.

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• Sabotaging the process. This is a tough one to write about because a saboteur (we've worked with a few over the years) will disrupt their own progress repeatedly. Based on our experience, it can be very difficult to work with a client like this because they are extremely skilled at avoidance and excuse making. It is hard to make consistent progress.

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• Outside opinions that interfere. Another tough situation, but a very real one. An "interferer" can insert themselves at different stages of the downsizing process and often cause indecision and stress. Typically, a loved one or close friend, this person has an opinion about most everything, and they will make it known to everyone. Handling these situations can be difficult but it's important to recognize what's happening and deal with the interference quickly. Opinions are fine if they are asked for. ​

 

• We also encourage our clients to celebrate after each major goal has been completed; the achievements are something to be proud of!

 

We hope your downsizing experience will be a rewarding one--physically, mentally, and spiritually. Making a plan, allowing enough time to get everything done, asking for help if you need it, celebrating the "wins", and taking care of yourself are all elements of success.

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If you have questions or comments, or if you'd like to share your downsizing story, please connect with us through our CONTACT page on the website. If you're having trouble starting or making progress with your downsizing plan, a consultation may be what is needed. Please reach out by phone or email through the CONTACT page.

 

DOWNSIZING WORKSHOP/SEMINARS.

If you are a sales/marketing director of a retirement community and would like to find out more about our downsizing seminars, please contact us for details. We'd love to speak to your prospective new residents and share our years of downsizing experience and solutions! ​

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