Decide. Commit. Believe. Achieve.

Ep#2: Am I capable? (Sure, you are!)

This week, our "Living Smaller & Loving It!" BLOG brought to you by Downsizing Simplified will focus on making the often-huge decision to downsize. When the realization that your belongings are taking up more of your available space, both physical and mental, than you ever intended, it may be the right time to take action and downsize.

Knock-Knock.

Clutter in the home is a given for most people. It's the stuff that has found its way in through the door and taken up residency. A pile here, a drawer there, a closet, a garage, or a basement - clutter is cunning and happy to sit quietly without a care, hoping to be overlooked or forgotten.

FACT: clutter loves company and finds happiness in surrounding itself with other stuff (pile it up, the more the merrier!). Unfortunately, the things that crowd our environment do not normally bring much joy; instead, they can cause distress and anxiety as time passes.

Deciding to examine and address the excess items in your home is the first step in the downsizing process. Let me point out that clutter can range from having too many spatulas in the kitchen to an abundance of holiday decorations to a workbench full of scattered, unorganized tools. Clothes no longer worn, forgotten hobby supplies, piles of books collecting dust, past work life files, or the contents of boxes packed away in the basement and never opened since the last move - all items worthy of consideration for downsizing. A good rule of thumb: if something doesn't have a make-sense home (this is where it belongs) or takes up prime real estate that could be used for something else (not more stuff), it's probably time to jump in and start sorting and paring down.

No waffling. Committing to sorting through and paring down your stuff means you're all in - you're ready, let's GO!

Raise your hand if you've been down this commitment road before. Many people have, and many have become overwhelmed and frustrated, only to see their commitment take a backseat and eventually fizzle out. There's waffling, and the gun-ho lets-go turns into a once good intention abandoned. I'll point out from my professional experience that the older a person is, the more challenging it is not only to make the commitment, but also to see it through to completion. Underestimating the amount of time it takes and the stamina needed to work through the downsizing steps can easily cause a person to give up. But with the right goals and downsizing plan in place, it can be successful. I'll cover how to map out a workable plan in Episode #3.

I think I can. I KNOW I can. Believing in yourself is a crucial component of successful downsizing. There must be a strong belief in your capabilities to complete the tasks involved, start-to-finish. And remember, with a good plan in place, you'll be able to consider bringing in help with specific tasks. Downsizing a lifestyle is generally not a cakewalk for most people, but believing in yourself and your abilities to conquer your clutter is a BIG deal! After all, your clutter should not be the boss of you, even though you may begin to believe it is as you start working your way through your stuff. Your success depends on your commitment and belief that you are capable — you are the BOSS!

Whew, the end. Seeing a project through to its completion, even when it involves tough decisions, long hours, physical exhaustion, and a lot of second-guessing, is gratifying. You hung in and accomplished things you thought were impossible. You mustered long-forgotten strength you thought you'd lost. Your determination built your confidence, and when you needed it, you didn't hesitate to ask for help. You persevered and achieved your goals. You deserve a great BIG pat on the back! Congrats!

HOMEWORK! Uh-oh.

"Living Smaller & Loving It!" blog posts are scheduled to release every Wednesday. In preparation for the release of Ep#3, here's some homework, and I promise it won't be too hard. Grab a pencil and paper and select one room in your home. Have a seat and take a look around. What do you see? Please write it down, for example, (I see) a dining room table and chairs, a china cabinet with dishes and collectibles, an area rug, an occasional chair with pillows...you get the picture. Next, jot down the things you see that you consider clutter, or things that bother you visually or that you're simply tired of looking at. This can include furniture that needs to be eliminated from the room or knick-knacks that need paring down, anything that you want to change to enhance the room better.

Hold onto your notes. We'll be exploring some common-sense ways to make downsizing changes and live a simpler lifestyle.

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Living smaller, or downsizing, is about making the necessary choices to redefine what it means to live a more condensed, refined, and purposeful lifestyle and love it. It's a deliberate choice that results in a simplified life, allowing you to enjoy your environment more fully.

So, whether you are moving or looking to redesign your existing living space(s), we're here for you. We will cover many helpful downsizing topics and tips, which we hope will help expand your knowledge and foster a healthy attitude about living smaller. And be sure to check out our lighthearted "Raise Your Hand IF" blog posts.

Here are a few blog post topics we've got in store for our subscribers:

• Making the decision to downsize (moving or aging in place). Ep#2

• Downsizing is a series of steps, a process. What are the steps to successful downsizing? Ep#3

• How to craft a downsizing plan that works. Learn how to stay connected and on track with your plan. Ep#3

• Sorting and paring down is the most time-consuming and challenging step in the downsizing process—planning it out, pulling it off.

• Avoid wasting time organizing your clutter. Understanding the chaos that clutter causes—the Chronic Keeper explained.

• Seasonal opportunities to declutter, organize, and donate. Sorting & paring down clothing, decor, and more.

• Finding a new home environment that meets your needs today and in the future. (Calling all retirement communities!)

• Redesigning and rethinking your current living space. Discover a new look that offers a fresh perspective on how you live.

• Making decisions about the things you no longer want or need. (Family, friends, sell, donate, trash.)

• Understanding the emotional side of leaving a longtime, memory-rich home. Asking for support when you need it.

• Talking to the family. Preparing for possible pushback. or embracing your downsizing decision with open arms.

• How to hire professional downsizing help. How do you know when the time may be right?

• Helping family members through the downsizing process. Adult children and parents—local and long-distance.

• Understanding how estate sales work (mostly). From a garage sale to selling online, explaining the choices available.

• Thrift stores can be our friends or not. Best practices for donating your items. Avoiding the thrift store traps.

• Packing, moving, and unpacking. Settling into your new lifestyle as quickly as possible.

• Selling your home. Getting the house buyer ready. Selecting the right real estate agent.

...and so much more!

Is there a topic you would like to have explored or a personal downsizing story you'd like to share? Send us a message, we'd love to hear from you! (Your experience could help others.)

We recently completed our newly redesigned website (September 2025), and we're incredibly excited about

the additional content we've added, as well as the ease of navigation to help you on your downsizing household journey.

We've also added an FAQ section. Click here to take the new website tour!

We're excited to announce that our audio blog will be available soon. Subscribe to the BLOG.

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© Living Smaller & Loving It! Downsizing Simplified, 2025