Downsizing: How Hard Can It Be?
- Cindy Murphy
- Apr 22
- 6 min read
Updated: May 5
Episode #20: This week, the "Living Smaller & Loving It!" downsizing blog examines the question some (who've never been through the experience) ask: "How hard can it be?" In Episode #19, we explored some of the challenges of downsizing at an older age, so in this episode, we'll look at the potential difficulties of downsizing, regardless of age. The purpose of this post is to inform, not to discourage.
As always, please see our ANNOUNCEMENTS at the bottom of the page.
Downsizing Simplified recently celebrated its 19th year in business on March 1st. Over the years, we've assisted many clients through the downsizing process — start to finish, or in between — wherever our help was needed. From the very beginning, we kept our customers' needs in mind and built a menu of services designed to assist. Here is the link to our services.
You don't have to be moving to downsize, and you don't have to be a senior to downsize — it can be an anytime, anyplace, and any age undertaking.
But as downsizing specialists, we believe there is a very important prerequisite for successful downsizing: the desire to simplify. (This link to a past post covers the importance of wanting just that.) Without the "want to", attempting the downsizing process can result in enormous frustration and often defeat.
So, back to the question: "How hard can it be?"
Well, for many, it's difficult, time-consuming work full of decision-making tasks that, at times, can feel like the end will never come!
Let's look at what the downsizing process IS and is NOT.
What the downsizing process IS:
Intentional acts that follow a well-crafted plan, leading to an orderly, satisfactory end.
OR (a few more) ...
A plan that defines the steps you need to take in order to reach your goal.
A plan that makes sense to you — practical steps, no matter how small or large — follow-through is a must.
A plan that spells out all tasks with target completion dates for each.
What the downsizing process is NOT:
A haphazard, unstructured attempt at decision-making that follows no defined plan and takes much longer to accomplish than it should.
OR (a few more) ...
A blame game, but instead it's taking responsibility for where and how you fit into the big picture, apart from others. (We see this often when working with couples.)
A catch-as-catch-can endeavor full of half-hearted attempts and commitments. Often, a merry-go-round that actually goes round and round.
An avoidance of hard decisions or putting them off until the last possible minute, when the stress level grows high.
It's clear to many contemplating downsizing that the most time-consuming and often most stressful part of the process (whether moving or not) is sorting through and paring down years of accumulated belongings. It's a very difficult step; however, it's the launch step that leads to success. It's clear that the longer stuff has been accumulating, the more difficult it can be to go through it and make decisions.
One of our strengths in working with clients during this phase of the downsizing process is our ability to lend an often much-needed hand, effectively coach, and be a valuable team player. It's all because we've been down this road many times, and we understand the frustrations and stresses involved. We can help advance efforts by stepping in, making a plan of action, and maintaining a calm, patient demeanor that puts the client's mind at ease.
A special message to adult children tasked with going through their parents' things: first off, you need to put a plan in place to be successful and minimize stress. Whether you're going it alone or with family members such as siblings, everyone must know the "approach", the plan, and the steps to be taken in order to reach a successful ending. We've helped many families through this often-trying time and know that success is possible, especially with cooperation from all involved — same page, same good end result — hang in there.
In closing, we believe most people want to live clutter-free, but making the decision (the commitment) and following through with a plan can be overwhelming. Take heart, it's possible no matter the pace you work at. Just remember, your journey is your journey. YOU ARE CAPABLE!
Happy downsizing!
"Downsizing is about making life more manageable. It's about assessing what's most important, editing, and eliminating the unimportant. It's living a smaller, more enjoyable life and loving the outcome."
-Cindy Murphy, Downsizing Simplified
"Living Smaller & Loving It!"
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
COMING: JUNE 2026, our new "Senior Living in Kansas City" web page.
It's been a road of insight and discovery. Over the past couple of months, we've gathered the key information needed to compile a comprehensive database, formatted into a very special page that will assist visitors in their quest to discover the perfect new community to call home.
The Senior Living in Kansas City web page features all senior living communities currently available in the Greater Kansas City Metro — Independent (IL), Assisted Living (AL), and Memory Care (MC). For ease of use, the page is organized by State, then by Region (North of the River, etc.) and City, with all communities listed alphabetically within the specific area of interest for the page visitor.
The advantage: the page visitor can locate their preferred Metro area and immediately view all communities within it. It's an easy search approach, unlike the algorithm-driven search results encountered in general internet queries.
In addition to the community listings, a section of the page outlines the different types of communities, making it easier for visitors to understand the community's designation — Independent, Assisted, or Memory Care. (Each community has a designation following its name.)
For Communities...
Our "Front Door" Program.
To better accommodate page visitors, we've designed and implemented our new "Front Door" Program, which will give participating program communities direct links from their community listings on our page to their homepages. We believe this page will be a valuable resource for our site visitors AND participating program communities. *
We'll be reaching out to communities within the Metro beginning in early May with the program specifics. The "Front Door" program is scheduled to launch early to mid-June. For communities wanting more information now, please connect with us via the CONTACT page, by phone (816) 358-6338 or email, info@downsizingsimplified.com (all accessible through the Contact page).
*The "Front Door" Program is an affordable opportunity for communities and is based on a yearly fee, not a per-click referral fee.
Now the numbers!
These are the numbers representing the available senior living communities across the Greater Kansas City Metro. There are 121 total brick-and-mortar communities (IL, AL, and MC) listed on our new web page, Senior Living in Kansas City.
Here's the breakdown of senior living options within those 121 communities:
72 Independent Living (IL)
87 Assisted Living (AL)
43 Memory Care (MC)
TOTAL: 202
In addition, 61 Senior Apartment Buildings and Subsidized Housing Units/Apartments are also listed.
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Our Downsizing Information REACH is GROWING!
Knock-knock, we've got site visitors, and we're excited about that.
Take a look at where our unique visitors are coming from on our
STORIES, SNIPPETS & SHARES web page.
(February Stats)
COMING UP: A new RESOURCES page. This page will feature both not-for-profit and for-profit business resources for seniors. All listings will have direct links to the company's website for immediate contact. If you are a for-profit business and would like more information on listing costs, please use the CONTACT link.
Here are some of the for-profit businesses that conduct business with Seniors (click the arrow to expand or collapse the listing):
In-Home Health Care
Adult Daycare
Elder Law & Estate Planning
Dentist
Physician
Hearing/Audiology
Optometry/Ophthalmology
Podiatrist
Hospital/Clinic
Housekeeping
Insurance
Transportation
Moving
Personal Chef
Personal Shopper
Veterinarian
Realtor/Real Estate Services
Automotive
Junk Hauler
Home Improvement
Plumber
HVAC
Electrician
Estate Sales/Auction
... and more!
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Click here to explore the website, send a message, give us a call, or schedule a free consultation.
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© Living Smaller & Loving It! Downsizing Simplified, 2026
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