Tips For Downsizing After The Kids Move Away

It took some time, but it finally happened. Your children have all grown up and moved away, leaving you and your spouse in the old family home. There are a lot of benefits to this, but as you look around at those empty rooms and unused space, you may start to wonder if it’s time to move.

These days, many so-called “empty nesters” are downsizing into a new but smaller home. Although this is a big change that requires you to get rid of some possessions in your house, read on to learn more about the advantages to downsizing for empty nesters.

Why Downsizing Works

Is it the right time for you and your spouse to downsize? HGTV.com explains there are several downsizing questions you need to ask first. Does a big house matter a lot to you? Are you planning on hosting big gathering many times each year? Then maybe downsizing won’t be a good idea.

But for most people (empty nesters or not), there are great reasons to move into a smaller house. Dave Ramsey shows there are some major financial benefits to downsizing. Right now, you’re paying for rooms you don’t need. Even if you fully own your house by now, you still have to pay utilities and taxes on those spaces.

In addition, you are probably going to sell your current place for much more than the new, smaller home will cost. You can use that windfall to either pay down any debts or loans (goodbye credit card bills) or turn it into a nice nest egg for your upcoming retirement.

Reducing Your Clutter

Before you can start enjoying the advantages of downsizing, you need to figure out what to do with all your belongings — and those your children left behind. If you’re moving into a smaller place, you simply do not have room for everything in your current one.

At first, this can be easy. Money Crashers recommends you get rid of b ig items that you won’t need. If you’re changing from three bedrooms to two, donate or sell the bed and dresser used in the extra bedroom. Then you can move onto heirlooms and smaller possessions. This is a perfect time to have your kids come back and take their stuff! In addition, you can declutter by handing them some heirlooms or belongings you don’t want to be thrown out but don’t have room for.

If you’re feeling really overwhelmed by this task, it might be time to call in the help of a professional organizer. According to HomeAdvisor , on average it costs about $483 to hire a professional organizer, but in some areas it can cost as little as $100. Sometimes, the best thing you need is someone unattached to all those things in your house so you can objectively decide what to keep.

Finding The Right Place

You’ve decided to downsize, and you have a plan to declutter your home. But where are you going? Finding the right home when downsizing isn’t too hard, but as Sabrina’s Organizing shows, there are a few things you have to consider.

This might be your last home for a while, so make sure you can age well here. That means keeping the bedroom on the first floor , railings on stairs, and easy-to-use faucets. And although you want a smaller house, you need to make sure it has some storage space for the belongings you couldn’t get rid of.

Be A Smart Empty Nester

Now that you and your spouse are officially empty nesters, you need to consider downsizing your home. Look for a smaller place where you can age well, then start getting rid of the things you don’t need. This way, you can start saving money and enjoy a brand new home!