Downsizing is more than moving to a smaller space. For many seniors, it is a decision about whether a different home will improve affordability, make daily life easier, reduce upkeep, and place them closer to the people and services they rely on.
A smaller home can help simplify life, but it does not automatically make housing less expensive or more convenient. Before you make the change, think through your budget, the kind of home you want next, how much maintenance you want to handle, and whether the new location will better support your day-to-day needs.
Before you sell or move, take time to decide what you want your next home to do for you. Think about where you want to live, how close you want to be to family, medical care, grocery stores, and other places you visit regularly, and what features will help you live comfortably as you age.
It also helps to define what “downsizing” means for your budget. A smaller home may reduce some expenses, but your total monthly housing costs can still depend on the purchase price, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and any HOA dues. Before shopping, estimate what you can comfortably support after your current home is sold and how much of the sale proceeds you want to preserve.
If you plan to buy another home, consider early on whether you will need a mortgage for the replacement property. A realtor can help you narrow down home options, and a mortgage professional can help you understand what price range and financing approach fit your goals.
If you’re caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, there are additional considerations to factor into your moving plan. Changing routines and environments can be particularly stressful for people with Alzheimer’s, so it is essential to plan ahead.
For instance, in order to get them used to the new home, it can help to visit the area multiple times before the move. It can also help to arrange to have your loved one’s new surroundings be as similar as possible upon moving in.
Before making a move, compare your current home and your next-home options side by side. Look at total monthly housing cost rather than square footage alone. Include the payment if you will have one, along with property taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance, and any association dues.
Then consider how well each option fits your lifestyle. Will the new home offer one-level living or better accessibility? Will it place you closer to family, doctors, shopping, and other essential services? Will it reduce yard work, repairs, and cleaning? Do you still have enough storage and space for guests, hobbies, or caregiving needs? Finally, think about how much of your sale proceeds you want to keep available for retirement rather than putting it all back into housing. Weighing these tradeoffs up front can make it easier to tell whether downsizing truly supports your long-term goals.
Like most people, you have likely collected a fair amount of belongings over the years, ranging from keepsakes to junk. If you choose to downsize, it’s time to lighten your load. Downsizing will mean less space to clean but also less space to store all the stuff you have accumulated.
Your first task should be deciding what to keep, what to toss, and what to give away. If you have not used an item within the last six months to a year — and it is not a family heirloom or of high significance to you — then you should consider whether it’s time to donate it.
If you decide that the item is not fit for donation, then, if possible, recycle it. Many nonprofit organizations who resell used items — or provide them to people free of charge — will pick up larger donations from your home, which makes giving easy.
Not every smaller home will make life easier, so think carefully about the kind of property you want to move into. A single-level home may reduce the challenges that come with stairs. A condo or townhome may lower exterior maintenance, but you will want to weigh that convenience against HOA dues, rules, and shared responsibilities.
You should also think about how much space you will still need. Consider whether you want a guest room, storage for hobbies or seasonal items, or room for a caregiver or family visits. In some cases, the best downsizing move is less about home size and more about location, such as moving closer to family or support services that make everyday life more manageable.
Inevitably, “moving” is synonymous with “work.” Don’t take on too much in any one day. Develop a plan, moving from one area of the house to the next, and work during certain times of the day to determine which of your belongings you want to take and which will be left behind.
If you choose to do some of the packing by yourself, break the packing into smaller jobs, mix heavy items in with light items, and keep in mind the box weight before lifting. To help prevent injury, avoid hunched-over positions, use proper lifting techniques (don’t lift with your back), make sure pathways are clear, and use helpful items such as a dolly or a cart.
Once you have decided what you’re taking, you should utilize the services of a packing company to help with the heavy lifting, wrap breakables in bubble wrap and/or paper, and fill up boxes (expect to pay $35 – $40 an hour per packer).
Typically the best times to move are mid-September through April, during the middle of the month, on weekdays, and during the morning. Once you decide on a time to move, hire the best team for you. Aside from forgoing the back and knee pain that moving can cause, hiring movers will also help you avoid some of the sad feelings that may arise in departing a home you love.
Downsizing is the right step to take for many seniors, and making preparations will help your experience be less stressful. Remember to plan ahead regarding your new home and location, to be thorough when downsizing your belongings, and to be smart about the actual moving process. Whatever your reasons may be, downsizing can be a great way for you to thrive in your golden years.
Sammamish Mortgage can help. We serve clients across Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Oregon, and California. Since 1992, we’ve been providing several mortgage programs and products with flexible qualification criteria to borrowers across the Pacific Northwest. Visit our website to get an instant rate quote or to use our online mortgage calculator. Or, reach out to us if you are ready to get pre-approved for a mortgage.
Start by deciding what you want your next home to do for you. Compare your current home with downsized options based on total monthly housing cost, accessibility, maintenance, and proximity to family, medical care, grocery stores, and other services. Declutter early, break packing into smaller tasks, and get help with heavy lifting when needed.
Look beyond square footage and compare total monthly housing costs side by side. Include the home payment if you will have one, plus property taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance, and any HOA dues. A smaller home can reduce some expenses, but it does not automatically make housing cheaper overall.
That depends on how much of your sale proceeds you want to preserve and what monthly housing cost fits your budget. Some seniors prefer to use more cash, while others may want financing to keep more retirement funds available. A mortgage professional can help you understand what price range and financing approach fit your goals.
Focus on how well the location supports daily life. A good fit may place you closer to family, doctors, grocery stores, shopping, and other essential services you use regularly. In many cases, the biggest benefit of downsizing comes from moving to a more convenient location rather than simply buying a smaller home.
The best choice is usually the one that makes everyday living easier over time. A single-level home can reduce the challenges of stairs, while a condo or townhome may lower exterior maintenance. The right option depends on your accessibility needs, how much upkeep you want to handle, and whether the home still offers enough space for guests, hobbies, storage, or caregiving.
Declutter enough to make your next home practical and manageable. A helpful starting point is to sort items into what to keep, donate, recycle, or discard, and consider letting go of things you have not used in the last six months to a year unless they are family heirlooms or especially meaningful. Downsizing usually works best when you reduce belongings well before move day.
Keep the items that are important to daily living, ongoing care, and meaningful long-term use. That often includes family heirlooms, belongings with high personal significance, and practical items you regularly use. The goal is not to keep a fixed number of things, but to make sure your next home still supports your lifestyle comfortably.
Compare them side by side using both cost and lifestyle factors. Review the total monthly housing expense for each option, then consider accessibility, maintenance, storage, guest space, and how close each home is to family and services. Also think about how much equity from your current home you want to keep available for retirement instead of putting it back into housing.
Potential benefits include less upkeep, less yard work, easier cleaning, improved accessibility, and a location that better supports your daily needs. Potential drawbacks include giving up space, dealing with the stress of decluttering and moving, and discovering that a smaller home does not always reduce monthly housing costs once taxes, insurance, maintenance, and HOA dues are included.
Break the job into smaller steps and avoid doing too much in one day. If you pack yourself, mix heavy items with light items, watch box weight, keep pathways clear, avoid hunched-over positions, and use proper lifting techniques or tools like a dolly or cart. Hiring packers or movers can also reduce physical strain and make the transition less stressful.
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