• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • NEWS & EVENTS
  • CAREERS
  • FOUNDATION
  • BOD LOGIN
  • GALLERY
  • 765-463-7546
Westminster Village West Lafayette

Westminster Village West Lafayette

  • About Us
    • History
    • Mission & Values
    • Board of Directors
    • Department Directors
    • Life Care Services
  • Senior Solutions
    • Independent Living
    • Assisted Living
    • Memory Care
    • Rehabilitation Services
    • Long-Term Care
  • Lifestyle
    • Services & Amenities
    • Dining
    • Fitness & Rehab Center
    • Surrounding Area
    • Club WV
  • Health Services
    • Dimensions of Wellness
    • Village Care
  • Resources
    • Financial Assistance
    • Financial Calculator
    • F A Q s
  • Village Map
  • Contact
    • Contact Form
    • Map
    • Careers
  • Resident Login
  • BOD Login
  • News & Events
  • About Us
    • History
    • Mission & Values
    • Board of Directors
    • Department Directors
    • Life Care Services
  • Senior Solutions
    • Independent Living
    • Assisted Living & Memory Care
    • Memory Care
    • Rehabilitation Services
    • Long-Term Care
  • Lifestyle
    • Services & Amenities
    • Dining
    • Fitness & Rehab
    • Area
    • Club WV
  • Health Services
    • Dimensions of Wellness
    • Village Care
  • Resources
    • FAQs
    • Financial Assistance
  • SiteMap
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Form
    • Careers
    • Village Map
  • Foundation
  • Gallery
  • News & Events
  • Resident Log-In
  • BOD Log-In

How to Downsize to a Senior Living Apartment

August 24, 2022 By wvwl

There’s a reason downsizing is sometimes reframed as rightsizing: Moving into a smaller space with fewer belongings can be an opportunity to simplify as you shed the extraneous belongings and responsibilities that tend to accumulate with time. Nevertheless, the process of downsizing can be daunting. If you’re considering a move to an independent living community, you may be wondering how to even get started. These tips on downsizing for seniors can help you figure out where to begin:

Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Yes, you can rush through the process of downsizing, but if you don’t have to hurry, you’ll find it much less stressful. Giving yourself time — from several weeks to several months — means you can pause for breaks when you need to and take a thoughtful approach to choosing items to bring with you and figuring out what to do with the belongings you no longer want or need.

Start off Easy

Warm to the task by starting in less emotionally loaded rooms, like the laundry room. As you make progress, you’ll gain the confidence and momentum that will help you tackle the more challenging rooms. In approaching each room, first identify the belongings you definitely want to keep — once your fear of losing treasures is eased, you’ll be able to look with an impartial eye at the remaining items. Also notice the items in each room that are easy to get rid of, such as duplicate household items, outdated paperwork, or clothes you never wear.

Let Memories Surface

As you work your way through your home, you may be overwhelmed by nostalgia on occasion. That’s natural. Allow yourself to feel what you feel as you sort through a lifetime of memories and experiences. Take breaks if you need to. Let the process inspire you to share memories — and belongings — with the people you’re close to.

Keep Your Eye on the Prize

To avoid being overwhelmed by memories of the past, keep in mind what you’re moving toward. Downsizing for seniors is an opportunity to begin a new chapter in life. And you’re choosing the belongings and accessories that will best help you enjoy it.

If possible, print out a floor plan of your new home or take measurements so you know exactly how much space you’ll have to work with. Also, keep in mind the amenities and services that the senior living community offers. If regular housekeeping is among the services, you’re unlikely to need all your cleaning supplies. With an on-campus woodworking shop or art studio, you won’t need to bring all the tools and supplies you use in your creative hobbies.

Harness Discipline and Creativity

Whether you decide to take a disciplined approach to creativity or a creative approach to discipline, you’ll need both as you work your way through each room in your home. As you sort through belongings, be strict about making two piles — a pile of items you want to keep and another pile of belongings you’re ready to part with. Don’t succumb to the temptation to make a “maybe” pile or you’ll find you’ve simply delayed the difficult decisions you need to make.

When facing choices about items you know you don’t need but feel attached to, try a creative approach to memory keeping. You can winnow collections by keeping only a few favorites and taking photos of the rest to make into a photo book, poster or collage.

Enlist Help

As the number of items on the “don’t keep” pile grows, you’ll need to figure out what to do with it all. Letting family members browse through the pile may help reduce its size. Also consider recruiting friends and family as assistants if you decide to host a garage sale. Ask the local museum if they’d like your grandmother’s collection of postcards. Donate to second-hand stores or charities. Or consider hiring a move manager to help you with the entire process, from sorting and planning to packing and moving.  

Start Your Next Chapter in Life at Westminster Village

If these tips on downsizing for seniors have inspired you to begin looking for your perfect retirement home, check out Westminster Village. Our independent living community features a maintenance-free lifestyle with a range of home sizes to suit your needs and preferences. Here, you’ll find amenities and services that promote an active, full life, plus the security of knowing you have a plan for the future, should your care needs change. Contact us to learn more or to schedule a tour.

Primary Sidebar


Village Chats

View our village chat video below and click on the link for more.

Click Here for More Videos

Footer

member badge Westminster Village West Lafayette
2021 Best of Senior Living Logo
managed by LCS

Contact Us

2741 North Salisbury St.
West Lafayette, IN 47906

765-463-7546

info@wvwl.org

Join our mailing list!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us:

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • twitter
  • About Us
    • History
    • Mission & Vision
    • Board of Directors
    • Life Care Services
  • Senior Solutions
    • Independent Living
    • Assisted Living & Memory Care
    • Long-Term-Care
  • Lifestyle
    • Services & Amenities
    • Dining
    • Fitness & Rehab
    • Surrounding Area
  • Health Services
    • Dimensions of Wellness
    • Village Care
  • Resources
    • Foundation
    • FAQs
    • Financial Assistance
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Form
    • News & Events

Notice of Non-Discrimination | Español | Deutsch | 繁體中文 | Deitsch | Français | العربية  | Tagalog | 한국어 | हिंदी  | 日本語 | Русский | Tiếng Việt | Nederlands | Polski | λληνικά 

Copyright © 2023 · Westminster Village West Lafayette

| Notice of Privacy Practices | FTC Privacy Policy