Downsizing Your Life

I have written several articles and given presentations on the importance of getting your affairs in order for your loved ones prior to your death. In fact, I created a flash drive called My Affairs in Order that allows you to record financial and personal information for your family. Read More

We all experience those periods when we sense a relationship is amiss. Or we know deep down we should make some changes on a personal level. But we look the other way…
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My neighbor across the street lost her husband about a year ago. The huge house she now inhabits is an awful lot of work, as is the yard. The other morning after a seven-inch snowfall, our mutual neighbor was clearing her driveway, as he usually does, as I was digging out my own. Read More

Owning a home is an essential part of the American Dream. This is especially true for our generation, which grew up at a time when traditional family living, centered around the cozy home with a well-maintained lawn and a white picket fence, was idealized in magazines and on TV…
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Most people want to age in the home they have. According to AARP, three out of four people 50-plus want to stay in their homes and communities as they age…
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As the years go by, some of us may feel that a two- or three-bedroom home is too big or too expensive to maintain. However, there are many aspects to downsizing that we may not be able to see on our own…
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It’s not surprising that downsizing has become a big trend in the United States and other Western countries. After all, we are simply drowning in stuff! How much stuff? Well, according to the LA Times, the average U.S. household contains 300,000 items…
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A lot of people, including myself, have fallen hard for the “Konmari” craze. In case you’ve been hiding under a rock, the trend – which has spread like wildfire – is the result of the enormous success of Marie Kondo’s best-selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Read More

Are you fighting a never-ending battle with clutter? If you think you are alone, you’re not! According to the National Association of Professional Organizers: 54% of Americans are overwhelmed by clutter…

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Few trends have captured the imagination of soon-to-be retirees with as much force as downsizing. In fact, if you read most retirement blogs or books, downsizing feels like it is almost a prerequisite to moving into the next phase of your life. The truth, as I have found by managing a community of 500,000 recent retirees, is more complicated.  Read More