Downsizing Your Life

Cleaning out an apartment or house is a stressful process, regardless of the reason. It’s not much fun sorting through possessions when you’re moving or renovating. Read More

How lightly do you travel? Since 2010, I’ve flown and holidayed with carry-on luggage only. That’s a handy seven kilograms of clothes, shoes and toiletries. Read More

I’m just one small person in a big world, but I am concerned about my responsibility for the wellbeing of the world around me. In the 1970s, we were minimalists and a bit ‘hippie-ish.’ We eschewed sugar for honey and whole wheat for white. We tried our hand at gardening organically. We limited our possessions. We lived in modest homes…

Talking to the other women in our community, I’m convinced that simplifying your life is one of the best things that you can do in your 60s. As we get older, we often find ourselves surrounded by years of accumulated possessions. Some of our possessions are connected to a beautiful memory, a special person, or a significant time or place. Other things are, well, just… things. Read More

When I downsized before moving to Florida, I put my most cherished possessions into one small 5 x 10 storage unit and left my car with my daughter. At the time, I was a bit concerned that I might be getting rid of too many things, but I didn’t want to store anything that wasn’t useful or meaningful to me. Read More

Do you live in a beautiful clutter-free space? Many of us aspire to live in a stress-free, orderly home. We seriously undertake an occasional decluttering marathon. Read More

In 2011, when my wife and I decided to sell our three-story home in New Jersey and move to an apartment just three Metro stops from Washington, D.C., we had no idea we would be becoming part of a growing Baby Boomer trend. Read More

It’s normal to accumulate stuff on our journey through life. Not only do we buy stuff, but our family, friends, career, interests and hobbies encourage us to get more stuff. Read More

Have you found, as I have, that at dinner with friends if the discussion moves to future living plans, somebody will suggest – to great laughter and applause – that we all move into a big house together. Read More

On the surface, downsizing sounds simple… just put everything that you don’t need in boxes, throw them away – and voila! – you have successfully downsized your life. In reality, downsizing is more complicated. The scale of the problem is often overwhelming. You have to deal with emotions. Sorting through valuable and sentimental items is tricky. The list goes on and on! So, today, I want to offer some advice for downsizing without the stress. Come join us for a cup of tea (or coffee) and a chat. And, if you enjoy the show, please tell one friend about us today. Your support means so much to me! Read More