What To Consider When Downsizing To A Senior Living Cottage

Whether you’re searching around for a new home, or are still debating whether downsizing is a good idea, it’s an important factor to consider as you age. Moving into any new home demands a lot of time-consuming effort, as making home repairs, deciding on what possessions to keep and sell, finding locations with the right amenities nearby, and other long-term plans for your future can easily take an emotional toll. Your home is your place of memories, and that’s a part of your life that cannot be replaced.

If you’ve been realizing that you need a change, downsizing can be the first step towards transitioning into a new senior cottage. Below, we’ll be going over some tips on what to prioritize when downsizing and how to prepare before moving to make the transition smoother for you.

When It’s Time To Downsize To A Cottage Independent Living Community

Downsizing from a home you’ve loved for so long can be a heavy-hearted experience for anyone. In your home, everything is present, such as friends, loved ones, and all the stories you’ve known. All of the memories you’ve made there can’t be replaced, but if you find yourself unable to care for and use the home you’ve lived in as you like, then it’s time to make the tough decision whether to downsize or not.

There are many factors to consider when thinking about moving. If you’re someone considering a cottage home in an independent living community, then here are some questions to think about before making the decision:

Do You Feel Isolated? If you feel isolated in your current home, then transitioning to a senior living community can provide you with more opportunities to interact with neighbors and make new friends.
Is Your Home Too Large or Small? Homes too large can be difficult to clean and manage, while ones too small may prevent you from hosting gatherings and holiday parties. Downsizing to the right kind of space can give you the best of both worlds.
Do You Like Maintaining Your Home? If you don’t want to deal with the chores and labor that come with caring for a home, then downsizing may be a good option, as it can alleviate those responsibilities.

These questions are just some starting points for helping you decide if and when to downsize. However, if you’re someone already considering downsizing your home, then moving into a senior living community can take all those questions away and give you a home where you truly belong.

Tips For Downsizing To Prepare For Your New Cottage Home

Many retirement cottages offer ample amounts of space to include everything you’d want from home, alongside all the additional benefits of joining a new community. In an independent living community, cottages have some of the largest floor plans. But even with all that square footage, being selective about what you take to your new home matters, as taking too much with you can add stress, clutter your space, and make it harder for you to start living in your new home.

When preparing to move to a cottage home, especially one located within a well-established senior living community, here are some tips to help you downsize, both physically and emotionally, to give you room to grow in your new home:

Plan Ahead To Downsize Early

Give yourself plenty of time to organize, pack away, and move your belongings out of your current home. It’s recommended that you take a few weeks to a few months to sift through your possessions, as moving takes time. Otherwise, it’ll be stressful, putting you in last-minute crunches and leaving you frantic to pack away everything without a second thought.

Look At Your Cottage Floor Plan

If you’ve decided on a senior care community that boasts well-built cottages, then take a look at the dimensions of your new home. If you’re downsizing from a large family home to a one to two-bedroom cottage, then you can prioritize furniture, appliances, and other household items that serve multiple purposes. You can use these items to picture how they’ll fit into your new home and plan from there.

Start Small And Work Your Way Up

Find the smallest room in your current home and start there. Doing so will help you have a plan in place for larger rooms, such as your bedroom, garage, or kitchen. Also, consider the type of senior community you’re looking to move to, as some provide amenities like restaurant-style dining that could help lighten the load for you.

Categorize, Label, And Sort Your Belongings

During your time packing away all your items, it can be tempting to take everything with you, especially with enough reason. The belongings we carry throughout our lives mean a lot, but when making a change to a new cottage home, many of the items we have outgrow us. When organizing your piles, the best way to manage it is by creating a simple, easy to use system.

Keep: These items should be both items you use every day and have some form of sentimental value to you.
Donate/Sell: Sell or donate items that are in good condition but won’t fit in your new space.
Send To Family: If it’s sentimental but won’t work within your new cottage, then send it to a loved one.
Dispose: Dispose of items that are broken, damaged, and don’t serve a purpose.

It can be difficult to dispose of items that have memories attached to them, but if the memories are important, send them to loved ones that you know will use them well and keep them safe. Beyond this, start with practical items, then work your way through the memories and take your keepsakes with you.

Consider Your Long-Term Needs

When downsizing, the community you move into will have a huge impact on the care you’ll receive as you get older. If you want an independent lifestyle, then downsize with items that will serve that purpose, such as kitchen cooking items or furniture decorations. Over the years, you may find that your level of care will change as well, and no matter what belongings you bring with you, the senior living community you choose should be able to support every transition in your life and be equipped to care for your needs.

Start Your New Life And Find The Cottage Of Your Dreams At Briarview Senior Living

In our senior living community, we welcome everyone from all walks of life. At Briarview Senior Living, we host a range of cottage homes that are rustic, elegantly designed, and suited with all the features you need to live without a care in the world. Located in Carrollton, Texas, our small, tight-knit community comes with all the amenities you’d ever need, including housekeeping, cottage maintenance, and a fine dining experience that makes living all the easier. When you choose us, you’re choosing a place to call home, and we’re excited to meet you.

If you’d like to learn more about our wonderful community of friends and staff members, then schedule a tour with Briarview Senior Living today.