The Emotional Attachment to Your Home 

So, you’ve lived in the same home for forty years, or maybe you finally bought your dream home just ten years ago. Regardless, you love your home. It’s big, beautiful, spacious, and has just the right view from every window. More than that, it feels like home; it feels like the place you are meant to be. 

Facing the Reality of Downsizing 

Now, you are faced with the prospect of downsizing, which can feel daunting. Maybe finances are motivating the change, or perhaps logistics. Maybe your family wants you a little closer. Whatever the reason, it’s time to consider a change, and you’re understandably concerned. Let me first say that you are not alone. In fact, surveys show that 92% of adults aged 65 to 74 years wish to remain in their current homes as long as possible; the numbers rise to 95% for those aged 75 and older (Luborsky, Lysack, & Van Nuil, 2011). While many seniors recognize that they may need assistance in the future, 82% wish to receive that care in their current homes (Luborsky, Lysack, & Van Nuil, 2011). 

The Fear of Change and Uncertainty 

Most often, seniors are concerned about downsizing because they are attached to their current space and way of life. Simply put, they are content with the status quo and wish to remain so. To downsize is to change, and it is natural to fear change. Sogyal Rinpoche states in The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying that “we humans fear change because it seems to us that it threatens the very structures which we believe hold our reality together; we fear that their changing is the possibility of death.” In this quote, “death” is defined as ultimate uncertainty. The author is asserting that we fear change because we fear uncertainty, as it challenges our ability to control our environments. 

The Potential Benefits of Downsizing 

While we avoid the uncertainty that change brings, we also avoid the possibilities it offers. You may know the view from every window and every clerk at your local grocery store. Your home might have felt perfect for a time. But the question is, is it as perfect as you remember? 

How many rooms do you have in your home that you haven’t entered in a month? What about the old furnace that needs replacement or the garden that’s just a little overgrown? The house that was perfectly located for your kids to walk to school is now in a neighborhood filled with new families. As much as you love your home, it never was or will be everything you need it to be. Maybe the kitchen is bright and sunny, but the single-pane windows freeze in the winter, and you can’t see the TV while cooking. The front porch never got the evening sun, and the linen closets have always been a little small. 

Embracing New Opportunities 

This isn’t to say that the new place will be perfect either—nothing ever is. However, a new place could solve some of the challenges you’re facing while offering new opportunities. For example, larger detached homes are rarely located just steps from shopping and cafes. In contrast, smaller senior-oriented living tends to be more conveniently located, and these communities are filled with people like you and goods that suit your needs. These living facilities come with community societies and amenities designed just for you. 

The Next Chapter of Your Life 

Change is scary but consider that possibility is infinite. There is a whole world out there waiting for you, and the next best chapter of your life is out there waiting to unfold. 

I specialize in downsizing and proudly serve the Woodbury, Afton, Oakdale, Lake Elmo, Cottage Grove, Maplewood, and Greater St. Paul metro areas, with over 1,500 successful sales under my belt. I can provide you with a highly detailed, client-centric, and trustworthy services for people just like you. Let me find you a home that allows you to live every day as though you are on vacation. Allow me to help you design the next chapter of your life. 
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