by Ty Lee, Community Engagement Coordinator -Training & Volunteer Resources
Connections Volunteer Center
The Delaware County Senior Companions learned effective downsizing strategies from Stephanie Steinbeck, realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty, who specializes in helping older residents with their real estate needs.
“There is a time in life for downsizing,” Stephanie said.
It’s important to pare down belongings while still healthy and able before there’s an urgent need to move, she explained. It helps to have someone that can guide you through the process and the sooner you tackle it the more control you have.
The worst time to figure out where possessions go is during a critical time. “You can’t predict a crisis,” Stephanie said.
Planning in advance and being proactive can make life easier if a transition is needed. Stephanie shared a story about a client who was able to quickly and easily move with extended family to another state because she had already downsized.
Downsizing is a lot of work that includes tough, often emotional, decisions. Stephanie shared stories and examples of how she helped clients during her presentation. She offered practical tips, like creating a ‘drop zone’ where items are sorted to sell, donate and throw away. She suggests setting goals such as in de-junking one room per week, or month.
It is often difficult to know what to do with extra possessions. Stephanie developed a resource guide with places to donate, sell and dispose of items. Her advice is to plan how to pass things down to family members. Include a list with your will, or give the items to the people you want to have them now.
Items such as collections or artwork are often hard to part with Stephanie said. She helped a client with a large collection by helping her choose a few of the most treasured items to keep and then the other items were photographed and displayed in a photo album. Selling valuable items is another option.
Making the tasks manageable and knowing when to ask for help are important.
“Sticking your head in the sand and pretending downsizing doesn’t need to be done is not a strategy,” Stephanie entertainingly added.
