Guide to downsizing in retirement : Should you do it and how

As we get older, our needs and priorities change. That’s why many people choose to downsize after they retire. It’s usually considered to be a great decision because when people retire, they don’t need much space anymore. Therefore, living in big houses doesn’t really have a purpose. As an older person, you might be having a hard time taking care of such a big place. When you choose to downsize, you can take proper care of your new little home and enjoy your retirement. That’s why Triple 7 Movers Las Vegas are here to discuss the topic of downsizing in retirement in more detail.

Pros of downsizing in retirement

Downsizing can be a hard decision for many retirees. This is usually the case because most of them have so many happy memories connected to their family home. However, when you retire, it’s time to let some things go and think of what’s best for you. Whether you want to move closer to your family or decide to move for health reasons, downsizing in retirement has many benefits:

  • A smaller home is easier to take care of – as we’ve mentioned before, as time passes, we find it harder and harder to take proper care of our homes. Instead of making things difficult for yourself, choosing to downsize can help you be in more control.
  • You can move closer to your family and friends – another thing that happens as we age is that we get more and more lonely. To avoid these feelings, you can choose to move somewhere near your family or close friends and spend more time with them now when you have more time on your hands. It’s also a good idea to be close to your family and friends because of health reasons, when they are close, they can help you whenever you need it.
  • You’ll save money – selling your old home and buying a smaller one will help you save money. Maintaining a smaller home also means lower living expenses.
two women packing their things before downsizing in retirement
Moving to a smaller home as a retiree may have more advantages than you think

Tips on downsizing after you retire

Now that you’ve made up your mind about retiring, we want to give you some tips on how to downsize easily after your retirement.

Set your goals when downsizing in retirement

Understanding the type of retirement lifestyle you like will help you set financial objectives and determine what you must do to achieve them. Think about all the ways you want to spend your retirement as well as any potential expenses like healthcare. This will help you figure out what your needs are and what you need to focus on.

Don’t overvalue your property before selling

The majority of retirees typically overvalue their properties. It makes sense because you raised your family there, and there is a strong emotional tie. This is why it’s important to speak with real estate agents before downsizing for retirement so they can give you a straightforward evaluation of how much your house really costs, having recent sales in the neighborhood in mind. As our dedicated senior movers can tell you, this will make it easier to sell your property. Think about it, the sooner you sell the house, the sooner you’ll be able to move and enjoy your retirement.

a person signing a document paper
Talk to your real estate agent before setting a price when selling your property

Think about where you want to move 

You have several possibilities for where to retire now that you are no longer tied to your job and worries about raising a family. For example, Florida is a popular retirement destination, but not everyone may want to live there. Knowing where you wish to relocate might help you estimate the expenses of moving to a different state and sell your previous property.

Plan your move on time 

This is one of the crucial things of any kind of relocation, especially after you retire. Make sure that you have enough time to build a well-thought-out plan before contacting relocation services Las Vegas. Some people begin thinking about where they will relocate more than a year in advance. When you’ve had some time to get used to the whole concept of moving, it’s also easier to adapt to your new place and living lifestyle.  Stress is only increased if you have to make a moving decision quickly or finish going through your belongings at the last minute. Things like this may lead to injuries, exhaustion, and other unnecessary troubles you don’t want in your life.

an elderly woman writing on paper in front of a laptop
Don’t forget to make a thorough plan before you start preparing for your move

Sell the things you don’t need

It’s true that we tend to develop a strong connection with objects. While we understand that it’s very hard to say goodbye to some of your belongings, you need to work on making this move easy and efficient. We all have those things at home that “we might use sometime” so we never throw them away. In reality, those things are just taking up space in our homes and we never really use them. Not only that, but you’ll also get some money out of it and sell it to someone who needs it a lot more than you do. You are also doing your household movers Las Vegas a favor since they’ll have less trouble moving your belongings to your new home.

Hire professionals for downsizing in retirement

Whether this is your first move or not, hiring professionals, like furniture movers Las Vegas, for downsizing in retirement is always a good idea. Now that you are a retiree, moving by yourself is not the best option you have. It’s a process that takes a lot of time and strength and you’d only be putting yourself in danger if you tried to move without professional help. You may ask your family and friends for help, but people who are not trained to perform a professional move are also prone to injuries and damaging things as much as you are. Moving companies have well-trained and experienced staff, necessary equipment, and will do their best to make your move completely stress free. 

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