Downsizing for Retirement in Germantown

Are you ready to start a new chapter of your life in retirement? What better way to do that than to start new traditions in a new living space? According to Merrill Lynch and Age Wave, half of retirees who relocate are downsizing, and there are plenty of reasons behind this decision.

Downsizing for retirement will allow you to feel cozy and comfortable in just the right amount of space without having to worry about a lot of extra rooms you no longer use. Now let’s discuss the many benefits that can come with downsizing your home for retirement.

Save with Downsizing for Retirement

Generally, the larger the property, the more utilities and maintenance required. Downsizing your home eliminates excess living costs, and moving to a retirement community like the Village means you won’t have to worry about doing maintenance yourself or repairing home appliances. We can also assist with housekeeping and linen services.

One you have downsized, you can start seeing your home as more of a relaxing retreat than just an ongoing responsibility. Then the time you used to spend on the upkeep of your home can be spent with family and friends or pursuing passions and enjoying hobbies.

Enjoy Decorating a Smaller Space

Downsizing to a smaller space means less area to furnish and decorate, so you no longer have to spread your budget thin across many different rooms. Instead of settling for standard pieces just to fill a multitude of bedrooms and common areas, downsizing allows you to focus on that one stunning painting for your living room wall and that beautiful antique vanity you’ve always wanted for your bedroom.

Get Organized by Downsizing Your Home

Cutting out the clutter to downsize your home will naturally relieve stress by leading to a cleaner and simpler environment and minimizing the time you have to spend doing weekly or monthly organizing. Also, knowing that you have downsized in storage space will likely help you to resist accumulating unnecessary items in the first place.

When you designate the items that you no longer need, you can feel good about donating them to charity and even reap the tax benefits that come with in-kind donations. For example, if you won’t be wearing suits and professional attire much anymore, consider how donating those items could help outfit someone in need for an important interview or allow someone who may be struggling financially to advance their career. 

If some of your excess belongings are of personal or family value, consider giving them to relatives or friends who will treasure them as much as you do. Newlyweds settling into a first house or growing families moving into a bigger space may appreciate not only the sentimental value but also the function and decoration of these items that they would have had to purchase otherwise. 

Make Downsizing a Group Effort

If you’re having trouble deciding what to get rid of and what to take with you to your new home, try enlisting some assistance. Marc Agronin, a psychiatrist focusing his practice on older adults and retirees, suggests designating “navigators.” In other words, choose understanding yet objective friends or family members to help you determine what is really important to take with you and which items would be better suited for a relative or someone in need. 

Agronin also suggests making it less of a chore by hosting a “downsizing party” similar to the “rituals for every major transition in our younger lives.” Invite children, grandchildren and other family members and friends for an afternoon of going through old belongings and reminiscing over memories. 

It can be enjoyable or even entertaining to come across things you’ve forgotten you had, especially in the company of people who appreciate the stories behind your belongings. You can even bring a camera to the “party” so you have photos or videos of these items and the loved ones who came together to sort through them. 

Choose How You Downsize in Retirement

Here at the Village, we understand that downsizing for retirement means something different to everyone, and everyone has unique needs for their living spaces. This is why we provide a wide variety of sizes for each individual or couple to choose from among our apartments and villas. 

Our one and two bedroom apartments feature nine different floor plans ranging from 755 to 1,492 square feet. Our villa residents have a choice between two unique floor plans, ranging in square footage from 1,633 to 1,702.

Downsize at Your Own Pace

Are you interested in moving to a retirement community but still need to fully adjust to the idea of downsizing your home? Do you want more time to organize your current house for selling or to find new homes for some of your excess furniture and decor? The Village has the perfect solution for downsizing at your own pace with our Villagers Wait List Club. 

Prior to move-in, our waiting list members can attend special events, enjoy our workout facilities, make new friends within our retirement community, and receive The Village monthly newsletter to become familiar with our services and activities. If you’re considering downsizing for retirement, even if you’re not quite ready to do it right now, consider scheduling a tour of the Village, and we will be happy to help you join our waiting list and our community!