Project Profile: Downsizing the Family Home
A family home is so much more than a house. It holds years of memories, shared joy and challenges, first steps and last boxes packed up before college. We help to build these homes with our clients who are expecting or already raising children – it is our goal to help make their family home a functional and happy space for years to come.
But at some point, the family moves on. Kids move out, parents retire, and the required upkeep of a home of the size required for the whole family just doesn't feel necessary anymore. That is where we come back in! Helping aging parents downsize their family homes, to let go of what no longer serves them and determine what is important long-term, is one of our most meaningful project types.
We have been hired by adult children and aging parents alike - either way, the project structure follows a similar pattern.
Assess the Space
Are the childhood bedrooms time capsules, or have they been transformed into home gyms? Is the playroom an office now? A lot can change in a few decades. How the home has shifted in use and storage will determine where we start. The status of the space, and who owns the stuff that is filling it, also determines how involved different family members will need to be. In the case of the time capsule bedrooms, we will have to work with both the kids and the parents. We are not in the business of throwing things away without permission!
We have worked with clients across this spectrum, and have worked with whole families to navigate this process. It can be very emotional but also very freeing for many people. Whether you are giving up or letting go is a matter of perspective.
Determine the Needs
Are the residents moving into an assisted living facility? Are they downsizing to a condo? Are they moving to a totally different part of the country? These are all important questions to ask before making any big moves in the current home. We want to be sure that we keep an appropriate amount of furniture and homewares while also considering space constraints.
We moved one client from a 4,000 square foot home in Concord to a 1,000 square foot apartment. There was a lot of purging required there!
On another project, we moved a couple out of a large family home and into two different homes – a smaller home in the suburbs and a vacation home on the Cape. This required a lot of additional logistical work to ensure that everything was being moved to the right place!
Acknowledge the Change
Whether it is a welcome shift or a begrudging adjustment, moving out of a family home is a huge change for everyone. If you're working with us, you will have to go through your things and determine what it makes sense to keep. This will bring up a whole lifetime (and sometimes multiple lifetimes!) of memories of all types. Take some intentional time to revisit happy memories with your family members. This also might be an opportunity to acknowledge or process difficult memories together. Downsizing is the start of a new era and can be a great time to start fresh.
Many clients downsize after the loss of a spouse. This is such a difficult process but it offers a lot of opportunity to celebrate the life that was shared. Finding good places to donate old items, to causes that those loved ones championed or supported, is one way to honor their memory through this process.
Prepare for the Next Step
Organizing is all about values. What you choose to prioritize, how you spend your time, and what you focus on are all determined by what you value. As another chapter opens, reassess your values. What do you want your life to look like when you are no longer living in this place? There is no right or wrong answer – everyone is different!
We encourage forward thinking in these projects to try to set our clients up for success in their new homes. Just like with any move, this means organizing their new space beautifully and functionally. But we can only do that if the clients have an idea of what they want in their new space.
Whether you are starting a family, building a home, or about to downsize yourself, forward thinking with patience and gratitude is never a bad choice. Compassion, communication, and care for yourself and your family will all be critical as you navigate this process.
Happy organizing!
