For many homeowners whose children have grown up and moved away, it may be a good idea to buy a smaller more manageable home with fewer maintenance needs.Downsizing can be a tough process for anyone, but especially for older adults who find themselves in large homes and no longer have children to fill up the rooms.How do you begin the process that may sometimes be very stressful for older adults who are attached not just to their home but also to their possessions which they may not have room for in their new home?Once the decision has been made to downsize and live a more simplified life, start the process early to allow plenty of time for the move.Many people who wait too long end up just throwing everything into boxes haphazardly.Experts suggest you allow three to six weeks for packing before the current home goes on the market giving you enough time to get everything sorted out.Start by making a plan as moving requires a great deal of organisation to run smoothly.Create a folder or binder complete with a journal, checklist and deadlines.Then tick off things as you go along. It’s an easy way to quickly reference what you have left to do.A good way is to help organise items in your home is by making four piles (1) things to sell, (2) thing to give away (3) things to throw away and (4) things to move to the new home.Or you can use colour sticky dots to designate what you are taking with you, what you are selling and what you are giving away.A spare room, or rooms, to separate items into sell, give away, throw away and keep can serve the same purpose.Figuring out exactly what to keep can be a challenge, if say an older adult is moving from a large home into a smaller space. Paring down items before the move makes the process easier at moving time.It not only saves space but it saves time and money.Consider sorting large items like furniture first that will be donated, gifted or sold.Getting these large items out of the way first makes much needed room for packing the items you plan to keep. Doing this first also helps you figure out exactly what you have and what you may need to purchase for your new residence.If older adults don’t have children who want the items they can’t take with them, there might be nieces, nephews or grandchildren who would love that special desk or chair.But if there’s no one in the family, they can start to think about how to donate or maybe make some money to help pay for their new place or cushion their lifestyle.If you find that you have some nice pieces that you can’t take with you, there are local charities on the Island like:n Salvation Army,n St. John’s Churchn The Barnn The Bargain Box,n The Red CrossAnd nursing homes like Packwood, Westmeath and Matilda Smith Williams and others would be happy to accept these items.Or there’s also the possibility of posting items for sale or for free on E-moo.Need helping hands?The Bermuda Housing Corporation offers the assistance of the Hustle Truck.They will remove unwanted items from the house, garage, and yard and truck them away for a minimal charge.They also do interior and exterior painting.Contact Vicky Medeiros, Property Officer at the BHC to make an appointment for a representative to visit your property to assess what needs to be done.Finally, enlist family members and friends to help with the process.Downsizing is a very large task and it’s important that the entire project not fall on one person.It can also be very emotional for the older person(s) involved so sensitivity is critical to gauge how they feel about a particular item.What appears to be junk to one person may actually hold a great deal of sentimental value to another person.As a senior myself that has moved a few times, I am more than happy to share my experience to help others through this process.It is amazing the things we hold on to that have been tucked away in corners or drawers for years.Some of them are precious to us, so why not give them new life by framing them on walls or scanning images of them and putting them on your computer where you can view them over and over without using up valuable space in your new home.Once in an electronic version newspaper clippings, photos and more are not only preserved, but can be easily shared with others.The same can be accomplished with furniture or large items that hold precious memories — photograph them rather than store them.At the end of the day, it is not possessions that matter, but people.Too often people look at downsizing as down grading, but that is far from the truth.Often when one downsizes they upgrade …. going from an old house with lots of upkeep to a newer property with little maintenance.Your golden years, really should be golden not strapped with little money and lots of work to keep up the property.Call me and I can caringly guide you through your choices to sell, purchase or rent.This week’s column is submitted by Coldwell Banker Bermuda Realty’s Reggie Fleming: 247 1810 or email rfleming@brcl.bm.