Blog: Moving, Downsizing and Organizing for Boomers, Seniors and Elders
The Up Side of Downsizing... part 1

Downsizing - the very word can cause our muscles to contract and our brains to freeze. For years when we have heard this word spoken our thoughts have gone immediately to something bad. Generally, when companies downsize, people lose their jobs. When people downsize aren't they in essence saying that they've given up, thrown in the towel, relinquished control over their lives? And doesn't it mean that you have reached a "certain age" so now you have to wave goodbye to the home you've lived in for 20 years, the friends you've made and all the stuff you've lovingly collected?

No, in fact, downsizing now means something very, very good, both for us and our planet. Today, downsizing means that we are consciously choosing to take control of the "stuff" in our lives, living with only the best of what we have collected, using a minimum of resources and spending less time on stuff management and more time on what is really important to us. You don't have to move to a smaller home to downsize, although many people choose to do this once they discover that they don't really need all the space if they are not filling it with stuff. Downsizing really means "rightsizing" and people of all ages are catching on.

We are coming out of decades of over indulgence - we bought everything we could get our hands on if it promised to make our lives easier. We bought because we were convinced that we "had to have it". We bought because we it was there and we could. And now we realize that we are stuck with all this stuff. It fills our garages, our closets and cabinets, in fact, we have so much stuff that even though we have increased the size of our homes, we still don't have enough room and we are renting storage spaces as though we are SUPPOSE to have outside storage to contain the stuff.

posted on: 1/5/2008 1:30:00 PM by Gayle Grace
category: Moving

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Moving, Downsizing and Organizing for Boomers, Seniors and Elders

by Gayle Grace

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About Gayle:

Gayle Grace is the owner of All Things Home, providing expert organizing and moving services throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Gayle is a Golden Circle member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM).

Gayle is a also a trained chef and award winning food taster! When not managing a move or organizing Bay Area kitchens, Gayle can be found at one of her favorite restaurants or advising local wineries on food and wine pairings.

Gayle shares her home and the sofa with two cats, Littleone and Pumpkin Pie.

Gayle's Website:

www.allthingshome.com

Gayle's Other Blogs & Email Contact

• allthingshomeblog.blogspot.com
• [email protected]

Gayle's Book Recommendations:

• Rightsizing Your Life by C. Ware
• Scaling Down by J. Culbertson & M. Decker
• No Ordinary Move by B.Z. Perman & J. Ballard
• Moving in the Right Direction by B. Nemovitz

The Kitchen Sink

• My Life In France by Julia Child
• Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin
• More Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin
• Zuni Cafe Cookbook by Judy Rodgers
• Classic Stars Desserts by Emily Luchetti

Pumpkin Pie