The question of whether it’s time to downsize can feel overwhelming can’t it?
The thought of tackling a life-time’s furniture, books, clothing and kitchen-ware is truly daunting. Not to mention the photos and ornaments that all mean so much but take up a lot of space.
When is the right time to downsize?
There are no absolute answers to this question, but one thing is for sure; it’s so much better to make the decision when you’re healthy rather than when circumstances force it to happen. You might find there are some tell-tale signs that the time is right. Maybe you’re finding the maintenance of your current property and garden too much (and too expensive). You might not be using several of the rooms in your home. Perhaps that second flight of stairs feels tiring? Often the decision is an emotional rather than a practical one. It’s accepting that you’re at or entering a different life stage. Try to fast forward a few years and think about where you would ideally like to be.
Where do I down-size to?
Maybe a smaller house or a flat nearer to your family? But does that mean leaving your community of friends, and is that a good idea? Make sure wherever you choose has easy access to shops and activities so that you can keep or build your own community.
Sheltered housing options
For many people a move out of the family home to sheltered housing is the obvious choice. It means you’ve still got a key to your own front door if that is important to you. Most sheltered housing accommodation is for people over the age of 55. Generally it includes telecare equipment in the rooms in case of needing help, an accessible bathroom, a communal area where activities take place, and a manager or warden who oversees the property.
Over the past few years many sheltered housing schemes have put less emphasis on the warden role. You need to ask in each property if the warden is situated permanently on site and what you can expect of them. Extra sheltered housing schemes mean you can still purchase or rent your own accommodation, but with the option to buy in care services on-site as you need them and sign up for meals in the communal restaurant. We think extra sheltered housing schemes are a great option.
Retirement villages offer a similar level of support and often have attractive health and leisure facilities too. But they can be set in out-of-town locations so think carefully about whether that would suit you and how you would get out and about. Especially if you’re unlikely to still be driving in a few years time.
If you don’t want the responsibility of a property
You may no longer want to be responsible for a property and would enjoy the company of other people, in which case a care home is an option. It means that all the domestic chores such as cooking, cleaning and laundry are done for you, and you are safe in the knowledge that staff are available day and night. Some homes are able to offer short-term stays so you can go for a week or two as a trial run. It’s a good idea to read the home’s latest inspection reports available from the Care Quality Commission at www.cqc.org.uk
Who can help me with the decluttering and packing?
The team at Home & Company love a down-sizing project! We have a number of teammates who have supported people to identify a new property. We’ve then helped them to sort their possessions, starting with what you want to take with you and disposing of the rest in a managed way. This might include arranging shipping items to friends and family, using antique houses to sell valuable items, supporting charity shops and using house clearance. Our clients say it’s so much easier to make the decisions when you’ve got someone to help you.
At Home & Company we’ve got to know what downsizing options are available in and around Brighton & Hove so do give us a ring and we can discuss the options. We’d love to help you.