Downsizing

[Macfrommichigan]

I have a close friend, a guy I will call Larry. 71 years old. He lives in a large 80 year old home. Can't bear to move, can't take care of it either. So, mostly he frets. The obvious solution is a condo. But expect it won't happen. He will likely stick it out until it is time for the nursing home.

Know anyone like this?

 

[Merle]

Me... at 59... thinking of what to do when the 20 years older significant other goes on the grand adventure. Oh, that and will I have much of my 401k surviving by that time as I'm drawing on it already. So, happy to hear ideas for bulletproofing what got whacked when I became disabled at 53 and so far haven't been certified a DP with the Feds.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

No easy answers to any of this. My pal Larry is a hoarder, in a small way. The kids are grown, moved to the other side of the state. He and his wife have three bedrooms no one is sleeping in. And a roof that regularly needs attention. Gutters, too. And the yard. Snow to shovel.

And all of us, as we get older, have to wonder what happens if/when a spouse or SO gets sick or worse.

This year my better half fractured a leg. In a boot for two months. The aftermath is spinal damage. She is in pain, unable to do many activities. PT twice a week. We live in a condo, but the bedrooms are on the second floor, the laundry in the basement.

 

[oc_in_fw]

I would love to have an high rise apartment in downtown Fort Worth. Unfortunately, the rent for two months (in the nice areas) is what I pay for taxes per year on my home. Won’t be a viable retirement option.

 

[ajkel64]

We are empty nesters so to speak. We have just paid off our home which is either 4 bedrooms and 2 lounge rooms or 5 bedrooms and 1 lounge room depending how you want to set it out. One bedroom is upstairs which was added on before we bought it. There is only the 2 of us here but I am a hoarder and LOTH is a part hoarder. She can toss stuff away whereas I have difficulty. I have promised to try to downsize my possessions but I find it tough. I also have a house that I owned before we got together where I also have some things stored. I wonder sometimes that if some thing happened to me that it would not be fair on LOTH to be left to sort everything out. I keep saying tomorrow I will start but I never do.

 

[Mick]

No need to go into how many houses full of "treasures" we have

We've been packing and hauling to a "temp" storage unit for a month and not a dent in what is inside our little one bedroom cabin.

We thought we would have it on the market 2 months ago. Now I wonder if it will be this year.

We can almost see the interior of the guest/second cabin.

Sold both of our Madriver canoes last week. Sorry to see them go since we've owned them both since 1982. Boxed up both the McIntosh and Luxman systems and I'm afraid they're both going to be gone too Listening to a boom box sux.

 

[Toothpick]

Nope. I prefer a small house with lots of land.

 

[Tiny_MN]

I live alone, and while I don't have a lot of stuff. It's enough to fill a two bedroom townhome with my hobby equipment and furniture. Yet, it's not cluttered, aside from the den which has most of my sport and hunting equipment stored in it.

My goal is to reduce what I have down to a much smaller footprint so I have less to worry about and maintain while simplifying my life. I'd go down to a smaller residence, as this is about 1,000 sqft. But, to do so puts me either in a much higher expense area (1.5 to 2 times what I'm paying for now for less space), or puts me in high crime areas. Great choices..

 

[shavefan]

Nope. I prefer a small house with lots of land.

Me too. But I do consider the maintenance of such a property when I get into my 70's and 80's, If I make it that long...

 

[oc_in_fw]

Me too. But I do consider the maintenance of such a property when I get into my 70's and 80's, If I make it that long...

That is one thing that intrigues me about an apartment in downtown Fort Worth. Something breaks, somebody else fixes it.

 

[djm2]

A useful reference for those of us who are aging and afflicted with the hoarding mentality. Heck, probably most of us. Who wants the crap we've accumulated!

https://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Art-S...=1537566697&sr=8-1&tag=googhydr-20&ref=sr_1_1

 

[Macfrommichigan]

djm2, there is a thread on the forum 'bout that book.

I'm working on getting there.

OTOH, my pal Larry has enough stuff for three lifetimes and can't keep up with all the chores of a house he bought decades ago. He is trapped in his big old home.

 

[Tiny_MN]

That is one thing that intrigues me about an apartment in downtown Fort Worth. Something breaks, somebody else fixes it.

That's what I like about my rental townhome. Couple years ago, as I was packing up for a road trip, I decided to turn the furnace on for a test to make sure it worked as it was mid-October. Thirty seconds in,the blower fan starts howling like it's about to blow a bearing. Shut it down, and leave the home at 06:00. About 9:00am, I call and let them know the furnace is going out. Within the hour, maintenance guy was on site, fixing it and had it repaired in under three (Cam inside home let me watch it).

I love where I live. Very close proximity to where I work, and the management company takes very good care of me.

 

[les24preludes]

Let's face it, there's going to be some hoarders on this site for sure. The dilemma is whether to give stuff away or sell it on BST or the usual auction sites. You can get caught in the middle and feel stuck - too much bother to photograph and list everything but not prepared to give away things of value. Result - paralysis. This can go on for years.

What's worked for those I know is to choose a "clearout" time of a few months and tell everyone you're doing it so you get support and motivation to carry through. It also helps you find good homes for some of the stuff, and even sell some items at "mates rates".

 

[Ricksplace]

I am a hoarder with regard to my shop only. Scrap metal and old gun parts fill every nook and cranny. Cleanup always uncovers stuff I forgot about. I still can't find that clone handle I know is in there somewhere.
SWMBO is an anti-hoarder, (in a good way), but never gives me any grief regarding my shop.