Over the past few years, we’ve had the privilege of helping dozens of seniors downsize and relocate to Otterbein Granville (formerly Kendal). This life plan community offers independent living in lovely little cottages, villas and apartments in addition to assisted living and skilled nursing services. There’s a lot to love about Otterbein Granville. With a backdrop of wooded hillsides and wildflower-lined walking paths, Otterbein is well known for its first-class health and wellness facilities and a wide range of activities. The list of authors, artists and musicians who have visited it is long and illustrious. But what makes Otterbein so special are the people who call it home; people like Nancy...

Kirsten and Jurgen's story involves both international emigration and local migration. Their moves first took them from Europe to North America, then from the East Coast to the Midwest. Their most recent moves were local. Very local, in fact: one move was a block away; and their move this fall was just a hop, skip and a jump across town. The Songbird Team and I were thrilled to help this sweet couple with their recent downsize to Kendal--now Otterbein at Granville. Jurgen and Kirsten graciously allowed us to share more about their story as well as a peek inside their cozy new home.   

So where did this...

Mistake #1: Underestimating how much stuff you have. 

After years—or even decades—of living in the same home, it is easy to accumulate lots of, ahem, "stuff." All that stuff we buy can quickly fill closets, garages, attics and storage units.  

We all love all our stuff...until it comes time to move or downsize.  

I always insist on looking at all the nooks and crannies of a house prior to working with a client on a downsize. I'm not trying to be nosey. It is simply because chances are, you don’t realize how much stuff is tucked away in the back of the closet or a corner of the...

Downsizing can feel a bit daunting at first, but the process of decluttering and letting go of clothing and household furnishings that you don’t use or no longer need can also be extremely rewarding.  

After helping hundreds of older adults downsize into senior living communities and smaller homes, we know how difficult it can be to part with some possessions. But we’ve learned letting go of those extra end tables and dishes is much easier if you know they will go to someone who will appreciate them or support a cause you care about.   

When sorting which items to keep and which to downsize, we...

One of the very best parts of working with our senior downsizing clients is getting to know them on a personal level and learning more about their families, world travels, incredible career accomplishments and other rich life experiences. In this new series of posts, we are privileged to share some of these fascinating stories. We’ll not only learn a little bit about their lives, we’ll also discuss the highs and lows of their downsizing experience.  

To kick it off, I’d love to introduce you to Sue and Chris.   

Sue and Chris first met as students at Denison University and Chris is one...

It’s no secret that everyone decorates and lives a little differently than their neighbors or friends. Everyone has their own distinct style and decorative taste, as well as, their own personal ideas of what looks “nice.”  

Growing up, my parents had loads of eclectic art and unique ceiling lines which I grew to love. Today, I tend to decorate with a lot of family photos. Meanwhile, my two young boys like to "decorate" the house with lego-creations and science experiments.

I learn a lot about our clients from the selected furniture and decor in their favorite spaces. The variety of styles is as unique as each personality. While some seniors surround...

We recently had a client in her mid-eighties experience a rapid health decline. She had to move to an assisted living community and sell her condo immediately. While we packed her boxes during her move, she said “I see you packing my belongings and I think to myself, I’ve lived a good life.” Following the move, she called to inform me that she had additional health issues and only a few months left to live. She justified her decision to no longer seek treatment with this logic: “When I can’t do my three absolute favorite things anymore, I think I need to be thankful for the life I lived and accept this path, instead of prolonging my life without my passions.” With no family and only a handful of caring...

It’s no secret that we’re a small downsizing business. We are committed to our work because of how important we think it is, rather than how much money it makes us. But, what I never realized is that the donations and connections we’ve made to give back to people who really need it has given us more than we ever could’ve imagined in return, in the shape of gratitude.  

One of the things I knew I wanted to do as soon as we started assisting clients in clearing out their estates was to give as many items as possible a second life: meaning, only trash things when absolutely necessary....

One of the things we consistently run into with our downsizing clients is appropriately managing the concept of “sentimental value.” I do fully understand that it’s challenging to let go of anything strongly associated with our loved ones and memories. However, for some families, this “catch phrase” becomes a “catch all” mindset that causes people to hold on to everything that’s been stored in the basement or attic for decades. Let’s take a moment and revisit the true definition of the term, and then try to understand the power of an alternative concept that I coined: “SELECTIVE sentimental value.” 

“Sentimental value” is defined as “the value of...