Book Review - Downsize: Living Large in a Small House

For those people thinking of downsizing to a small home, Sheri Koones has written a book for you! The book, Downsize: Living Large in a Small House is geared to empty nesters although many younger people are downsizing as well. Large homes come with high costs and huge time commitments in order to maintain them appropriately. Homeowners find themselves with less quality time to spend with family and friends. Many new homeowners and empty nesters want a more care free way of life. They want to spend their time traveling and experiencing new things. Ms. Koones herself downsized to a 1,400 sq ft. house. Her house is now convenient to town and close to shopping, restaurants and movies. She says she wishes she had made the move years earlier.  After having success with her own move, the author interviewed over 30 homeowners all over the United States and Canada. All the houses in the book are 2,000 sq ft or less.

There are beautiful detailed photographs of each home as well as floor plans to go with them. Each house has small square footage as opposed to traditional large homes. As a result, the energy costs are lower. Many have the master bedroom on the main floor (popular with older homeowners who are hoping to stay in their homes as long as possible.) Another commonality is the homes have a good amount of natural lighting, creative storage, minimal hallways, multipurpose rooms, furnishings with added storage, pocket doors, porches and patios to name a few. 

Ms. Koones states that “everyone I interviewed for this book was delighted to be downsizing. They used words such as “liberated,” having rid themselves of all the stuff or baggage that had loaded them down for years.” 

Most of the people interviewed had energy efficiency as a priority when building or updating their small house. Some were built with LEED standards. Houses were built with solar energy, HVAC systems that are more efficient and LED lighting and energy efficient appliances. Each house in the book is listed with the green features it is built with.

Of course, decluttering and purging is always difficult. Especially for multi-generational families. Many baby boomers have keepsakes, furniture, china and artwork stored from their parents and other relatives. On top of that they have their children’s things in the house as well. It can be overwhelming to start purging, and once started hard to know what to do with the sell, consign, donate and trash. As Ms. Koones suggests, certainly there are books and reference materials to help you declutter. Another option from our standpoint is to hire a professional organizer. Professional organizers have the tools and resources to help you figure out how to rid yourself of items you will not need in your new home. A professional organizer can make a long tiring process streamlined and stress free.

In the end, the author states that small does not necessarily mean less comfortable or less attractive. Many homeowners of the new homes said the current designs reflect their aesthetics better than the house they had lived in previously.  This lovely photographed book illustrates that small houses can be easy to take care of, more cost affordable, energy efficient, comfortable and beautiful at the same time.

Congratulations to Ms. Koones on a well written book reminding us that big is not necessarily better.

Downsize: Living Large in a Small House

By Sheri Koones

Buy on Amazon

Guest Post - Home Redecorating Tips & Advice for Empty Nesters

Your kids have spread their wings and flown, leaving you with an empty nest and plenty of mixed emotions. While you are probably happy to see your teens embarking on their own lives, seeing their empty bedrooms on a daily basis can leave you feeling quite lonely.

Look on the bright side, though. With your kids out of the house, you finally have the extra space for that study, home office, craft room, or guest bedroom you’ve been longing for. Transforming a no-longer-used childhood bedroom into a brand-new space makes it much easier to process your emotions and enjoy being an empty nester. Here are a helpful home redecorating tips and some advice on how to transform the spaces in your once-bustling home.

Reorganize

If your kids left their rooms behind as shrines to their teenage years, you will need to do a lot of organizing before you can transform the space. It may be too soon to pack up all of your kids’ belongings and donate them to charity if they have only recently left for college and still plan on coming home on vacations for school. In this case, your best bet is to reorganize their stuff to make room for yourself.

Tuck personal effects in baskets or boxes and store them in closets or dresser drawers for easy access. Consider installing a large shelving unit that can be used to display some of your child’s favorite possessions. This will allow you to maintain the personality of the room while giving yourself a bit more space.

When the kids are finished with college or have already moved into their own homes, feel free to pack up the things they left behind and either put them in storage, donate them, or throw them away. Of course, it’s always a good idea to check with your kids before getting rid of things that may still have sentimental value.

Come Up with a New Purpose

How do you want to use the newly available extra space? Would you like to transform your teen’s former room into an elegant guest bedroom? Set up the craft room you’ve always dreamed of having? Put in a home office where you can pursue your own entrepreneurial dreams? Create a home gym? Deciding exactly how you want to use the space is the first step in figuring out exactly what you will need to do to redecorate.

Once you’ve decided on a purpose, consider what furniture you will need. In many spaces, large furniture pieces serve as the main focal point. Selecting furniture like living room sofas, desks, and bedrooms sets early in the redecorating process will help you determine a color scheme. Look for high-quality furniture that you love that will withstand the test of time. With no more kids running around destroying everything, now is the time to invest in that classic leather recliner or sofa you’ve always dreamed of having!

Upgrade the Lighting

Changing the lighting in a room can change the entire feel of a space. If your son had a sports-themed ceiling fan or your daughter had a Hello Kitty bedside lamp, replace them with more elegant, mature fixtures. You may also want to upgrade basic fixtures and ceiling fans to more elegant styles that are better suited to your personal taste.

Add a nice floor lamp or some wall sconces. If you plan on spending a lot of time in the room, think about investing in a lamp that mimics natural sunlight to create a comfortable, inviting space. Choose lights that are appropriate for the type of room you are trying to create. A chandelier may be an amazing touch if you are converting a room into an elegant walk-in closet, but it may look out of place if you are converting the room into a home gym.

Replace the Flooring

Kids are messy, and there is a good chance that the floors in their old bedrooms aren’t in the greatest shape. Whether it’s nail polish in the carpet, water stains on the hardwood, or any other type of problem, a damaged floor can really detract from a space.

If it is in your budget, replacing damaged flooring gives any room an instant facelift. Even if the carpet is in good condition, getting rid of the baby pink and replacing it with carpet in a more grown-up color or hardwood will help you make the space your own. If completely redoing your floor doesn’t quite fit into your budget, pick up a nice rug to hide the damage. Also, arrange your furniture strategically to keep spots and stains out of sight.

Conclusion

For parents, living in an empty nest brings a lot of mixed emotions. While they are happy to see their kids starting at college, beginning their careers, and exploring the world on their own for the first time, the sudden emptiness in the home can bring sadness. By redecorating your kids’ old bedrooms, though, you can eliminate the depression that can come from staring at a shrine to their teenage years day after day. Redecorating also allows you to reclaim the space and transform it into something you will enjoy.

Your kids’ old bedrooms aren’t the only places you can redecorate. With the kids out of the house, you are now free to purchase higher-end furniture pieces and décor without fear of it being ruined by careless children or teens. You can decorate with your own style preferences in mind to create a beautiful home that feels less like an empty nest.

About the author: Jeff King serves as Vice President of Club Furniture (One Source Plus, Inc.). Jeff oversees all marketing related functions from the Charlotte, NC headquarters. When not busy playing bass guitar... Jeff enjoys reading, playing tennis, and spending time with his wife and two children.

Guest Post - Senior’s Guide to Decluttering

Whether your loved one is planning to downsize or simply declutter, tossing personal belongings can be challenging. There are all kinds of benefits to downsizing in your golden years — lower energy bills, a smaller space to clean and maintain, and the potential of moving closer to family. However, many seniors struggle to let go of the memories that have accumulated over the years. You can help your senior loved one transition smoothly by planning in advance, staying organized, and honoring their feelings throughout the process.

Step 1: Establish a Plan

Planning is the key to a trouble-free decluttering experience. If you’re moving to a new location, use a calendar to set dates for all moving-related activities. Have dates set for packing, garage or estate sales, charity and trash pickups, and moving itself. Setting reasonable limits on the timeline will also help lower the stress of the overall process.

Sharing the calendar which each person involved with the reorganization process will also help establish expectations. The stress of heavy lifting and consolidating items can create tension between loved ones – the more open communication the better.

Step 2: Sort Through the Smaller Items

Sifting through smaller items, even those as light as paper, will take a huge weight off your shoulders. Try to schedule one specific day to sort through any old files or lose papers on your countertops. Make sure to keep important documents in a separate pile to avoid accidentally tossing one. Be particularly careful to save the following items:

Birth certificates

Deeds

Diplomas and degrees

Financial documents

Medical records

Military records

Passports

Powers of attorney

Wills

Step 3: Find Homes for Larger Items

Your loved one may want to save more items than necessary, but they may not have the square footage to accommodate everything collected over the years. Larger items such as furniture and artwork can be more difficult to part with but will ultimately create a less cluttered space.

Once your loved one chooses a few larger items to let go of, there are a few different options for disposal. Depending on the value and significance or the item, the following options may be suitable for getting rid your items:

Storage - This may be the easiest option for your loved one, psychologically speaking, because they won’t have to part with their things entirely. The downside is storage fees can become expensive in the long run.

Donate - Your local Salvation Army or charity organization will be happy to accept gently used clothes and home goods, and many even offer curbside pickup.

Pass it down - Most seniors have a ton of treasures - jewelry, china, antiques, art, cooking supplies, heirlooms - they intend to pass on to their adult children eventually. If your loved one is willing to part with these items sooner, let them know that they will be treasured as part of the family legacy.

Sell - A garage or estate sale is a great way to part with unwanted items and make some extra cash. If you’re not sure how much some items are worth, talk to an antique dealer.

Step 4: Label and Consolidate Remaining Items

Now that the home is freshly decluttered, organizing the remaining items will maintain the tidiness over time. As your senior loved one’s memory weakens, having labels on smaller items will help when searching for particular belongings. Here are a few suggested items to label and store in one location:

Medicine and pill bottles

Pantry items

Incoming mail

Toiletries

Medical equipment

Household supplies

If the decluttering was in preparation of a move, other maintenance tasks may also attract additional buyers. Adding a fresh coat of paint, cleaning services, and professional staging to your newly organized home will also help it stand out against competition.

Remember that, ultimately, it is your loved one’s decision whether or not to part with items. If you’re too close to the situation and your help becomes overbearing, consider hiring an impartial third party who’s used to helping people let go. Professional organizers and movers in the Connecticut area can also remove the stress while handling your items with care.

Author Bio: Angie Bersin is part of the Redfin content marketing team and enjoys writing about home decor and real estate trends. As a long-term Seattleite, Angie enjoys traveling the globe to find content inspiration. Her dream home would be an urban loft filled with natural light, high ceilings, and an open floor plan.

Interview - MaxSold

Over the years we have helped many people downsize or move and they often ask about estate sales. Yard, garage and estate sales can be tricky and sometimes not worth it. However, there are still many options available for those with items to sell. We spoke with TJ of MaxSold about the resources they offer.

For the busy person, what is MaxSold? 

We are an online auction company that specialize in estate and downsizing sales. Think Craigslist meets eBay.

How does the process work if someone wants to sell with you?

Once you decide to hire us, everything goes like clockwork - we just need access to your place twice and our whole process takes only 2 weeks to complete:

• Cataloging: An entire day for us to photograph, describe and measure any and all items you might have to sell.
• Auction: We host the auction catalog online for 7 to 10 days and at the end the winning bidders pay for their items.
• Pick-Up Event: Two to four hours supervision of the removal of items – this typically happens two days after we close the week long online auction.

How does someone know if their items are worth it?

We do not complete appraisals as this is a pure auction-based system. We get fair market value for the items as we drive a bidding environment.

What geographic locations do you cover?

We are in 19 states and two provinces in Canada

(WA, CA, AZ, CO, TX, GA, FL, OH, VA, DC, MD, DE, NJ, PA, CT, MA, NY, RI and NH)

We are in British Columbia and Ontario in Canada

Can you share some of the interesting or cool things you have sold?

• Old Admiralty Longshank Anchor

Measuring 10 ft. Span. 10 ft. long, and weighing in at over 3000 pounds, this anchor required an industrial strength crane for removal.

• Large Chicken Plucker

Found in an unused barn that was part of an estate sale in Maryland, this rusted chicken plucker was truly a unique find.

• 6'5" The Predator Statue Made of Car Parts

Sold as part of a Business Downsizing auction in Kingston, Ontario, this hand-made statue was a truly one-of-a-kind piece. Selling for more than $1800, this is definitely the weirdest things we've sold yet!

• Chuckie's Dad Figurine
• Surrey with Fringe

You can be the cream of 19th Century Society with the Surrey, sold as part of a MaxSold Estate Sale. Note: Horses Not Included.

• CPR Dummies

People definitely collect weird things over the years. But who collects FOUR CPR dummies? Like one, ok fine we can get our heads around, but FOUR? Perhaps a paramedic or a CPR instructor? 

• Antique Coffin

We've sold several coffins at MaxSold, but this one is definitely the creepiest! It kinda looks like there's someone inside it still...