Decluttering can be a difficult task for people of any age group. But for seniors, it comes with a whole lot of challenges that take efforts to overcome. But regardless of how difficult it is to declutter as a senior, you must remember that getting rid of irrelevant stuff is extremely necessary at your age. Less stuff needs less management and brings in more safety. Also, you don’t want to have to deal with anything that isn’t adding value to your life.
If you’re someone who is looking to declutter for a senior member of your family, make sure to let them know about the benefits of downsizing their space. Tell them that decluttering means their home will require less cleaning and there will be more space to move around without hitting their toes to excess furniture or random boxes of clutter.
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If you are a senior looking to declutter or someone wanting to help a senior declutter, remember that you might come across a lot of stuff that has been accumulated over a period of 70 to 80 years which will require some thinking and efforts to discard. There’s an element of emotion involved in decluttering for seniors, so be a little mindful in how you get rid of the stuff.
If the idea of decluttering makes you feel overwhelmed, I’ve come up with a few very powerful tips to help make it easier for you:
1. Know Your Decluttering Goals
As an elderly person, it’s important that you remember why you are decluttering. Maybe you want to make it safe for yourself to move around without the fear of hitting random objects, or maybe you just want to have less stuff to clean and organize. Whatever your goal is, make your that you direct all your decluttering efforts towards achieving that goal.
2. Get Rid Of Hazardous Items
Prioritize your safety above everything else by getting rid of anything that’s hazardous to your home or yourself. Get rid of torn or threadbare carpets that you can trip onto or broken furniture that is dangerous to sit on. Take down the décor that is hanging loosely and can fall off any minute or the old appliances that can be a fire hazard. Look through your medicine cabinet and trash the medicines or syrup bottles that are past their expiry date. This will eliminate the risk of accidental consumption of medicines that can be bad for your health.
3. Start With Smaller Spaces
Don’t try to declutter too much at once or you’ll start feeling overwhelmed. Try focusing on one small area of your house first – maybe a nightstand drawer or the clothing cabinet or just the linen closet. It’s only after successfully tackling with this particular space that you should move on to the next one.
4. Don’t Try To Rush Through It
It took you a lifetime to accumulate stuff. So don’t push yourself to get rid of it all in just a day. Rushing through the process of decluttering will invite tiredness and overwhelm that will make you want to give up even before you’ve accomplished anything. Take your own sweet time to declutter your house. This can be an hour or just 15 minutes a day. Moving at your own pace feels so much freeing that you’ll be able to tackle a lot of stuff within the limited time frame.
5. Accept Outside Help
Decluttering as a senior can get difficult at times because you have to deal with some heavy lifting and shifting. You will have to move furniture around and clean the uppermost shelves. Call in your kids or grandkids or a friend to give you a hand. Decluttering can be a lot more fun if there is someone around to help you take smart decisions.
6. Allow Yourself To Keep Some Nostalgic Items
As you go through the stuff that has memories attached to it, give yourself grace and know that it’s alright to hold on to some of those sentimental items. You’ll find jewellery and heirlooms that you have inherited from your parents or grandparents, gifts that you received from your most special friends and things that you bought from your hard-earned money.
Remember that it’s never easy to part with stuff that took time and efforts or has happy memories attached to it. But make sure that you set a limit on the number of keepsakes you allow yourself to hang onto. You can also have a dedicated box or a shelf for your keepsakes but make sure you stick to the space available. Sort through your sentimental items and keep only the ones that are truly hard to part with.
7. Don’t Cling On To Stuff For Someone Else
You’ll feel the desire to pass down some family heirlooms to your kids. You will also find a lot of items that you don’t want to part with and hence would want your kids to make them useful. Whatever the case, holding onto stuff for others can make your living space look more cluttered. Instead, tell your kids that you are decluttering your living space and would like them to come by and see if there’s anything they may want to take. If they are willing to take some stuff, tell them to pick it right away. For stuff that they are not too interested to take, create a Donate pile that can later be dropped at a donation centre.
So there you have it! Decluttering for seniors can be exhausting and can leave you feeling nervous, but it’s totally going to be worth it. It’s your time to relax in a home that only has stuff that matters to you. You don’t want to waste your energy looking for things or cleaning and organizing your home. And if you are the slightest bit doubtful that you won’t be able to do it on your own, don’t shy away from seeking professional help.
Are you a senior who has successfully decluttered their home? Share your experience in the comments below or write me at hello@theaestheticabode.com.