By taking control of the clutter in your home early on, you'll realize many benefits that would otherwise get lost in a closet somewhere in the basement.
Americans love their stuff. We’re great at buying and collecting it, but not so savvy at getting rid of it once it’s not useful anymore. Going through all the accumulated things in your home can be an intimidating endeavor. As you age, the task can become overwhelming as volumes grow, and more challenging if your physical health isn’t what it used to be.
By taking control of the clutter in your home early in your retirement, you’ll realize many benefits that would otherwise get lost in a closet somewhere in the basement. Here are nine benefits of decluttering your home in retirement:
1. Unlock value. Your overstuffed attic may have some items that you thought were worthless when you stored them, but over time may have become collectible. These could be figurines, sports memorabilia, antiques or vintage home décor items. By sorting through all your possessions, you may identify items that can be sold for money. With online auction sites such as eBay and local marketplaces at your fingertips on your smartphone, now may be a good time to sell items to unlock their value. Put the proceeds of the sales into savings or use the money to buy an enjoyable experience. Don’t buy more stuff with it.
(Thinkstock)
3. Enjoy your favorite things more. When you remove the clutter and junk from your home, what’s left is all the items you like best. These are your most useful, valuable and cherished items. With the surrounding stuff gone, you can see and enjoy your favorite things more often without the distraction of clutter.
(Clei, s.r.l./Resource Furniture via AP)
Clei, s.r.l./Resource Furniture via AP
4. Lessen the burden on a surviving spouse. When a partner passes away, the surviving spouse is left to sort through and dispose of all their loved one’s personal items. This is a painful process after a difficult period. Often, the surviving spouse delays or avoids the task and it becomes a lingering burden that can cause anxiety.
Older couples owe it to each other to frequently go through the home and donate unused items. Remove outdated items that are no longer useful or worth donating. This can become a regular activity that partners can do together that might even be fun. As you age, the process of removing clutter will become more difficult due to physical limitations. It’s best to start while you have your health. Addressing the decades of accumulated possessions early on ensures you won’t leave a burden for your partner if you pass earlier than expected.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
5. Reduce the burden on children. Some parents save family heirlooms for decades with the expectation their children will want them for themselves. But younger generations often don’t want any more stuff. In fact, many families are choosing to live in smaller homes, rejecting the excessive accumulation of material objects — even family heirlooms.
When a parent dies, their children are sometimes tasked with clearing out the home before a sale. Not only is this a difficult task for someone still mourning a loved one, but it’s a burden on their busy life raising their own family and maintaining a household.
Sort through and eliminate the bulk of what you’ve accumulated in your home over a lifetime. Use your newfound time in retirement to make this a priority. It’s an often overlooked component of an estate plan. The possessions are yours and should be your responsibility. Don’t assume your kids want your stuff. Ask them what they do want and have a plan to hand down specific heirlooms.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
6. Help others with your donations. Many retirees enjoy volunteering their time to help others when their paid working years are over. By clearing your house of unused items, you can help others by donating items to charity. This is a simple way to both declutter your home and help someone in need. Charities such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army serve as local depositories for your donated items. These organizations process enormous amounts of clothing and usable items. They properly dispose of what is unusable and redistribute the rest to people in need. For items of little personal value, this is the most efficient way to quickly get rid of your excess items. As a bonus, the donations are tax deductible.
(Courtesy Goodwill Manasota)
Courtesy Goodwill Manasota
7. More free time. When a home is full of stuff, more of your time and efforts are required to maintain the living space by cleaning and organizing. Why spend a weekend organizing the basement or dusting trinkets when you can be enjoying the outdoors or socializing with friends? Stuff requires time and effort to maintain it. Eliminate the stuff and you’ll have more free time to enjoy yourself.
(Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
8. Repurpose items. When you make a commitment to declutter your home, you’ll keep, throw away or donate almost all your accumulated possessions. However, a few items might be worthy of repurposing or making use of the item in a different way than intended. For example, old furniture made of high quality wood can be made into something new by a woodworking hobbyist. Or break up old dishes to make an artful mosaic design. As you clean out rooms in your house, look for new uses of items instead of just donating or throwing them away. You’ll lessen landfill waste and perhaps create a new hobby to keep yourself active in retirement.
(AP Photo/Holly Ramer)
AP Photo/Holly Ramer
9. Revive lost memories. We often associate items with happy memories in our lives. It’s the memories that are important, not the things. Going through all the stuff you’ve accumulated throughout the years is a way to revive lost memories. If you pass away before going through your memorabilia, those memories may forever remain in a shoebox. Keep your most cherished items. But it’s OK to throw away memorabilia after one last nostalgic recollection. Once it’s gone, you won’t regret removing the item from your living or storage space. You’ll still carry the memory with you for the rest of your days.
(Thinkstock)
