Home downsizing

Moving into smaller living spaces often means giving up some possessions.
By MARY ELLEN PELLEGRINI
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
When cutting grass, removing snow and carrying laundry up stairs became difficult, Ray and June Brownlie traded life in a 4-bedroom home for a maintenance-free condo and eventually a spacious one-floor apartment at the Park Vista retirement community in Youngstown.
Fletcher Jones III moved from a 3-bedroom bilevel into a comfortable one-bedroom apartment at Shepherd of the Valley's assisted living facility in Niles because he needed help managing his diabetes.
Health concerns, the loss of a spouse or a desire to forgo household maintenance prompt many homeowners to choose smaller quarters and in the process scale down years of acquired possessions.
Planning, appraisal
Downsizing is an emotional task, one that requires careful planning, an honest appraisal of one's needs and creative storage selections.
Helen Locke, a resident of Lake Vista's Park Place apartments in Cortland, planned her move two years in advance, as did Betty Allen, a resident of Shepherd of the Valley's independent living community. "I thought about it for a long time, but once I decided, I moved quickly," said Allen. While contemplating a change, Brownlie said, "Don't buy anything big."
Allen owns 50 nativity sets, which she always displayed at Christmastime. She passed china and holiday decorations to family members but held onto her prized nativity collection. "If it's a possession you really care about it can go with you," Allen said.
Tool collection
John and Geraldine Stephens, also members of Shepherd of the Valley's independent community, lived on a farm for 45 years before their move. "I had a collection of tools you wouldn't believe," said Stephens. The couple took a pragmatic approach to downsizing, which included a weeklong garage sale. "You have to decide what isn't important and let go of those things," he said.
Giving away his golf clubs and a wooden trunk used to ship clothes home from his tour of duty in Vietnam proved heart-wrenching for Jones. "It's not an easy thing to do, but I feel my health is far more important than any belongings. I absolutely feel better now that I'm here," said Jones.
Alvin Beynon, president and CEO of Valley Counseling in Warren, said it's important to acknowledge the grief involved in letting go of possessions. "We have to respect, understand and appreciate the difficulty and work through the process. You have to allow yourself time to grieve over the loss and then move on," he explained.
Make donations
Donating usable goods can ease the sense of loss according to Gretchen Schroeder, a professional organizer and owner of Agenda Design in Youngstown. Jones donated usable clothing to the Salvation Army. The Brownlies passed household goods to friends and neighbors. "Everything we gave away was a good feeling," said Mrs. Brownlie.
Before discarding any item, know how much space you will have in your new home, advised Marilyn Wagmiller, agent with Burgan Real Estate in Boardman.
Park Vista supplied the Brownlies with a floor plan. Mrs. Brownlie inserted room measurements, then measured the couple's furniture. This helped them decide what would fit and where the movers would place furniture. The Brownlies and Locke both carried boxes of undecided items to their new homes. "I'm still thinking about what to get rid of," Locke said.
If getting rid of appliances is a problem, Wagmiller recommends leaving them in the home. "Including appliances and window treatments in the sale of the home is valuable to the family moving in who may have most of their money tied up in the home," said Wagmiller.
Storage creativity
As for the items that stay, Schroeder believes you can find resourceful methods of storage. The Brownlies use wall units from their sons' bedrooms to hold books and art supplies. Locke uses an antique wash stand as a TV table. And Stephens built bookcases to stow books retained from his vast collection.
Now that she's moved, Allen said, "when I go to Florida I don't have to worry about pipes breaking." Brownlie added, "You have to have the right attitude [about moving]. You can't do anything about it, so you have to accept it and enjoy it."