Category: baby boomers

The House Weight Loss Plan and Declutter to Downsize

The biggest difference between the House Weight Loss Plan and Declutter to Downsize is the price. The House Weight Loss Plan is free and the Declutter to Downsize Challenge is not.

Other than that…here are the differences…

About The House Weight Loss Plan:

  • Yes, it’s 100% free. If you ever want to upgrade and join the Declutter to Downsize Challenge, just let me know.
  • It’s a community of other baby boomers on the group Facebook page: (www.facebook.com/groups/downsizingbabyboomers/)  
  • Every Monday I will post the focus for the week – there is no specific daily task assigned
  • You’ll be eliminating things in your house that you no longer want and need and it will make you feel good about yourself
  • This version is not goal-related – so it’s for baby boomers that just want to eliminate some stuff               
  • There is no commitment and you will be happy to get out of it whatever you put into it
  • You can post your thoughts, feelings, funny stories, and challenges on the community page

For more information about the House Weight Loss Plan, click here.       

About The Declutter to Downsize Challenge 2021:

  • It’s $197 for the year – that’s 12 months of guided decluttering to be able to downsize – which breaks down to $16.42 a month or $4.10 a week. I promise that will come back to you over the course of the year.
  • There is a Private Group Facebook page for others going through the Challenge along with you
  • It’s a monthly focus with a calendar of daily tasks assigned – so you don’t have to think about what you’re going to do today, you just have to do the work
  • This is for baby boomers who have specific goals – you are on a mission to get through your things by the end of 2021 so you’ll be ready to move in 2022 or when the time comes
  • You are 100% committed to getting the results you want by the end of 2021 no matter what it takes
  • By the end of 2021, you should have touched everything in your house. This will be an added relief for those of you who are ready to live your next chapter somewhere other than where you are currently living.

Here’s what you’ll get when you join. You will:

  • Receive your Welcome Packet that you will complete before starting the challenge
  • Get to identify your decluttering personality – yes you have one!!!
  • Discover the best way to plan your own journey based on your house and your possessions
  • Learn that decision making will come easier as you progress through the program
  • Be able to estimate how long each room should take you to get through
  • Master the fastest and best method to declutter any room systematically
  • Know exactly what to do when you feel overwhelmed and get stuck
  • Find out the 3 major things you should never do when decluttering your life
  • Discover how to use your decluttering time to get the fastest results
  • Figure out how to get through this if more than one of you in the house are participating
  • Understand why it’s so hard to part with your sentimental personal possessions and what to do about it
  • Much, much more!

In addition, each month, you’ll receive: (prior to the 1st of the month)

  • Your monthly calendar with your daily to-dos and task sheet
  • Monthly message from Melinda – best practices and how to address this month’s challenge

For more information about the Declutter to Downsize Challenge 2021 or to sign up, click here.

The Real Difference Between the House Weight Loss Plan and Declutter to Downsize

There’s one thing for sure. If you’re a baby boomer and not living in a house where you can stay forever, you will probably have a move in your future. It’s up to you if you’ll be ready to make that move. If you don’t feel like doing the work now, you’re certainly not going to feel like it a year from now.

So, the real difference between the House Weight Loss Plan and Declutter to Downsize is with Declutter to Downsize, you will get it done if you do the work. I give you the plan and if you are committed, you’ll be through your house by the end of 2021.

Who’s Going to Do This if You Don’t?

Furthermore, if you don’t do this and you have to move for some sudden reason, who will help you? Do they know that? And will you be ok with someone else making decisions for you?

For those very reasons I made the decision to move while I still could. I wanted to get settled in, on my terms. Knowing what I wanted to keep was important to me. I had life-changing decisions to make. Plus I never, ever want to be a burden on my kids.

In addition, your life is your responsibility. Don’t expect someone else to bail you out. Do this because you want to. Don’t leave this for your kids or your loved ones.

Lesson Learned

Years ago, I remember when I was freaking out the night before my move. I told my son that I couldn’t do it. He looked at me and said, “If you don’t do this, who’s going to?” He was on crutches from a motorcycle accident earlier that day and my mom was living in my family room and using a walker.

At that moment, I knew I had to get my sh** together. He was right. The movers were coming at 8 a.m. and I was nowhere close to being ready. After all, I’d spent a good portion of the day before my move at the emergency room and then there was my mom. But you put on your big girl panties and do what you have to do.

Solving Problems for People’s Needs

Over the years, I’ve solved problems for many people based on what they told me they wanted and needed. As a result, I’ve created businesses and systems to meet their wants and needs. From My 5 Year Plan to the Model Home Look, they all came about because of people’s needs.

Needless to say, everything I teach people about the Declutter to Downsize system, I have gone through myself. What I’ve found in 34 years of selling real estate and 15 years of working with home staging and downsizing clients, the people who are motivated and on a mission, want me to tell them exactly what to do. They say things like…

“Just give me a list of what to do and I’ll get it done.”

Back in 2008, I created my Move Management System based on the fact that people wanted a list. That system begins with an in-home consultation that starts at $195 and goes to $595 depending on the degree of accountability you want and need. People pay it all day long to have an exact plan to get from where they are to where they want to be.

By taking all of my systems and personal experiences and creating an online version for people, the Declutter to Downsize System, will eventually be able to help more baby boomers. Everybody wants the magic pill or the system to get through their stuff faster, more efficiently and with less stress than they can do on their own. Believe me, it’s never a fun process and the faster you can get through it, the happier you will be.

Still to Come in 2021

Consequently, we are currently working on a DIY Declutter to Downsize Workbook, a 90 day Boot Camp, a 180 day Intensive and much more. We are here to serve the baby boomers that want and need to move because they have dreams to fulfill, they want to embrace new adventures and create long lasting memories. Or maybe they just want to settle in to their forever home like I did and be free to live life large while they still can!

No matter where you’re at in your journey, both the House Weight Loss Plan and Declutter to Downsize will start the journey. Just do something!

Join the free group Facebook community at www.facebook.com/groups/downsizingbabyboomers/ or sign up for the Declutter to Downsizing Challenge 2021 here.

For more information, call or text Melinda at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here.

The House Weight Loss Plan

The Baby Boomers Guide to the House Weight Loss Plan

The House Weight Loss Plan is for you if you are a baby boomer and your house needs to lose some weight. Especially after Covid, you probably aren’t entertaining like you were or you are doing it on a more limited basis.

First of all, you may not be going out as much as you were and probably need fewer clothes. In addition, you have multiples of things you’ll never ever use again. Wouldn’t it be great to start preparing for your next move and your 3rd chapter in life?

I’ve been on a mission for the last 12 years to help baby boomers downsize their homes. But it wasn’t until October 2020 that I decided to take it online versus only offering in person consultations. I am in the process of turning my entire, Move Management System, from my real estate business into an online version that will serve all baby boomers – no matter where they are in their journey to declutter their lives to downsize their homes.

The House Weight Loss Plan                                                                                     

This is an easy house weight loss plan to eliminate some extra pounds from your home. It follows the master plan of the Declutter to Downsize Challenge but without the specific daily things to do or accountability. You will be your own project manager.

After receiving the task each week, you can choose to do it or not. After all, you’re not making a commitment so some weeks you’ll participate, other weeks you won’t. But be sure to check in every Monday with the Facebook Group to see if the task is something you want to do.

  • It’s a FREE community for baby boomers – specifically a group Facebook page – you can sign up here: (www.facebook.com/groups/downsizingbabyboomers/)
  • Just getting started eliminating your things will make you feel really great!
  • This version is not goal-related – so there’s no pressure. You just want to eliminate some of the stuff you have.  
  • Since there is no commitment, you will be happy to get out of it whatever you put into it
  • The weekly to-dos will be posted every Monday on the Facebook group page
  • You’ll be able to share your challenges and funny stories with the community!
  • Or you can just check in to see what other people are going through
  • This is an awesome place to start your journey

Decluttering Your Life

Decluttering your life to downsize your home can be an overwhelming task for most people. Can you do this on your own? Absolutely! But just like anything that’s hard to do, most people get overwhelmed with the mere thought of it. It’s like going on a diet – easy to start and hard to stick with. It’s nothing the average person wants to tackle every day and yet most people need to if they have plans on moving.

Take a quick walk through your house and ask yourself:

  • Does your house need to lose some weight?
  • If something happened tomorrow and you had to move, what would you do? No burn the house down answers here.
  • Will you do the work?
  • Are you physically capable of doing what it’s going to take?
  • Are you committed to living a simpler life?

It’s Totally Up to You – But For Goodness Sake, Please Do Something!

I don’t know about you but I had to help both of my parents move from where they were when they couldn’t live on their own anymore. It usually comes with an emergency situation. As baby boomers, we only have a few good years left. Sadly, that’s the truth. I’m one of the optimistic baby boomers that believes I’ll live forever. And I may. But I did the hard work, while I still could, on my own. Now, I am living large in my 800 square foot forever home – forever until the day they take me away.

Above all else, decluttering your life doesn’t mean becoming a minimalist. It means weeding out the things you no longer want or need. I have a house full of my favorite things surrounding me. But my kids know where the important documents are, what I want to take with me should I have to live in an even smaller space and the rest is fluff. Therefore, they won’t need to spend any time looking through things. It’s all right there ready for them to grab and go.

That’s what I want for you. To get rid of everything that you no longer want, need or love. When it’s all fluff, it’s much easier on those you love. The House Weight Loss Plan can help you get started.

It’s your life and your stuff. Do something in 2021 to make it easier on yourself, your loved ones and to simplify your life as you live the best years you still have ahead of you.

Want to Know More?

For more information about Declutter to Downsize, check it out here.

If you have any questions, please reach out at info@downsizingbabyboomers.com or text Melinda at (913) 515-3250 to set up a FREE 15 minute phone conversation. I love helping other baby boomers live large in a small space!

Is Downsizing Your Home Right for You?

5 Questions to Ask Yourself…is downsizing your home right for you? Will you be ready when it’s time to move?

If you are anything like many of my baby boomer clients, you may be ready to kick 2020 to the curb. Ready to start off 2021 living life your way? Between Covid, the recent election, and everything else going on, many baby boomers have decided to quit living on everyone else’s terms and take their future into their own hands. After all, it is your life. To continue to live your last few good years on someone else’s terms, is definitely not the baby boomer way.

If you are having thoughts of downsizing your home and moving on with your life while you still can, here are 5 questions you should ask yourself first:

Where are you living now?

Are you living in a home that will serve you as you grow older?

Are you still in your big family home where you raised your kids or have lots of stairs that won’t remain your friend as you age? This just might be the time for you to move on. After all, the benefits of living in a home that better suits your current lifestyle is good for you. It’s great for your health, your soul and might make smart financial sense as well.

If you have a home to sell, learn the 3 easy steps to selling your home here.

Where would you move?

Many of you may already have an answer to this question. If you were Samantha from Bewitched and you could wiggle your nose and be out of here by the end of the day, where do you see yourself?

You might choose to:

  • Move to an apartment
  • Find a smaller house to buy (like I did)
  • Relocate to a warmer climate and be sipping a fun drink on the beach
  • Be closer to your grandkids or other family members
  • Move to a 55+ community of other people much like you

What’s your BIG WHY for downsizing your home?

If you don’t have a BIG WHY, you probably won’t downsize your home. After all, you must have a reason why you would uproot yourself from your comfy home.

And your BIG WHY might change. I’ve downsized twice and have had different reasons each time.

What was my 1st BIG WHY? I was living alone in a 13 room 3,500 square foot house that I no longer loved and had more stuff that I no longer wanted or cared about. Every month I was spending money on expensive maintenance and high utility bills when I lived in 4 rooms of the house. I finally woke up one morning and said, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore! I’m tired of babysitting my stuff and this house!”

When I downsized the second time, I went from an apartment back to another house. I knew I wanted to be able to live in my current home, with the things I loved, until I could no longer take care of myself. I bought an 800 square foot house with no basement and in a safe area. The best thing is – I have gone through my stuff. My kids know where my important papers are and they know what to do should something happen to me. There’s nothing not to talk about. No one lives forever.

That’s my BIG WHY now. I don’t want to be a burden on either of my children. They can take what they want of my possessions, have an estate sale, and sell the house, if that’s what they choose. I have sorted through my lifetime of possessions. There is no hidden money anywhere. They know exactly what to keep and what to get rid of. That in itself, makes me happy!

If you don’t start eliminating now, when will you start downsizing your home?

Nobody wants to move. And especially downsize. It’s one of the top 5 most stressful experiences you’ll encounter in your lifetime. You may not feel like it now because it’s never easy. But waiting another 3-5 years to start going through your stuff? Are you going to have more energy, or be in better physical condition then? Why not do it while you still can so you can live the 3rd act of your life on your terms, not someone else’s. If you end up having to call in your family members or your kids to help you sort through your stuff, they will have your lifetime of stuff in the dumpster asap. They don’t want your stuff and will never forget that you left everything for them to do.

The best gift you can ever give your kids is to downsize yourself. It’s your responsibility because it’s your stuff. It should be part of your life plan.

Live your life while you still can

Then when it’s time, you should move to a place for suitable for your lifestyle. Live your next few good years outrageously doing everything you haven’t yet done. Quit babysitting your stuff and live your life. Be free!

I can’t tell you how many of my real estate clients are currently on my 5 Year Plan to downsize their home. One lady recently told me she wished she had done it sooner. She felt like she lost 5 good years of her life dealing with her stuff in a home that was way too big for her. She would have rather been living her life.

Maybe you’re just ready to simplify your life…

There’s alot to be said about preparing for your next chapter in life. What it comes down to is – do you want to call the shots or let someone else decide where you will move to and what you will take with you.

Personally, I wanted to call my own shots so I downsized to an 800 square foot home where I can live until I can no longer care for myself. Living large in a small space gives me the freedom I want, the flexibility to live my life the way I want and hopefully will buy me some years by not being stressed out in a too big of house full of stuff I didn’t care about anymore. Less is more when you are a baby boomer. But to be surrounded with only the things you love will also prolong your life. How many good years do you have left?

After helping hundreds of baby boomers over the years with downsizing their homes, I created an online Declutter to Downsize Challenge 2021.

Why do you need help downsizing?

Maybe you don’t need help. After all, anybody can do anything they set their mind to. You can do anything on your own. The biggest problem with decluttering your life and downsizing your home is it is typically so overwhelming, people never get it done. They jump right in but since there is no system, they get so frustrated, and they give up.

Declutter to Downsize Challenge

The Declutter to Downsize Challenge 2021 is an online 12 month transformational journey that will take you step by step, each and every day so you wake up every morning knowing the challenge for that day.

You’ll learn to get good working through the struggle of knowing what to keep and what to get rid of when decluttering your life and downsizing your home. 

You’ll learn the proven strategies and systems that I’ve used for years with all of my baby boomer real estate and home staging clients. You will not only get started, you’ll stay on track and get through your stuff – once and for all – even if you’ve tried and failed before. You’ll learn why you struggle and will master the secrets of learning to make quick decisions even if you haven’t been able to do that in the past.

And you’ll do it faster, more efficiently, and with less stress, emotion and drama when you’re held accountable and have a community of others who have your back.

If you see yourself living a different life than you’re currently living, I can help. I did it and you can too!

You can check out the Challenge here.

In conclusion

I hope you consider joining us on this journey. In the mean time…be dreaming about, envisioning and working on what you would do with your life if you were free of your stuff, living where you wanted, how you wanted and with only the things that you love.

Many people have had questions. Feel free to call me at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here.

3 Easy Steps to Downsizing Your Home

I really wish baby boomers understood that the 3 easy steps to downsizing your home aren’t as simple as putting the sign in the yard, the lockbox on the front door, and the photos on the internet.

The real work comes long before the selling part has anything to do with it. As the owner of Overland Park Home Staging since 2006, we get lots of calls from people who want to stage their house.

Trouble is, the home staging comes in the second step. They have to do Step 1. Why is home downsizing so difficult?

Did you know that 1 in every 11 Americans rent off-site storage and spend at least $1,000 a year to keep stuff they don’t even know what it is? Selling your home has become difficult because people just keep buying more stuff without eliminating the old.

The 3 Easy Steps to Downsizing Your Home

 There are actually 3 steps to downsizing your home. Even if you’re not thinking of selling anytime soon, it’s important to get the first two steps of selling complete while you still feel like it. After all, you probably aren’t going to feel younger, be more adept, in better health or have more energy as time goes on.

Step 1 – Declutter Your Life to Downsize Your Home

The first stage is knowing where you will be moving. You may not have thought much about it yet. If you are still living in the big family home, it’s probably time to get settled into a home that will serve you well as you age.

You may not know exactly where you will move but you should have an idea of the amount of space you’ll have in your new place. For example, if you are moving to a 2 bedroom apartment, you probably will only need one couch…not the three you have in your current home.

Knowing your space will then help you eliminate things you currently own. This will help you Declutter Your Life to Downsize Your Home. Once you decide what you’ll take with you, what will you do with the things you aren’t taking? Will you give them to friends or family members, donate to a non-profit that helps the less fortunate or will you have an estate sale?

Step 2 – Preparing Your Home for Sale

The second step of downsizing your home is preparing it for the market. The days of putting the sign in the yard without any preparation are over. Today’s buyers want turn-key ready and are willing to fight over the right house with the Model Home Look. So, prior to selling you need to spruce things up and it will pay you big rewards if you do.

The average seller needs to do a little painting, fixing, updating the things you’ve been putting off all these years. But now is the time to make those repairs – especially if you want top dollar for your home. Talk to a real estate professional (like me) who is experienced and specializes in working with downsizing baby boomers and has a sense of style and knows what’s trending in today’s homes. A little bit of an upfront investment will be worth the time and effort.

Choose your agent carefully and create a list of updates that won’t cost you an arm and leg but will be a great return on investment when it’s time to sell. Go ahead and get those things done now so you’ll be ready when the time comes. Your real estate professional may have a list of vendors that can help get the various jobs done.

Step 3 – Selling Your Home

And finally, the third step of downsizing your home is actually selling your home. This will entail a thorough cleaning, home staging, photo shoot, showing your house, receiving the contracts, negotiating the multiple offers, getting through inspections and the appraisal and firming up where you are moving. The move out is the last part of selling your home.

Be sure you understand the difference between a Home Staging Consultation and an actual hands-on Home Staging. The Home Staging Consultation will be a walkthrough of your house and the stager will provide you with a list of things for you to do to the house before it comes on the market…paint the kitchen, change out the dining room fixture, move that chair out of the living room, etc.

The hands-on Home Staging is where the stager actually does the work and sets your home up with The Model Home Look using your own furniture and accessories so it looks fabulous for its Professional Photo Shoot. You will be surprised with the difference it makes when your home looks like a Model Home.

Home Staging is proven to sell homes faster, with multiple offers and for thousands of dollars over asking price. You do want the most money, don’t you?

When You Wait too Long

What I encounter over and over is that people wait too long to start the process of eliminating their things. After all, why do it before you have to? Most people tend to avoid it because it’s sooo much WORK!

And are you also avoiding making the updates and repairs until you are ready to sell? Why not make some updates now so you’ll reap the benefits of enjoying what you’ve done? It’s like putting new tires on your car to be able to sell it. Why did you wait so long?

Have you even thought about what’s next as a baby boomer? Do you want to live a great 3rd act or will you just sit and dwindle away? Either way is ok. But let me ask you…what would you do and where would you go if you could leave today?

You’ve got to be honest with yourself and plan your future now. Your next move to your 3rd act in life is probably going to be the biggest and hardest yet. And you may not feel like doing it. That doesn’t give you the excuse not to. But when you know you will move at some later date and you do nothing to prepare, it’s typically too late. Then what? Who is going to come to your rescue? Do they know you are expecting them to bail you out?

What’s Your End Result?

Until you’ve gone through the declutter to downsize experience, you won’t know how it really feels.

Just ask anyone who has already done it. They will tell you that you will:

  • Feel freedom you never knew was possible
  • Be ready for retirement when it’s time
  • Live the easy life in a home that really serves you and soothes your soul
  • Relax and do what you want, when you want
  • Have more time to travel
  • Deserve doing what you want
  • Live large in a smaller space
  • Know you’ve earned it
  • Have time to work on your legacy
  • Live an outrageous 3rd act

The day I woke up and said, I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore was the day my life changed. Remember the movie, Network from 1976? I didn’t open the window and yell it to my neighbors but I certainly felt much like it! What I finally realized was there was much more to life than living in a home that no longer served me and was holding me captive.

If you are a baby boomer and still haven’t started your journey, what are you waiting for?

Are You Ready to Downsize Your Home?

I have a couple of options for you…

  1. You can join my Facebook group page for downsizing baby boomers and get started for fun or
  2. If you’ve decided to make the commitment to declutter your life to downsize your home, the Declutter to Downsize Challenge 2021 may be right for you. It’s a 12 month, day-to-day system and commitment from you to eliminate the things you no longer want or need. Check it out here.

Whatever you decide, your future is waiting for you. As a baby boomer, you’ve got a few great years left. Live life to the fullest and simplify your life rather than living in a home that no longer serves you and babysitting things you no longer want or need.

For more information about selling, buying, staging, or downsizing your home in Overland Park, call or text (913) 515-3250 or contact me here.

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