There are other reasons for downsizing beyond need or necessity. And, it’s still not a walk in the park!
We have ‘stuff’ of both sentimental value, and monetary value. I realized that someone would be wise to tackle it head on rather than leave the job to children who might not have a clue what the valuable things were worth, or find it a burden to have to do it at all.
Most painful was getting insurance coverage to be able to get estimates from prospective buyers, only to learn that the really good stuff was worth very little on the market. I did not like owning one valuable diamond ring (my Mother’s) that was indivisible: two daughters, five grandchildren; this did not feel right no matter what we decided. Well, it turned out one daughter wanted it very badly for both sentimental reasons, and the desire to see to it that her children would have it (kept in the family!), so that proved to be the best choice. I’m making it up to the other daughter in other ways to compensate for the great disparity in economic value.The most pleasant decision re ‘money stuff’ had to do with the necessity to rewrite our wills. (Pathetic aside here: I was reading mine, line for line, and discovered that I had appointed myself my own Executor!!) Vetting new lawyers was no fun, but one decision I made was a pleasure. I decided to give, in different forms, the money that I might have left to each grandchild to them directly during my lifetime instead.
We have two older grandhildren who are both working. I asked them how they felt about my setting up Roth IRA’s for them: $5,000 in 2010, and $5,000 in 2011. A tad complicated, but perfectly legal, and they were thrilled. I was even more tickled. I recommend this to anyone who has the ability to do so: the bequest/gift that keeps on giving.
The forgoing unloading of stuff was so exhausting that I quit, leaving the disposition of the generations of china/silver/chatchkes to others. Not my problem…
Has anyone really enjoyed this type of thing? I did enjoy the Roth IRA gambit. [Please leave a comment here.]
ElderChicks 
Your “giving” to the grandchildren is brilliant….wonderful idea!
Thanks, Carol, for your sensible thoughts. You have inspired me to ask my kids which of our stuff they want to put dibs on. Now I have to tackle that chore and actually ASK!
I agree with giving now what can be given now. It is important, however, to remain personally solvent, if only to relieve the children of having to help later on.
When I came to this realization, I was amazed at how right it felt. My children know me well enough to assume that I do only what I can afford to do (which is different for each of us, both what we actually have and what we mean by ‘afford’!) That makes it comfortable for them to accept what I may offer. Best of all, it gives me the pleasure of seeing the possibilities it allows them.
What used to be important to own has no such meaning now. Sharing and giving is one of the satisfactions in aging. And it helps me accept the aging process in myself as it moves along.