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Why is letting go of our stuff so hard? When doing research about downsizing – that is, adults/seniors moving to smaller quarters – the most common articles that came up were actually about how the younger generation, the millennials, are products of their online life, and don’t seem to set much store by owning things. “Your Kids Don’t Want Your Stuff,” the headlines all declared. Today, memories are preserved digitally, and younger people enjoy being more flexible and mobile. As an adult who is currently selling a large house where I have lived for twenty-five years and moving to a much smaller place, it set me thinking about my relationship with and attachment to stuff, and how I will feel without it. And to thinking about my 88 year old father, a “collector” by nature, and what on earth to do with all his stuff. Going about my own downsizing has given me some perspective on how to encourage him to let go of both excess stuff, and of the expectation that anybody else will love our stuff as much as we have. So between me and my dad, here’s what I’ve learned about downsizing:
Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Pittsburgh offers senior counseling, home assessments, care management, home care and more. JF&CS is also a partner in the AgeWell Pittsburgh Collaborative. AgeWell helps locate resources (call the AgeWell Resource Hotline at 412-422-0400), and also sponsors lots of enjoyable activities. Visit the JF&CS website (www.jfcspgh.org) for more information. My own move is different in that I’m excited to be leaving big house maintenance and upkeep behind, and I’m pretty zen about belongings in general, unlike the rest of my family. The article I read about millennials said they prefer having experiences to having stuff. I like that idea for all of us. ![]() |
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