Downsizing Tips for Empty Nesters
I am an empty nester. Raising kids, doing loads of laundry, driving to band practice, and helping with homework felt like it would go on forever. But it did not. Eventually our kids went to college, moved out, started lives of their own, and now have families of their own. It is just my husband, our cat, and me. We have come full circle. The only difference is that our cat in those early years was a sweet Golden Retriever named Carly.
After our last child’s “I do,” our needs shifted. It was time to think seriously about downsizing. We had lived in a home filled with children and their friends coming in and out the front door. Now our daily rhythm looked very different. Our home needed to reflect this new phase of life.
Many people wait until the move is imminent before deciding what to keep. I had been donating and discarding along the way, knowing this day would eventually arrive. That approach is not common. For that reason, I want to walk you through practical downsizing tips for empty nesters who are preparing to move from a family home into something that better fits their current needs.
Step 1: Donate, Discard, And Take Time To Evaluate Before You Move
One of the most important downsizing tips for empty nesters is to begin in your current home. Do not wait until you arrive at the new house to decide what stays and what goes.
I wrote in an earlier blog about paying to move boxes only to donate or discard their contents later. It is far better to make those decisions in advance. Downsizing where you live now allows you to release what no longer serves you. It also creates emotional and physical space for what lies ahead. Letting go before the move invites clarity into the process.
Step 2: Visualize Your New Home And Set Your Intention
In yoga, there is a concept called Sankalpa. It refers to setting an intention rooted in your deepest values. This is similar to Marie Kondo’s encouragement to envision your ideal life before beginning the decluttering process.
Before you pack, picture your new home. How do you want it to feel? Lighter. Simpler. More peaceful. As you work through your belongings, keep that vision front and center. Downsizing tips for empty nesters are not just about reducing square footage. They are about aligning your space with who you are becoming in this next season of life.
Step 3: Avoid Putting Items In Storage
As Marie Kondo suggests, gather everything and make a pile. This is the moment to evaluate honestly what you own and what you truly want to carry forward.
If you are tempted to rent a storage unit for items that will not fit in your new home, pause. Ask yourself why you chose to downsize in the first place. Storing excess belongings often delays decisions rather than solves them. Embrace the idea that not everything from your old life will fit into the new one. That acceptance is part of the transition.
Step 4: Work Through The KonMari Method® And Downsize By Category
Rather than going room by room, consider working by category. The KonMari Method® follows a specific sequence: clothing, books, paper, komono or miscellaneous items, and finally sentimental items.
Approaching your home this way helps you see the full scope of what you own. For example, gather every bathroom supply from every bathroom. Lay it out. Review duplicates. If you are downsizing from multiple bathrooms to one, this step is essential. The same applies to office supplies if you are moving from a large home office to a compact desk. Downsizing tips for empty nesters often hinge on recognizing how much excess exists across categories.
Step 5: Hold Space For A New Life
Downsizing can feel like tightening space. I encourage clients to look at it differently. Leaving some areas intentionally open creates room for what is coming next.
Notice how your new home feels. Resist the urge to fill every corner immediately. Hybrid rooms can be especially helpful. A guest room can double as an office. A dining area can serve as a workspace when needed. The key is to ensure that every item still has a defined home within that shared space. Downsizing tips for empty nesters often involve thinking creatively about how rooms function.
Step 6: Practice Gratitude
Gratitude plays a powerful role in letting go. Thank your family home for holding the memories of raising children and hosting holidays. Acknowledge what that space provided.
Then turn your attention to the new home. This move represents opportunity. It may feel emotional at times, and adjustment is natural. Recognizing that this change supports your next chapter makes the process lighter. Downsizing tips for empty nesters are not simply logistical steps. They are invitations to welcome a new stage of life with intention.
When approached thoughtfully, downsizing becomes less about loss and more about clarity. It allows your home to reflect who you are now rather than who you were twenty years ago. That alignment brings a sense of calm that carries into daily life.