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Organize, declutter, donate--downsize and simplify your life
Downsizing For Dummies provides you with strategies to downsize your life by moving to a smaller home, decluttering, simplifying your budget, and saving more money. You'll find tips to help decrease your cost of living, lower your home maintenance costs, protect and leverage your assets, and decide whether downsizing is right for you and your family. After downsizing your life, you'll save time on household chores and gain the freedom and flexibility that come with having fewer possessions. What will you do with all the time you save? Downsizing For Dummies will help you understand the benefits of living simply!
* Discover ways to declutter and simplify every corner of your life
* Weight the pros and cons of moving to a smaller home
* Save time and money by cutting down on your chores and home maintenance
* Experience a reduced stress level when you create space at home and work
This book is for anyone who is ready to live clutter-free and to downsize. It's the perfect Dummies guide for homeowners looking to save money, plus real estate brokers who are working with clients who are downsizing, and designers and builders of new homes who want to stay on top of the downsizing trend.
List of contents
Introduction 1
Part 1: Getting Started with Downsizing 7
Chapter 1: Downsizing in a Nutshell 9
Chapter 2: Deciding Whether Downsizing Is Right for You (or Your Parents) 29
Chapter 3: Envisioning Your Future: Lifestyle and Location 45
Chapter 4: Laying the Groundwork 67
Chapter 5: Rallying the Troops 83
Part 2: Protecting and Leveraging Your Assets 101
Chapter 6: Getting a Handle on Your Finances 103
Chapter 7: Planning Your Estate 125
Chapter 8: Using Your Home to Generate Income 149
Part 3: Decluttering: Sell It, Give It Away, or Trash It 161
Chapter 9: Sorting Your Belongings 163
Chapter 10: Digitizing Photos, Videos, and Documentation 183
Chapter 11: Selling Stuff You No Longer Want or Need 199
Chapter 12: Giving Away Some Stuff 217
Chapter 13: Storing Stuff You Can't Part With 229
Chapter 14: Disposing of Your Remaining Belongings 239
Part 4: Moving Out and Moving In 245
Chapter 15: Gimme Shelter: Choosing a Home 247
Chapter 16: Buying and Selling a Home 271
Chapter 17: Packing Your Belongings 287
Chapter 18: Executing a Successful Move 311
Part 5: The Part of Tens 325
Chapter 19: Ten Good Reasons to Downsize 327
Chapter 20: Ten Tips to Make Downsizing Less Stressful 333
Chapter 21: Ten (or So) Ways to Reduce Your Living Expenses 339
Chapter 22: Ten Ways to Supplement Your Income 345
Index 353
About the author
Ralph R. Roberts is a real estate expert, investor, and author of more than a dozen books, including
Flipping Houses For Dummies and
Foreclosure Investing For Dummies. As a real estate agent, he sold more than 10,000 homes, with a focus on helping his clients find the perfect living arrangements for their situation. Facing retirement and an empty nest, Ralph and his wife, Kathleen, recently downsized from a 7,000-square-foot home to a condo less than half its size. In
Downsizing For Dummies, they share the tips and tricks they discovered through their downsizing journey.
Summary
Organize, declutter, donate--downsize and simplify your life
Downsizing For Dummies provides you with strategies to downsize your life by moving to a smaller home, decluttering, simplifying your budget, and saving more money. You'll find tips to help decrease your cost of living, lower your home maintenance costs, protect and leverage your assets, and decide whether downsizing is right for you and your family. After downsizing your life, you'll save time on household chores and gain the freedom and flexibility that come with having fewer possessions. What will you do with all the time you save? Downsizing For Dummies will help you understand the benefits of living simply!
* Discover ways to declutter and simplify every corner of your life
* Weight the pros and cons of moving to a smaller home
* Save time and money by cutting down on your chores and home maintenance
* Experience a reduced stress level when you create space at home and work
This book is for anyone who is ready to live clutter-free and to downsize. It's the perfect Dummies guide for homeowners looking to save money, plus real estate brokers who are working with clients who are downsizing, and designers and builders of new homes who want to stay on top of the downsizing trend.
