Honey, I Shrunk the Junk! Decluttering in Retirement

Sweeping Out the Empty Nest

You’re retired! You’re no longer on the hectic daily schedule you were used to when working.   The kids have left home (hopefully never to return for more than a visit). You have more free time. Should you spend some of that time decluttering your home?

Why Bother?

There are huge benefits to decluttering, either as an exercise by itself, or as a prelude to downsizing.   (Do not try to downsize without decluttering first  -- this ends in disaster!)

Decluttering is a great way to re-evaluate your life, your goals, and your self-image.   You’ll be finding things you have tucked away, and probably haven’t looked at in years: books, sports equipment, photo albums, even clothes.  What is going to be of value in the next phase of your life? What is no longer needed? What are you clinging to because of what it represents?

Reviewing and removing the detritus of the past frees up space, both literally and figuratively, for new experiences and new ways of thinking.   Acknowledging that you no longer have the desire to go backpacking, practice figure skating or use that treadmill in the basement opens you up to exploring what activities you do want to pursue now.  (Or, maybe it’s time to take down those ice skates that have been hanging aspirationally in the back of your closet for years and sign up for lessons. )

Another, very practical benefit is that the less stuff you own, the easier it will be to maintain a clean and organized living space.  The more tchotchkes on display, the more dust accumulates.  The more clothes in your drawers and closets, the harder it is to decide what to wear every day, or to see what the choices are.  Even stuff neatly stored in cardboard file boxes becomes a problem when water leaks or mice infest.  

After decades of maintaining a multi-member family house, it’s a relief to be able to spend as little time as possible housecleaning, yet still have a clean, neat, and restful home.   Less stuff equals less stress, on multiple levels.

One benefit often overlooked is that of control.   If you review and declutter, you are in control of what goes and what stays.   If you don’t, there may come a time when others will do it instead, and probably not as you would have wished. For years my mom collected things that were treasures to her, lovingly anticipating the joy her children and grandchildren would feel upon inheriting them after her eventual death.   But then she had to move to assisted living, and her home had to be sold to cover the costs.  A few of my siblings efficiently and, to my mother’s mind, callously, made most of the decisions of what could move with Mom and what would be donated or thrown away.   They rented a dumpster and spent less than a weekend culling what it had taken her a lifetime to accumulate. 

What Stands in Your Way?

Some may feel it’s too much effort to declutter.  But, as I’ve pointed out above, the end result is a home that will take less effort to maintain.   And, since you’re now retired and presumably have more free time and fewer scheduled activities, you don’t need to do it all in a day or a weekend.   You can take your time, and enjoy revisiting the past in those things that you’ve packed away and haven’t looked at in years.   (By the way, the length of time since you’ve looked at something may be a good indication of its value to your present and future life. )

The complaint that it’s too much effort or takes too much time may be a rationalization hiding something deeper. Often, physical objects give us a sense of security, even if they are objectively worthless.  We saw this a lot in our parents and grandparents from the generations that lived through the Great Depression, but if we are honest, we can see it in ourselves as well.   

Or they are physical mementos.   When I decluttered the large house where we had raised our four children, in preparation for moving to a condo, the hardest things for me to toss were my engineering textbooks.   Sure, they were decades out-of-date and I would never need to refer to them again, but to me they were a reminder of the hard work I had put in to get my degree as an older student returning to college.  They were palpable representations of determination, grit, and perseverance.

How to Start the Process

Decluttering and its sister, minimalism, are having a moment in popular culture right now.  There are gobs of books, podcasts, and YouTube videos that can give you tips on how to declutter, organize, and minimize your stuff.  Google “decluttering”. Check out Joshua Fields Milburn and Ryan Nicodemus, collectively known as “The Minimalists” on YouTube, Netflix, or the library .  Don’t forget to consult Marie Kondo’s cult classic “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” to spark ideas, if not joy. 

Decide on your plan of attack:  whole house, one-room-at-a-time, or by categories (books, clothes, sports equipment, etc. ) If this seems too daunting, break it down to a closet, shelf, or drawer at a time. Set a timer if you want (Love that Pomodoro!)

The important thing is to start and continue until you’re feeling happy with the result.  It may take you a weekend, a month, six months, depending on your schedule and energy level.  But when you can walk into any room in your house, and you know what’s in there, where everything is, and you realize that there are no items there that don’t add value to your life, it’s wonderfully satisfying.  It will give you the freedom and space to start living your retirement dreams.   

We all fear change to some degree.  Push past that and welcome the next phase of your life.