Retirement-Overwhelm Free is the Way to Be!

What thought comes to your mind when you think of the word “retirement?” Many of us imagine a time of relaxation, a slow-down-mode we always wanted but could never seem to get into because of work or child rearing obligations. We might ponder the thought of taking up hobbies, traveling or volunteering.

But what if, after all the years of working to pay off your home and raise a family, you retire and are left with an overwhelming feeling of to-dos. Imagine the word retirement being stringed to the images of a home that you need to declutter and organize. You never feel completely relaxed or truly comfortable at home because you can’t relax-there is too much stuff around you, too much to sort through and too much to do.

Abe Lemons (1922-2002), a renowned head basketball coach once said, “The trouble with retirement is you never get a day off.” Is that really true?

In her May 13, 2014 video interview, Nancy Hellmich, a retirement and lifestyle reporter for USA Today, mentions the “fresh lifestyle” retirees are looking for. She also talks about the clutter many retirees have in their homes, and how overwhelmed they feel.

We often receive calls from retirees who are looking to downsize, stating many of the same things Hellmich touched on in her article. We hear things like, “I don’t want my children to have to sort through this mess when I am gone,” or “I want to make sure this item or that item stays in the family and goes to Sally or Sue.” But the overwhelming feeling of where and how to start take over, and the person gets nowhere.

Hellmich gives tips that are similar in many ways to what we work on with our clients, like finding a new home for things and working slowly, but steadily, to make progress. However, she also mentions coming up with a good plan at the start. For many people, this isn’t something they can do alone.

If you or a loved one wants to live a more relaxed lifestyle and have more time to do those things you love to do, or have waited to do, never be afraid to ask for professional help. An organizer can not only setup a plan that is tailored to work for you, but also aid in implementing it.

“Don’t simply retire from something; have something to retire to.”
Harry Emerson Fosdick

Jenny Power, Absolutely Organized, LLC