I just moved. I didn't think it would be so exhausting.

Youngster

Youngster

Member
In the past on this forum I asked for ideas on where to move. A couple of my thoughts were Texas, Florida or Alabama. Well, my wife and I did move. Across town less than a mile away. (There's no place like home) We downsized and got off the hillside we were living on. Downsizing was difficult especially for my wife. There were truckloads of stuff that went to the Goodwill and Salvation Army. Even though it was a short distance, it was still exhausting. I think this is our last house. I'm 68 now. I don't think I want to try this again. I would advise anyone thinking about retirement to get into the house you will spend the rest of your life in.
Have you moved late in life? What are your thoughts?
 
We relocated from South Florida to Dallas in 2006. I was only 49 y/o at the time and it was exhausting then. We drove 2 cars with my partner's brother and our cats in one and him, my 74 y/o mother and myself in the other. The whole thing was a nightmare. Our neighbor's teenage daughter backed into one of our cars the day we left, so we drove it with door damage until we could get it repaired when we settled in. The moving company was horrible. They were late to our house and when they showed up at my mother's house the van was too small so they literally took her bed apart and strapped the frame to the back of the van.

My mother's condo was a new build so she lived with us for a few weeks and drove us crazy. We had to put all her furnishings in a storage unit, then have them moved again when her condo was ready.

I would love to downsize, but we love our house and our neighborhood and I can live on the first floor if I become too infirm to climb the stairs. The only challenge is the maintenance costs of owning a home bigger than we need and the property taxes. I've been slowly clearing things out but the thought of packing is daunting and the trauma of the last move makes me never want to move again.

@Youngster, you are a brave soul and I'm glad you are getting settled into your new home. Your advice is wise. Settle into the house that will be the last one you live in.
 
I have moved 30 times so I am a pro at getting rid of things. My last move was 2 years ago at 67 to a condo that’s 855 sq ft. This is my final destination.

The last time was horrible because my ex had been hoarding junk in the basement and enormous shed in the backyard. All that crap had to go to the dump on top of the normal downsizing. If I bring anything in a similar item goes so I definitely don’t have that problem.
 
Youngster said:
In the past on this forum I asked for ideas on where to move. A couple of my thoughts were Texas, Florida or Alabama. Well, my wife and I did move. Across town less than a mile away. (There's no place like home) We downsized and got off the hillside we were living on. Downsizing was difficult especially for my wife. There were truckloads of stuff that went to the Goodwill and Salvation Army. Even though it was a short distance, it was still exhausting. I think this is our last house. I'm 68 now. I don't think I want to try this again. I would advise anyone thinking about retirement to get into the house you will spend the rest of your life in.
Have you moved late in life? What are your thoughts?
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I hafta hire movers cuz I am too old and not in any condition to move things. I can pack them up and get them ready but that's it. Plus I never have any help so...
 
Youngster said:
Even though it was a short distance, it was still exhausting.
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Yep. Our last move, from a house in the country, three flights we kept slipping on and a huge yard we could never get on top of, to a new one story house on the edge of town, small yard, no basement, no attic. Perfect. We never had an excess of stuff because I've always cleaned everything out at least once a year and taken anything unused to the charities.

However. We had the biggest argument we've ever had on the day we moved, because, both of us being perfectionists, we did it all in one day and had to have every last thing in it's place and the boxes in the trash before the sun set. We exhausted ourselves and were doing dumb things at the last hour.
 
Youngster said:
In the past on this forum I asked for ideas on where to move. A couple of my thoughts were Texas, Florida or Alabama. Well, my wife and I did move. Across town less than a mile away. (There's no place like home) We downsized and got off the hillside we were living on. Downsizing was difficult especially for my wife. There were truckloads of stuff that went to the Goodwill and Salvation Army. Even though it was a short distance, it was still exhausting. I think this is our last house. I'm 68 now. I don't think I want to try this again. I would advise anyone thinking about retirement to get into the house you will spend the rest of your life in.
Have you moved late in life? What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
Glad to head you're settled and over that mountain!
 
Little bits will slowly be disposed of. I’m tackling the office right now. I have bridge notes and magazines that are going in the trash. If I know I’m not likely to read it again, it’s going. Good things will be donated. Does anyone need some nice pens?
 
Jules said:
Little bits will slowly be disposed of. I’m tackling the office right now. I have bridge notes and magazines that are going in the trash. If I know I’m not likely to read it again, it’s going. Good things will be donated. Does anyone need some nice pens?
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LOL..no thanks..I've just opened my desk drawer and these are half of what I have... and in my desk cupboard is a jar with another 30 ...

IMG-2969.jpg
 
Youngster said:
In the past on this forum I asked for ideas on where to move. A couple of my thoughts were Texas, Florida or Alabama. Well, my wife and I did move. Across town less than a mile away. (There's no place like home) We downsized and got off the hillside we were living on. Downsizing was difficult especially for my wife. There were truckloads of stuff that went to the Goodwill and Salvation Army. Even though it was a short distance, it was still exhausting. I think this is our last house. I'm 68 now. I don't think I want to try this again. I would advise anyone thinking about retirement to get into the house you will spend the rest of your life in.
Have you moved late in life? What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
Good for you :) We moved from AZ to PA in Feb. 2022. Hubby was 81 and I was 75. It was a very difficult move. We spent 1 1/2 years renovating this house and we weren't done yet. Unfortunately, my husband passed away suddenly Oct. 13th and the remainder of the projects will not be completed. This is a 1800 SF home with a lot of stairs and a big yard. Thankfully, I'm still in good health and stairs are not a problem...yet. We tried to buy a ranch home but there wasn't anything available back then.
 
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We bought our forever home prior to retiring. The 2300 mile move from Pennsylvania to Las Vegas was smooth & very easy. The sale of our home was in Dec. of 1994 closing was after my 55th. birthday in 1995. The delayed closing was so we could take the once in a lifetime no taxes on the gain in value of our home.

We gave away furniture & everything except for clothing, table ware, dinnerware, pot & pans, sheets, blankets & photos. That was pre packed ready to put in our van on the day of signing. That took all of 15 minutes.

From Dec. to May we lived at our forever home. We had our bedroom, living room furniture & enough "stuff" to get by until we could bring the other "stuff". The planning we put in place worked as expected.
 
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Knight said:
We bought our forever home prior to retiring. The 2300 mile move from Pennsylvania to Las Vegas was smooth & very easy. The sale of our home was in Dec. of 1954 closing was after my 55th. birthday in 1955. The delayed closing was so we could take the once in a lifetime no taxes on the gain in value of our home.

We gave away furniture & everything except for clothing, table ware, dinnerware, pot & pans, sheets, blankets & photos. That was pre packed ready to put in our van on the day of signing. That took all of 15 minutes.

From Dec. to May we lived at our forever home. We had our bedroom, living room furniture & enough "stuff" to get by until we could bring the other "stuff". The planning we put in place worked as expected.
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Knight I don't think you meant 1955 ...:D
 
I'm 63, if I move again I know it will be hard on me. I can't tell you how much I wish I had moved a number of years ago and had this behind me. Or bought that condo I didn't think I could afford in my mid 30's. I could have. And I would not have moved again. Oh well.

You did well by donating. I'm sure the items will be appreciated by many. And then there are the resellers everywhere...
 
2019 was our last move into what we were calling our OAP Pad. We'd weeded out a lot as we were downsizing and also due to our son's passing, there was a lot.

Then last year, hubby died as well. Daughter and I did the January 2022 to-do list I'd done with him. Granted, we spread it over 18 months but it was therapeutic. I'm hopeful I'll be here for a long long time. We love it, it's such a lovely and quiet area.
 
I moved from Cincinnati back to Massachusetts.
When the moving truck showed up in Massachusetts, he didn't know where to put a whole house full of stuff in a house that already was a full house.
I ended up having him store everything in the basement and over time I gave it all away.
I'm in the house I'll die in. No more moving!
 
I was in the process 2 years ago and like you, it was just a moved across town from a 2500 sq ft house to a 1300 sq ft, so you know, something had to go. I tired to sell most the vintage glassware and china my mom collected. I did sell some, but still had to move a fair amount. It in boxed up in the basement waiting for the next community-wide garage sale. I moved anything I could fit in my Honda Civic (it amazing what I could get in it with some clever arranging). I lost 25 pounds in the 4 and a half months it took me. I just had to hire movers to transport the "big stuff".

I started moving August 7th 2021 and it will be 2 years this coming December 27th I officially finished.

P.S. I gained almost all the weight I lost back in about 6 weeks.
 
Youngster said:
Have you moved late in life? What are your thoughts?
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Three years ago, we moved from our mountain cabin to town (50 mi away)
Yes
It IS exhausting
I was 71 at the time
But, we were in shape due to living in the mountains for six years (chopping wood for heat)

We rested in between the big pieces of furniture
But
The boxes of books......WHOA!
Boxes of books are heavy

We could do it again...but.....really really don't want to
ever
 
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