There has been a lot of negative press towards gen X and boomers lately. Namely in relation to staying put in their 2-4 bedroom homes, with a backyard in suburban (insert capital city name here).

But no one should be made to feel guilty about not moving from the home they’ve raised kids in, grown veggies , joined the community and walked their dog. However, the inevitable urge to downsize will hit most of us at some stage.

Retirement, health issues or just the thrill of a hills or sea change starts nibbling away, until it overwhelms your conscious thought.

Dramatic? Yeah.

But that was how it happened for us.

After half heartedly looking for established smaller homes for over a year and completely ignoring building from scratch, we decided on a Lifestyle Village (No, NOT a retirement village!).

We decided on a place that felt right, in an area new to us, with house designs, quality of fixtures and village amenities that suited us.

So, decision made, deposit paid.

Woohoo!
….Right…
……..Crap…
…………Panic mode…

18 years of memories, stuff, inheritance pieces, holiday memorabilia, ahh the list on.

Downsizing a house also means downsizing everything else as well. I am ruthless, hubby is a bit of a hoarder. But that’s next chapter.

Step 1: real estate agent choice.

As an aside, “How is it I automatically get ads for agents now? Like everything else, Big Brother knows everything, 👀. “

Who to choose? Well, someone with experience (obviously), insight into our area (a must), gives practical and on-trend pointers in staging (oh yesss), but mostly someone who you feel comfortable with.

Our choice is great for us. She (the real estate agent) even prevented a couple of meltdowns from me in the early days.

So, with a couple of appraisals under our belt, the Great House Purge started. Do we sell everything we don’t want, have a garage sale, give away, store stuff or take to recycling centres? In the end we decided on all of the above.

It was really surprising and a bit disappointing that charities would not even look at our furniture, nor would anyone on marketplace.

So. What to do with the rest of it? I’m sure many readers will relate to storing children’s belongings in the garage, and how hard it is to have said children sort those belongings.

Never mind all the baby, toddler, school drawings, mementos, cards, gifts, my heart is twitching just thinking about it.

We decided on a storage locker. Fantabulous excellent decision! Highly recommend. Shelving units set up, boxes and crates being packed , (breathe!), and more critique about the next step in our downsizing journey.

Stay tuned for chapter 2: emptying the house. Garage sale, storage et al next, a few arguments and getting the house spic and span.

PS: the great question will be answered: will children’s belongings miraculously disappear in the meantime?

Stay tuned for part two…!

EDITORS NOTE

Bel captures the emotional and practical tug-of-war that so often sits behind the word “downsizing.” This first chapter is a familiar beginning for many in our community — equal parts liberation, logistics and low-grade panic. As the Great House Purge gathers momentum, GreyMatter will be following the journey closely.

---

• 
  When Life Hands You Lemons… Open the Map
  At some point in most of our lives, we hear the phrase: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” It’s neat. It’s memorable. And in reality, it’s often a stretch,… Read more: When Life Hands You Lemons… Open the Map
• 
  Angina
  Some people notice shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea or sweating. If it’s predictable and eases with rest, it may be stable angina. To manage stable angina, a good diet, fresh air, calm exercise (like yoga) and happy moments all help.
• 
  Storytelling: The Wise Ones
  From our delightful Storytellers Committee Chair, Olga, who reflected on March’s Harmony Week theme, “The Wise Ones”—and, playfully, its opposite…
• 
  The Clock is Ticking—But Are We Moving Enough?
  For the first time, the ABS used “accelerometers” ie wrist-worn movement trackers, to give us an unvarnished look at how Australians actually spend their 24 hours.
• 
  NEWSLETTER ONE | Dear Greys… we count the days
  Our first newsletter. We’re actively working to shift how ageing is represented—not just in community spaces, but in the media itself. Too often, later life is reduced to policy, pressure, or passive care. We’re offering a different narrative: visible, current, and grounded in real contribution.