General Interest

What to Keep When You Right-Size Your Life

what to keep when you right-size your life

You’re ready to simplify your life, but what do you keep and what do you get rid of? Some choices are easy, others—not so much. Save yourself the agonizing decision-making by setting some ground rules on what to keep when you right-size your life.

Choose the memories that matter.

Do you have boxes filled with your children’s belongings, like artwork, report cards, clothing and mementos? How valuable are those memories when they are stashed away in a box, never to be seen? Ask your grown children if they’d like any of these items. From what’s remaining, be selective. Choose only those bits and pieces that you are willing to keep close to you, like in a frame or on display, or in a box that is kept in your closet, not in the basement or garage.

If you haven’t worn it in the past six months, you never will.

We all have clothing and accessories that we have moved from place to place. They hang in your closet, sit in a shoebox, or are tucked in the back of a drawer. You probably don’t even know all the things that you have, but when you take them out, you think, “someday, I’ll wear it.” “Someday” isn’t coming! Let go. Donate it so someone else can enjoy your lost treasure.

Purge your books, CDs and DVDs.

These items can easily take over a room. Hold onto the books worth keeping and donate the others to a thrift shop, library, prison or senior center. Sort through your CD and video library. There are probably many movies you’ll never watch again (like those clothes in the back of your closet waiting for “someday”). And you probably no longer even have a VCR to play those old VHS tapes. With music and video streaming services, you can download the songs and access many of the movies on demand, so you don’t need to commit shelf space to the discs.

If it’s broken, it’s gone.

How many things are in need of repair? Your good intentions have driven you to keep these appliances, broken furniture, and torn clothing.


Let’s review the “Someday” excuse. If you haven’t fixed it by now, you won’t. Let it go. The same applies to chipped, cracked, and other damaged items in your kitchen and collectibles. Possessions are “things”. You will keep the memories that matter, in your heart and your mind. As you move toward right-sizing, focus on surrounding yourself with visual stimulation—pieces that make you feel good. Don’t clutter your life with the unnecessary, unimportant, and uninspiring. You will feel more vibrant and energetic when you create these limits and live by them.


When you're ready to donate reusable items, here's a list of charitable organizations that offer free donation pickup.

Epcon Communities

If your right-sizing movement is guiding you toward a new home, we invite you to explore the low-maintenance lifestyle at Epcon Communities.


Our new home communities are designed for sensible flow and stylish living—and cultivating new friendships in an environment as active as you’d like to be. There are currently new home communities in popular locations around the country, so contact us to find the perfect "right-sized" place to call home.