For many years, as an interior designer, I helped people upsize to bigger homes with larger closets and expansive kitchens.
Fast forward. I downsized and decluttered. Now, those same clients and audiences are asking me to help them downsize their large homes.
It’s funny, isn’t it? For decades, the American dream was about more, bigger, better.
And now? The biggest luxury people are craving is less:
- Less clutter
- Less stress
- Less stuff stealing their time, energy, and freedom
How many of you have ever opened a closet or basement door and thought… “Nope, not today!”
How many of you have then said, “I’ll get to it someday”?
And secretly… how many of you hope that “someday” never comes?
Here’s the thing: someday is one of the biggest traps we fall into.
We keep saying:
- Someday I’ll declutter
- Someday I’ll downsize
- Someday I’ll finally use those extra rooms for something I actually love instead of a storage space
But what if you traded “someday” for today?
Ask yourself: if you only had 10 years left, would you want to spend that time cleaning out your basement—or living life to the fullest… traveling, laughing, saying yes to long-held dreams?
That’s why I now speak to audiences around the country about decluttering and downsizing. Because here’s the truth: downsizing isn’t about downgrading—it’s about upgrading your life. It’s about unspoken perks no one tells you about: the freedom, clarity, and peace of mind that come when you finally let go of the stuff you don’t want, need, or use.
Let’s be honest.
Stuff is high-maintenance. It needs to be cleaned, dusted, organized, and stored.
It’s kind of like that needy friend who just won’t stop bothering you.
I thought our stuff was supposed to serve us—not the other way around!
The Unspoken Perks of Decluttering and Downsizing
Perk #1: More Time for What You Love
When you have less to clean, maintain, and organize, you suddenly realize how much time you’ve been giving away to your stuff.
One woman downsized from a 3,500-square-foot home to a 1,200-square-foot cottage. She later told me, “I thought I would miss my big house. Instead, I found three extra hours a day I never knew I had. Now I spend them painting, playing with my grandchildren, and doing what I truly want to do.”
- What would you do if you suddenly had three extra hours in your day?
Perk #2: More Money in Your Pocket
Every closet and cabinet is costing you money—bigger spaces, higher utilities, endless storage containers, even “just in case” purchases.
A couple I know sold their large home, paid off their mortgage, and now use the savings to travel to Italy every fall. Downsizing literally gave them the freedom to travel and put more stamps in their passport.
- If you had extra money each month, would you spend it on more stuff—or more experiences and memories?
Perk #3: Better Health and Less Stress
Clutter isn’t just physical—it weighs on your mind and body. Studies show clutter raises cortisol, the stress hormone.
A client once admitted, “Every time I opened my garage, I felt tense and uptight.” After clearing it, she said she felt 10 pounds lighter—without losing an ounce.
A decluttered home is calmer and can be some of the best medicine you could ask for.
- Can you imagine the relief of walking into a home that instantly makes you feel calm and at peace?
Perk #4: Closer Relationships
This may surprise you: when you let go of excess, you make room for more connection.
Families tell me that after downsizing, they eat together more often because the dining table is no longer buried under clutter.
Adult children also feel relief knowing their parents are safe in a smaller, manageable home. One widower let go of years of accumulated belongings and later said, “For the first time in years, my kids actually enjoy visiting because the house feels like home again.”
- How might your relationships flourish if your home became more welcoming and less cluttered?
Perk #5: Greater Freedom and Flexibility
Less stuff means fewer anchors. You’re free to travel, say yes to spontaneous opportunities, and live wherever life calls you.
A retired couple downsized to a condo and told me, “We lock the door and go. No lawn, no leaks, no worries.”
Downsizing isn’t about giving up—it’s about gaining the freedom to choose how you want to live your next chapter.
- What new adventures would you say yes to if you weren’t weighed down by things?
Perk #6: Renewed Energy and Clarity
A cluttered space drains you, but a simplified one sparks new energy.
One of my clients downsized her office and suddenly had clarity to start the business she had been dreaming of for years.
A clear space creates a clear mind—and a clear mind can reimagine new life.
- What long-delayed dream might finally come alive if you created space for it?
Perk #7: A Legacy of Love, Not Stuff
When you declutter now, you relieve your loved ones of the painful task of sorting it later.
One woman told me, “I had to go through every drawer in my mother’s house after she passed. I swore I wouldn’t do that to my own children.”
Downsizing becomes an act of love—leaving your family with memories, not messes.
- When your family looks back, will they remember your love—or the burden of your stuff?
Perk #8: The Joy of Living Large with Less
This is the ultimate perk: discovering you never needed all that stuff to feel rich.
Many of my clients who moved into smaller spaces say, “I feel lighter, freer, and oddly enough, wealthier!”
Why? Because they’re no longer owned by their possessions. They’re living large in what matters most: freedom, experiences, relationships, health, and joy.
- Wouldn’t it be freeing to discover that “enough” was always more than enough?
Final Thoughts
So let me ask you…
· What would it feel like to wake up tomorrow with more time for what you love instead of spending hours managing things you don’t?
· What if every time you walked into your home, it greeted you with calm and comfort instead of stress and overwhelm?
· What if your family’s legacy was filled with joy-filled memories instead of the burden of too much stuff?
Maybe, just maybe, you’ll discover what so many others already have: when you let go of excess, you gain something far richer. You begin to live larger, freer, and more abundantly—with less.
Downsizing and decluttering isn’t about what you give up.
It’s about what you make room for—in your home, your life, and your heart.
So ask yourself:
If not now, WHEN?
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