Rita, the downsizing designer, continues to inspire communities around downsizing, decluttering, and minimalist lifestyles.

Books I Love to Read and To Give (Bonus: Clutter-Free Gift Ideas for The Minimalist in Your Life)

The holidays are here and you might be looking for a few gift ideas for people on your list who are trying to declutter… not add clutter to their lives. For me, books are my go-to gifts whether hardback, paperback, or audio. If you have a reader on your list, I’ve compiled a short but [...]

By |2023-12-30T02:40:27+00:00December 26th, 2023|baby boomer downsizing, Baby Boomers, community, decluttering tips, downsizing, downsizing after retirement, downsizing for baby boomers, engage in yourlife, holiday decluttering bundle, Holiday Decorating, how do i get rid of stuff, how to declutter, living in smaller spaces, minimalism, minimalism and decluttering|Comments Off on Books I Love to Read and To Give (Bonus: Clutter-Free Gift Ideas for The Minimalist in Your Life)
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100 Places to Donate Your Stuff to a Good Cause

By Rita Wilkins The Downsizing Designer If you are like many baby boomers right now, you might be looking around your home wondering where did all of this stuff come from? You’ve started to notice, especially during Covid just how much clutter is piling up and how much stress the mess is causing. You realize [...]

By |2021-08-30T15:03:12+00:00September 2nd, 2021|baby boomer downsizing, community, decluttering tips, downsizing tips, minimalism, motivation|Comments Off on 100 Places to Donate Your Stuff to a Good Cause
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Empty Nester? What’s Next?

You just dropped off your youngest child at college and moved him into his dorm.  The ride home seems longer.  It’s quiet and tearful. You walk through the front door of your home where there are no more lacrosse sticks or gym bags to trip over.  There are no dirty socks on the family room [...]

By |2023-11-06T10:11:58+00:00September 11th, 2019|A Peek into Your Good Life, Aging in place, Baby Boomers, bucket list, community, Concepts, decluttering tips, Decorating, Design, design trends, downsizing, empty nest, freedom, Home Decorating, Interior design, Interiors, lifestyle, minimalism, motivation, personal growth, retirement, simplicity, simplify your life, Start Your Good Life, Starting the Good Life, time, travel|Comments Off on Empty Nester? What’s Next?
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New towns and new friends

Rita Good morning, and welcome to day 23 of my 30 day journey to the South of France and today I'm here with a new friend Patricia Brooks.  We're in this beautiful town that she chose to move to just a little over a couple of months ago, right?   Patricia I’ve been in France [...]

By |2019-07-30T16:15:47+00:00July 30th, 2019|A Peek into Your Good Life, Baby Boomers, bucket list, community, Concepts, decluttering tips, downsizing, empty nest, freedom, lifestyle, living in smaller spaces, minimalism, motivation, personal growth, retirement, simplicity, simplify your life, Start Your Good Life, Starting the Good Life, TEDx Talk, time, travel|Comments Off on New towns and new friends
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Discovering the Life I Love

Good afternoon. I just arrived in Marseille a few hours ago and I'm settling in to my tiny little hotel room on the fourth floor overlooking a beautiful tree line street.  A little jet lagged, but so excited to be here and to share my new adventure with you. Little did I know when I [...]

By |2020-12-16T17:29:39+00:00July 3rd, 2019|A Peek into Your Good Life, Baby Boomers, bucket list, community, Concepts, downsizing, empty nest, freedom, lifestyle, living in smaller spaces, minimalism, motivation, personal growth, retirement, simplicity, simplify your life, Start Your Good Life, Starting the Good Life, time, travel|Comments Off on Discovering the Life I Love
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Welcome to my 30 day journey, working three playing four remotely in the south of France.

What is it about packing? Does anyone else have the same problem that I do? I started last week, five edits later, one carry on for 30 days in multiple locations in the south of France. But did I really need three yellow tops and three blue dresses?  As I was packing, I heard myself [...]

By |2020-12-16T17:33:15+00:00July 2nd, 2019|A Peek into Your Good Life, Baby Boomers, bucket list, community, Concepts, downsizing, empty nest, freedom, lifestyle, minimalism, motivation, personal growth, retirement, simplicity, simplify your life, Start Your Good Life, Starting the Good Life, time, travel|Comments Off on Welcome to my 30 day journey, working three playing four remotely in the south of France.
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Countdown to My Digitial Nomad Journey to France – Day 1

Six more days, until I leave for the south of France for 30 days. In January of this year, I had this dream to go on an adventure that I'd never been on before. I decided to live for one month as a digital nomad somewhere in the world. So I picked France, not too [...]

By |2020-12-16T17:35:51+00:00July 2nd, 2019|A Peek into Your Good Life, Baby Boomers, bucket list, community, Concepts, decluttering tips, downsizing, empty nest, freedom, lifestyle, minimalism, motivation, personal growth, retirement, simplicity, simplify your life, Start Your Good Life, travel|Comments Off on Countdown to My Digitial Nomad Journey to France – Day 1
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LIFESTYLE DESIGN – WHAT IS IT?

By Rita S. Wilkins, The Downsizing Designer As a young girl growing up in Germany, our family of seven took frequent road trips to neighboring countries. Our mom was usually the instigator of these adventures. Dad was the consummate planner. In so many ways, they were the perfect team. She was curious, a learner, a [...]

By |2019-01-18T21:23:04+00:00October 16th, 2018|A Peek into Your Good Life, Aging in place, Baby Boomers, bucket list, community, Design, downsizing, empty nest, freedom, Interior design, lifestyle, minimalism, personal growth, retirement, simplicity, simplify your life, time, travel, trending|Comments Off on LIFESTYLE DESIGN – WHAT IS IT?
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Downsizing From the Inside Out – Make Room for the Life You REALLY Want

Have you downsized from a larger home to a smaller one? It was fun and easy, right? Do you still have unopened boxes that you have no clue what’s inside of them?     Have you ever asked yourself WHY you brought so many things with you even though you knew you were trying to downsize? [...]

By |2018-10-09T16:24:23+00:00October 9th, 2018|A Peek into Your Good Life, Baby Boomers, bucket list, community, decluttering tips, downsizing, empty nest, freedom, lifestyle, minimalism, motivation, personal growth, simplicity, simplify your life, Start Your Good Life, Starting the Good Life, TEDx Talk, time, travel, trending|Comments Off on Downsizing From the Inside Out – Make Room for the Life You REALLY Want
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Aging Parents With Lots of Stuff, and Children Who Don’t Want It

Mothers and daughters talk about all kinds of things. But there is one conversation Susan Beauregard, 49, of Hampton, Conn., is reluctant to have with her 89-year-old mother, Anita Shear: What to do — eventually — with Mrs. Shear’s beloved set of Lenox china? Ms. Beauregard said she never uses her own fine china, which [...]

By |2018-06-29T15:00:32+00:00August 21st, 2017|A Peek into Your Good Life, Aging in place, Baby Boomers, bucket list, community, design trends, downsizing, Interior design, lifestyle, living in smaller spaces, minimalism, retirement, simplify your life, Start Your Good Life, Starting the Good Life, travel, Universal Design, walkable communities|Comments Off on Aging Parents With Lots of Stuff, and Children Who Don’t Want It
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