If you have a basement or walk-in closet in your home, those areas will inevitably attract boxes of your belongings that may have been untouched for years. That’s a sign that downsizing may be a good strategy. For empty nesters considering moving to an independent living facility, that decision is likely more pressing, since storage space may be limited.

The tough part of downsizing is the emotional attachment people have to parting with tangible objects, according to Mick Jendrisak, who operates Cleveland-based Downsize & Thrive with his wife Christie Dennis-Jendrisak.

“Every single client is 100% different,” Jendrisak, who’s service helps make downsizing simple and stress-free, said. “The one thing that doesn’t change are the problem or difficult spots within the house. And those are always going to be the basement, the garage. That’s just where we see the most accumulation. And I often joke that basements are where hobbies go to die.

Miscellaneous tools, craft and do-it-yourself projects are also commonly found in dusty bins, he said.

“My job is to tell them to act rationally and logically and say, ‘Are you going to finish this project?’” he said.

Many households have boxes full of old photos, slides, super 8 movies and videotapes. Parting with those can be difficult for people, but there is a technology solution, Jendrisak explained. You can digitize that media and preserve it and save space.

“I did that with my mother,” he said. “She had 57 photo albums from every decade, and she cut it down to four. We went to a digitization service here locally, and they digitized everything, and put it onto a thumb drive. We have this amazing public library system in Northeast Ohio, and in some of the major branches, they will do the digitization, or they will teach you how to do it. Those resources are out there.”

Another good reason for downsizing is eliminating the responsibility for a family’s adult children. A 2026 Talker Research study found that 49% of Americans would rather inherit nothing at all than have to deal with a relative’s belongings. Jendrisak said he encourages environmentally-sound downsizing.

“One the reasons people have made the decision to downsize is because when they tell their adult children, ‘I’d like you to look at these heirlooms, the kids typically have no interest in it because they either have their own stuff, or they don’t have the space. The younger generations don’t collect depression era glass. They don’t have China cabinets. They don’t have curio cabinets.

“It’s another indicator that maybe you should consider finding it finding a way to clear the clutter,” he said. “We don’t want your possessions to go into a landfill. We want to find a home for them. We like to practice the ‘Five Rs.’ Those are repurpose, recycle, retail and last, refuse. We really try to make trash the last option.”

Jendrisak said anyone thinking about downsizing should avoid procrastination.

“There’s never a wrong time to start,” he said. “You never know when life is going to hand you a not so fun chapter. And I tell people, start now, start small, but be consistent. Consistency is what’s going to get you through the process.”

Another good option for homeowners who intend to downsize is the Care Patrol of Northeastern Ohio. The senior resource service will help awith ssessing what items will fit in a new living space and coordinate with assisted living communities in before a move to help identify space dimensions.

Bill Motchan is a freelance journalist.