This post was going to be titled “nesting for retirement”.
However, the concept of retirement has changed with many working for years beyond what used to be considered retirement age.
We spend the first half of our lives building things – growing a career, possibly raising a family, purchasing a home, maybe even a cottage or second home, and bringing “more” into our spaces.
It’s not unusual as we move past those years to start to feel overwhelmed by a lot of stuff we accumulated and don’t need or want anymore.
My Perspective
I wonder what might happen if we strategically planned to nest every 10 years.
That way, we would have a moment at 50, 60, 70, and 80 to take a pause, evaluate, and make change.
We could ask questions like:
Does this home still serve us? Is it too big? Does it have stairs we struggle to navigate?
How do we use the rooms? Are they all in use? Could they be reimagined into something more useful?
Are there things that we no longer use? What could we do to get rid of those things?
My Story
While I don’t have perspective across all the decades, I do have the experience from 30, 40, and 50.
As the kids are moving into their own homes and apartments, we are reimagining our home.
We are discussing the pros and cons of staying in this home vs. moving.
Re-arranging rooms and changing their purpose.
Decluttering and getting rid of things we no longer need.
The solutions may not be perfect, but we are working to set ourselves up for the next decade.
I like the idea of stepping back, planning, cleaning, and organizing every 5-10 years.
This will ensure our “nest” is on track to best meet our current needs.
I wish I had had this insight and opportunity in my 30s and 40s.
Your Turn
Are you over 50 and nesting in a new way?
Have you watched your parents or others struggle with overwhelm as they get older?
Do you think applying the nesting process every 10 years could help?
Could it also help in our 30s and 40s?