Downsize After 50: What's Standing In Your Way?
- Cathy Borg
- Dec 15, 2025
- 3 min read
What’s the biggest obstacle to downsizing after 50?
For many people, the hardest part of downsizing isn’t the physical work — it’s deciding what to let go of. Sentimental items, family expectations, and fear of regret often create decision fatigue that keeps people stuck. Downsizing becomes easier when you focus on what an item is costing you today, not just what it meant in the past.
"You wouldn't do that," he said.
When I first suggested letting go of my husband's family sofa, a Victorian beauty brought to Canada in 1890, my father-in-law was horrified. He looked at me as if I’d suggested selling the family dog.
I understood why. It wasn't just a sofa. It was history, sentiment, and family identity symbolized in carved mahogany and horsehair-stuffed upholstery.
So I tried to make it work.
For over thirty years, that sofa followed us from room to room, from one house to another, never quite fitting in but always too 'special' to part with. It wasn't comfortable to sit on. It left marks on the wall. And every time we had to rearrange the furniture to make it fit.
Four rooms later, it ended up in our dining room, blocking traffic and making entertaining awkward.
That's when I finally asked myself, "What is this sofa costing me?"
Is there a metaphorical sofa blocking your path?
What's blocking your path? Standing in your way?
Not just taking up space, but preventing:
More room to move and breathe
More fun when friends come over
More possibilities for how you want to live
More of the life you want
Maybe it's a sofa. Maybe it's a table, a dresser, a hope chest, a collection, an entire room you've built your life around.
Sometimes it’s not even about the object; it’s about what it represents: guilt, obligation,
fear of forgetting.
Whatever it is. It's blocking you from something.
What happens when you clear the clutter?
My brother-in-law took the sofa off our hands. By the weekend, it was gone.
When I walked back into the dining room, it felt different. I looked lighter. Airier. As if the room had loosened its belt and could breathe.
I spent time playing. Rearranging furniture. Shifting pieces until the room felt balanced again.
Suddenly, I could see it: there was enough space to host my book club. (Everyone took turns except me because I couldn't figure-out, space-wise, how it would ever work.)
Now, fifteen people can get to the buffet comfortably in that room. There's space to move, and serve the food without bumping into a sofa arm.
Once the sofa was moved out, everything changed.
Your Turn: One Practical Step to Downsize After 50
Now is the time to look around and ask yourself:
What’s one item in your home that’s costing you space, ease, or enjoyment right now?
How We Help When Downsizing Feels Stuck
At In and Out Organizing, we help people move through downsizing step by step, with a focus on pacing, clarity, and emotional ease. Our approach is practical and compassionate, whether you’re decluttering, downsizing, or navigating a major life transition.
Our work always begins with The Gentle Start Promise™, a calm first step with no pressure or obligation.
About In and Out Organizing and the Writer
Cathy Borg is a Partner at In and Out Organizing, serving the Greater Toronto Area. She specializes in helping adults 50+ and their families declutter, downsize, and navigate life transitions with clarity and calm. Through compassionate guidance and practical systems, Cathy helps clients make space for what truly matters in their homes and in their lives.
Ready for Your Stress-Free Toronto Downsizing Consultation?
We help families across the Greater Toronto Area with compassionate, practical support for:
Decluttering & organizing
Downsizing & moving
Estate clearing
Whether you’re preparing for a move, simplifying your home, or helping a loved one, we make the process calmer, clearer, and easier to manage.
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