Downsizing?

Start with what your current home is worth and what you'd walk away with after selling. That number shapes everything else: what you can buy, whether you need a mortgage, and how much cushion you'll have.

Get your home value and I'll include an estimated net sheet.

This is the big timing question, and there are a few ways to handle it:

• Sell first. You know exactly what you have to spend. You may need a short-term rental or to negotiate extra time in your home after closing.
• Buy first. You move once, on your schedule. This usually means having the cash or financing to own two homes for a short time. A lender can explain the options.
• Line them up together. Make your purchase contingent on your sale, or time both closings close together. This takes coordination, and that's my job.

Think about how you want to live, not just the square footage: one-floor living, low-maintenance exterior, a condo association that handles snow and lawn, walkability, or being near family. Make a short list of must-haves before we start looking.

This is where most people get stuck, so start early and go room by room.

• Start with the rooms you use least: basement, attic, guest room
• Sort into keep, give to family, donate, sell and toss
• Measure the new place and only keep furniture that fits
• Give family a deadline to claim what they want
• Digitize photos and paperwork you want to keep but not store

My decluttering guide has a full room-by-room checklist.

You don't have to do it alone. I can connect you with people I trust for:

• Estate sales and consignment
• Senior move managers and packing
• Junk removal and donation pickup
• Cleaning and small repairs before listing

P22[Optional: Jen's trusted vendor list with names and numbers.]

We'll set possession dates that give you breathing room. Pack an "open first" box with medications, chargers, paperwork, toiletries, and a change of clothes. Then enjoy the extra time.