NEW YEAR, NEW HOME FINDING A NEW PLACE TO LAND The beginning of each new year brings a fresh perspective on life, and for some, the desire for new beginnings. Each year we make a list of habits we want to adopt and places we want to travel, and sometimes the dreams of our future take us away from the homes we've known and loved for years. Sometimes, to move fully into the next phase in our lives, we have to let go of the things that keep us rooted in the past. The older we get, the less time we want to spend cleaning our spare bedrooms and trekking up and down staircases with folded laundry, so it only makes sense that adults all over the world mark the new year as the perfect opportunity to find a new place to call home. Packing up and waving goodbye to your home is rarely as easy as some make it sound. Your family home holds precious memories. It's the place you may have raised your children and snuggled your grandchildren. Perhaps you hosted a weekly card game or worked for years to create a beautiful garden. Saying goodbye to your home may feel like letting go of some of those things. But really, all of those feelings and precious memories travel with you wherever you go. You may not be able to bring the fireplace hearth with you where you sat and read Christmas stories to your children, but you'll find the perfect cozy nook for reading in your new home. Perhaps a comfy chair with a beautiful view or a big sofa with enough room for all of your grandkids. Of course, you already know all of this intellectually. You're smart, and the years have made you wise. But sometimes, it's difficult to convince your heart that it's time to go. The simple fact that you're here, reading this article, is evidence that you may be ready to make a move. As with any significant change, the decision to move should be made with consideration for the years to come. Your life will continue to evolve and change, and you may need or want different things in five years than you do today. Make a list of all the things you want and don't want in your next home. For example, you may want to live in a community with a pool or to have enough space to host your children for holidays and birthdays. Check! Conversely, you may wish to avoid houses with stairs or that have a lawn you need to mow. Check! You can narrow down your real estate needs in reasonably specific terms when you know what you want your life to look and feel like. 16
Aging Times Magazine | January 2022
