When moving to a retirement community, one of the larger tasks is the downsizing process. Moving from a large family home to a smaller sized living space can be stressful. Many decisions will have to made about what should you bring, what should you leave behind and the new items you might need to buy. Downsizing can be a great chance to really decide on the things that matter most to you. Make sure to give yourself enough time to go through your possessions, realizing that there will be memories attached to them, and that it will take time to get through. Plan to have enough time to pack and prepare for the move. You could even plan in a day or two off to give yourself a break.

Decide which items will go with you. If you have a floor plan of your new place, you could even begin planning where the items will go. Every item that comes along with you should have a definite function or make you especially happy. When you've determined which items will not be going along with you, you can begin to make decisions on where those items will go. Will they be donated? Does family or friends have an interest and place for some of those items? Perhaps some items can be sold in an estate sale. Try to approach the process in a positive light - you have the chance to design a new living space for yourself and fill it with the items that you need and that make you happiest.

Many retirement communities have someone on staff who can assist with your move. They can provide downsizing specialists, and can coordinate your entire move.