{"id":7288,"date":"2026-03-20T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T13:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpaulfcu.org\/?post_type=education&p=7288"},"modified":"2026-03-18T15:57:39","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T20:57:39","slug":"tips-for-empty-nesters-downsizing","status":"publish","type":"education","link":"https:\/\/stpaulfcu.org\/education\/tips-for-empty-nesters-downsizing\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Empty Nesters Downsizing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Quiet. Calm. Clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And empty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are just some words that may come to mind when your youngest kiddo leaves the nest. No stray sneakers cluttering up the foyer. No trail of school papers. You may even get the TV remote to yourself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that the house has emptied out, though, it\u2019s time to sift through the \u201cstuff\u201d that has piled up over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some tips to help you downsize as an empty-nester:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clear out your closets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If your closets haven\u2019t been purged since AOL was sending daily CDs to the world, those closets might be stuffed with outdated clothing. Here\u2019s how to make sorting them easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set up four boxes. Mark one \u201cgiveaways,\u201d one \u201ckeepers,\u201d one \u201csell\u201d and the last \u201cdump.\u201d As you sort through grunge tops from the \u201890s and neon jeans from the \u201880s, consider each item: Can you donate this, keep it, sell it, or is it destined for the dump? Place each item in its designated box until you\u2019ve gone through the entire pile. Then bring the clothing in each box to its proper destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sell your spare furniture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your furniture needs will change when the kids have left home. Create space and earn extra pocket money by hosting a garage sale for your unused furniture pieces. You can also sell spare drawer chests, desks and more on Facebook Marketplace<\/a> or\u00a0Craigslist<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sift through your files<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Remember the days when everything happened on paper? If you do, you may have a small mountain of saved files you don\u2019t really need. It\u2019s time to clear out the pile!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep all personally identifying info and sensitive documents, like birth certificates and Social Security cards in a safe place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shred anything that serves no purpose now, like the electricity bills from 1995 and pay stubs from your first post-college job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the documents that fall somewhere in between these two categories, such as your children\u2019s report cards, keep some, and scan the rest to upload to cloud storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rethink your bedrooms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Have you always dreamed of a sewing room? How about the space to indulge in your model train hobby? You can finally have that hobby room you\u2019ve always wanted when the kids were growing up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy being an empty nester<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With all the extra room you created from downsizing, stretch out and enjoy it! Create living spaces designed around the way you want to live.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Quiet. Calm. Clean. And empty. These are just some words that may come to mind when your youngest kiddo leaves the nest. No stray sneakers cluttering up the foyer. No trail of school papers. You may even get the TV remote to yourself! Now that the house has emptied out, though, it\u2019s time to sift […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":7289,"template":"","education-category":[194],"class_list":["post-7288","education","type-education","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","education-category-tips-resources"],"yoast_head":"\nTips for Empty Nesters Downsizing - St. Paul Federal Credit Union<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you're newly empty-nesters, it\u2019s time to sift through the \u201cstuff\u201d that has piled up. 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