The art and work of downsizing
The UMRA Living Well Workshop for November featured a panel of guest speakers who shared their experiences with the challenges of downsizing: UMRA members Gwen Perun and Larry Johnson, and Becky and John Anderson, and Jay Benedict, director of sales and outreach at The Pillars of Prospect Park in Minneapolis.
In his opening remarks, Benedict told the workshop attendees that, according to a study by AARP, about 70% of seniors 65 or older will need to downsize and move. Benedict advised that people start to clean things out early, even if starting with just one closet or donating holiday decor. He also recommended gathering information about senior housing options and getting on waitlists, even if you are not ready to move. He suggested doing these things before serious health issues, limited mobility, or falling make safer living space a necessity.
Gwen Perun and Larry Johnson explored senior housing options for about 10 years, and then a serious bike accident last year spurred them to get more serious about finding the right place. They found it at Marvella in St Paul. They spent six months cleaning out their house in the University Grove neighborhood near the Twin Cities campus in St. Paul, and then decided to hire a company—WellRive (formerly Gentle Transitions)—to finish their downsizing. A person from the company came twice a month for six months to keep the process going. The company packed the contents of the house, arranged the actual move, and helped unpack, lay rugs, hang pictures, and put away dishes.
Perun and Johson also gave things to family; downsized to one car; and used Goodwill, Bridging (for furniture and larger items), and the library for donations. They also “employed” their curb for free take-aways, and took things to the county hazardous waste disposal facility. Finally, they hired a haulage company to take away everything remaining.
Perun admitted the process was hard emotionally at times (she had to find a new home for one of her two grand pianos!), and said she and Johnson both worked to take care of themselves through the downsizing.
Better to move early than to wait
John and Becky Anderson described themselves as “do it yourselfers.” They made the decision quickly to move from their home and large garden of 40-plus years because a unit at The Pillars, that had the right space and light exposure for them, became available. They both felt it was better to move early than to wait until you must move, in part because it can provide more choice as to where you go.
The Andersons did the downsizing themselves, helped by the fact that they first signed the contract at The Pillars and then spent time (about 6-7 months) getting rid of things and cleaning out their house before putting it on the market.
As for their new community, John Anderson said, “We met and got acquainted with more people in our first six months here than we did in our 47 years on our residential street.”
Benedict also recommended moving first and then selling your house if you are able, because it provides an opportunity to decide more thoughtfully on what items you might have room for or want in your new space.
In addition, the panel mentioned the following resources:
For donations
ARC’s Value Village
Best Buy (for electronics)
Bridging
Books for Africa
County hazardous waste disposal facilities
Goodwill
Home goods consignment stores
Keys 4/4 Kids
Libraries (for books)
Minnesota Tool Library (for woodworking and other kinds of tools)
Minnesota Music Teachers Association (for sheet music)
Pianocycle.com (for pianos)
Donating Personal and Family Items to Museums and Archives
A list compiled by Vicki Gaylord for the UMRA Family History Interest Group, December 2024
Organizations providing help
WellRive
Caring Transitions
North Star Senior Moves
Rose’s Daughters
—Lynn Slifer, UMRA Program Committee
The challenges and benefits of downsizing
Tue, November 11, 2025, at 11am
Jay Benedict, MBA, LALD
Director of Sales and Outreach
The Pillars of Prospect Park
Event to be held via Zoom.
Are you still living in your own home of many years? Did you raise children and host family holidays in this house? Many of us are facing the need to make changes to our living situations, whether because we have health issues, no longer want to climb stairs or do yard work, want easy access to neighbors and organized activities, or the house simply feels too big.
Starting the process of downsizing can be challenging, both emotionally and physically. It is hard to let go of belongings such as antiques, family memorabilia, books, and heirloom china. Children and other family members may not want things that you value.
UMRA’s Living Well Workshop at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, November 11, via Zoom will offer us the opportunity to hear from two UMRA couples who have recently moved into senior living communities. They will discuss how they accomplished their transitions and what help they had to do this. John and Becky Anderson now live in The Pillars of Prospect Park in Minneapolis, and Gwen Perun and Larry Johnson recently moved to Marvella in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul.
Jay Benedict, who has worked as an outreach and sales director for Ebenezer Senior Living since 2015, will provide his perspective on this topic, having helped many people make this transition.
We will explore the following questions:
- When is the right time to downsize?
- How do you start the process?
- What resources are there to help?
- How do you involve family members in the process?
- What are some options for selling or donating things?
- What services can an estate sale provide?
Register online for this Zoom webinar through the UMRA Member Portal. Registrations are accepted at any time up to and including the day of the webinar. The Zoom link will be sent to you in the confirmation email, and in a reminder email the day before the program.
Cancellations can be done in your online profile at umra.wildapricot.org > My Profile > My event registrations. Or, send questions on registration/cancellations to the reservationist.
For more information about making registrations through the UMRA portal, go to umra.umn.edu > Programs & Events > Event Registrations.
Please register and join us via Zoom at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, November 11.
—Lynn Slifer, UMRA Program Committee
Upcoming Events
UMRA’s Book Club I will discuss the historical fiction novel The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict when it meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 16.
Jon Christianson leads the hike in Nerstrand Big Woods State Park with (optional) lunch afterwards at The Ole Store Restaurant in Northfield.
The Vaccine Integrity Project at the UMN Centers for Infectious Disease Research and Prevention is working to ensure that vaccine use in the U.S. remains grounded in the best available evidence, and focused on protecting public health. Kevin Griffis, director of CIDRAP Media Relations and Public Affairs, will tell us about this work as the featured speaker for UMRA’s Living Well Workshop on Tuesday, October 20.
Gather with UMRA members in the Campus Club West Wing to share lunch and conversation. No agenda.
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club (aka UMRA Book Club II) will discuss the Pulitzer Prize-winning debut novel by Jhumpa Lahiri when it meets at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 23, via Zoom. The nine short stories in the collection speak to anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.
Discuss long term care options with Fred Andersen.
Chris Coleman, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity president and CEO and a two time alumnus of the University of Minnesota, will provide a deep dive for UMRA’s October 27 luncheon forum into how Habitat creates, preserves, and promotes affordable homeownership for low-income households.
Join Leader Neal Gale for the November 2 hike in the heart of Minneapolis’ Minnehaha Falls – Mississippi River area.
Bob & Jean Hall and Andy Whitman, participants.
How much do the experiences of our earliest years shape who we become — and even our physical health — decades later? For more than 50 years, University of Minnesota researchers have been exploring that question through the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Risk and Adaptation. In this UMRA Living Well Workshop, Professor Jeffry Simpson, PhD, will draw on findings from the study to explore the connections between our earliest relationships and our health later in life.
The theme for November is "Hands"
UMRA’s Cabinets of Curiosity tour will offer an insider's look into the important work happening at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center. We will enjoy a walking tour through patient exam rooms, student learning areas, and clinical/surgery suites, highlighting how faculty experts and student veterinarians collaborate to deliver life-saving care.
Gift planning strategies and ideas for impactful tax-efficient gifts to accomplish your goals.
Professor Kathryn Pearson, a well-known and respected specialist in U.S. politics and political behavior, will help us to decipher the results of the 2026 midterm elections as the guest speaker for UMRA’s November 2026 Luncheon Forum.
Gather with UMRA members in the Campus Club West Wing to share lunch and conversation. No agenda.
The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne by Chris Sweeney.
Consult with a tax professional to come up with a financial plan well before year end.
Join us as we navigate the trails at the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge Education and Visitor Center.
The theme for December is "Pathways and roadways."