Ryman resident and writer Jennifer knows all too well the emotional rollercoaster that can come with trying to part with a lifetime’s worth of belongings.

A self-confessed collector, Jennifer and her husband Peter – an engineer – had accumulated an eclectic mix of items in their large family home over nearly five decades.

Peter’s sheds were packed with tools and half-finished projects, while inside, Jennifer had a curated collection of fascinating finds.

READ MORE:

• Workshop friendship blooms through ANZAC poppy project
• The perks of downsizing

Her love for collecting began at school, when she received an Elizabethan sixpence from 1575 for excelling in English.

Since then, her interests grew to include everything from hand-carved breadboards and quirky square plates to vintage household items from early businesses, plus vibrant Bakelite kitchenware.

“I don’t like the word ‘stuff’,” she says. “There’s a lot of enjoyment tied up with these things, memories, sentiment… ‘stuff’ doesn’t do them justice.”

But in 2019, Jennifer had a bit of a wake-up call. After tripping over a guy rope while camping and breaking her wrist, she realised their home had become cluttered and difficult to navigate.

On top of that, the constant upkeep and dusting were becoming increasingly frustrating.

Suddenly, the idea of retirement village living – which they’d previously dismissed – started to sound much more attractive.

Not long after, the couple went along to a downsizing seminar at their local Ryman Village.

“One point the speaker made rang a bell with me – she said to have a look at what you are storing, and ask yourself, ‘how much of it belongs to other people?’”

That sparked the first step: inviting their adult children to come and collect their belongings. But that was just the beginning.

Jennifer says she had no idea just how many decisions would need to be made when it came to downsizing – especially as she was determined not to throw useful things away.

“If I’m donating items, it has to be the right op shop. The Salvation Army is for more practical items, whereas hospice shops tend to sell more decorative or collectable pieces.

“What has taken us so long is finding the right place for the right thing.”

Her top piece of advice for others? “Start early!”

“By the time we moved into the village, it had been going on for quite a while and there were still some items which hadn’t been sorted out.”

Larger items like beds and casserole dishes were straightforward. Trickier were the sentimental things, like the contents of drawers and old gifts.

Jennifer suggests giving special items to grandchildren – with a story or note to add meaning.

“We gave our granddaughter this 3D wooden jigsaw. When she was little she would spend ages putting it together and later she became an engineer.”

She also found that photographing sentimental objects helped her let go while still holding onto the memory.

“I found that was a good way of letting go of things, like the bread boards, the square plates and the memorabilia.”

Jennifer with her most recent publication - Bits of String too Short to Use

Jennifer with her most recent publication - Bits of String too Short to Use

As a writer, Jennifer decided to document her journey in a memoir titled Bits of String too Short to Use, hoping it would help others facing similar challenges.

“I thought it would be a good idea to write about the process because a lot of our friends were going through this.”

She says: “It’s been a good feeling to give away and make space. It’s quite relaxing and it helps you focus on what you really need.

“There is pleasure to be had in the simplicity. There’s a loss but it’s also a relief.

“It’s a relief to be here at the village without all the housework and property maintenance, and to have things simpler.”

The choice to move wasn’t immediate – and just when they were about to give up, the perfect apartment became available. Ground floor, with a garden and bowling green view.

“To my surprise we said yes!” laughs Jennifer. “It’s just right for us, because our circumstances have changed.”

Jennifer and Peter prefer the look of their cane furniture now it's in their apartment.

They’ve now created a downsized version of their home’s personality using their bookcase shelves – one shelf holds an art deco ornament from a great aunt, another has keepsakes from a family beach house. Other shelves showcase a friend’s pottery and Peter’s passion for aviation, with miniature planes and photos.

Peter also has a toolbox nearby, and Jennifer’s writing materials and business archives are safely stored in a compact storage unit they can access as needed.

Jennifer has also found new ways to use older items. An old kitchen crock is now an umbrella stand, and furniture that once got in the way has found a fresh purpose.

“This table was in a corner, the rocking chair we always tripped over it and I never sat in it but now I do.

“And the cane furniture didn’t suit the lounge in our family home but I find it works really well here in the apartment.”

The biggest surprise? How well they’ve settled in.

“We are enjoying it here, particularly the social events such as guest speakers, musical entertainment and physical activities,” Jennifer says.

“The team makes a point of having fun and there’s been so much more laughter here than I expected.

“We have kept contact with old friends and made new friends also.”