Things to start getting rid of before retiring

An article by Gabrielle Olya, writing for GoBankingRates via Yahoo! Finance, notes that when we retire, we tend to downsize, both in terms of our living space and – for nearly all of us – our income.

Her article identifies 25 things we can sell prior to retiring, in light of the twin truths that we may not only be living in smaller quarters, but with less income.

First, she suggests, is your home. By selling off your current abode, “you can use the funds to buy a smaller place or put the money toward rent and deposit any leftover money into savings. Downsizing your home can not only save you money, but it also can save time and effort because you have a smaller property to maintain.”

You won’t, she continues, need your fancy work clothes anymore, and may be able to get some dollars for them at a consignment shop. With more time and workout options at hand, maybe the home gym equipment can be sold off as well, Olya writes.

Another area for downsizing is the garage, she notes. “Even if you’re done paying off your car, it can still be a major expense between gas, insurance, maintenance and repairs. If you and your partner each own a car, consider selling one of them. Even if you only have one car, it might be cheaper to sell it and get around using rideshare services or public transportation.”

Consider, Olya suggests, selling off “bulky furniture” if you are moving to a smaller place; this can be done easily via Facebook Marketplace or Kijijii, or you can go “old school” and sell via consignment shops.

Other things the article mentions that can be sold off include holiday decorations, old computers (that still may be worth something), old kids’ toys that your adult children (or their kids) don’t want or need, the book collection, and, notably “collectibles and antiques.”

“Like books, collectibles and antiques can take up a lot of space that you might no longer have if you downsize your home. It’s fine to hold onto a few things with sentimental value, but assess whether these items would be worth more to you if you turned them into cash for your retirement savings,” writes Olya.

For years, Save with SPP had a large collection of boxed items that made the move, years ago, from Barrie to Waterloo, and on to Toronto and finally Ottawa. When we finally had time to open all the boxes up, we found it was mainly keepsakes and low-value collectibles that mostly ended up at Value Village. So take inventory of what you have boxed up in the basement, and see if any of it has resale value or can be gently donated. Your future you will thank you.

The money you save through this process will give you more spending power in retirement. And if you trim back on things before retirement, this newfound money can form – as the article says – a part of your long-term retirement savings. If you’re a Canadian with registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) room, consider the Saskatchewan Pension Plan (SPP), a voluntary defined contribution plan that may be just what you’re looking for to help you save. You can contribute up to $7,000 a year to SPP, and can also transfer up to $10,000 annually from other RRSPs. Check out this made-in-Saskatchewan solution today!

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