Did you drive a station wagon? That dates you for sure! Our family transitioned from a nine-passenger station wagon to a Volkswagen Van to a Chrysler Minivan! I have vivid memories of driving cross country on vacations with the kids playing in the back. In those days there was no sensitivity to seatbelt safety, and I am eternally grateful that there were no accidents. As the children moved away and had their own families, our cars got smaller, and theirs got bigger. I really don’t hear seniors complaining about downsizing their cars. To the contrary, there may be great delight in driving a little two-seater sports coupe at long last! The ultimate expression of automobile downsizing is the appearance of golf cars on the streets of Sun City. It is a pure expression of easy, carefree, and convenient retirement living!

The subject of downsizing is prominent among the senior population. There is a whole downsizing industry that is developing across the country; when you google ‘downsizing for seniors’ you get nine million results! Why is it that Seniors cling to their big homes far longer than their big cars? My mantra is consistently the same: get out of the big house and liberate yourself to create a future. Having worked in the retirement business for 20 years, I’ve seen up close the results when Elders have waited too long to unload the 60-year household collection. The task is overwhelming, the kids are not interested, and the big house has suddenly become an albatross. Just as you see your auto as a reflection of where you are in life, prepare your living space to reflect the same. Be ready for the future because you are just now old enough to face it with confidence! Visit me at www.JustNowOldEnough.com.

Connie Mason is a lifestyle consultant at www.JustNowOldEnough.com.