Discover All the Benefits to Downsizing

Now is the time to downsize

There's no doubt about it—making the decision to downsize for your retirement is a big step. If you've lived in your house for many years, you may feel reluctant to leave it, and moreover, may be worrying about how to downsize your home.

But, as the more than 2,000 people who live at Charlestown have discovered, when you give up the things you no longer need (like that formal dining room you rarely use or the rec room you haven't set foot in since your adult children lived at home), you gain so much more.

You may already know that Charlestown offers maintenance-free living, 24-hour security, and an active lifestyle, but what you may not realize is all of the other benefits that come with downsizing to an apartment and right-sizing your lifestyle.

Here are five things that people who live at Charlestown cite over and over again as some of the greatest benefits of moving to the Catonsville, Md., community.

1. Cross decluttering off your to-do list

If decluttering and downsizing your house have been weighing on your mind for years, imagine how much more at ease you'll feel when that project is behind you. The benefits of downsizing are numerous.

Research shows that clutter can cause anxiety and even depression. Living in a space that contains only the things you need and love can feel incredibly liberating.

What's more, if you move to Charlestown, you don't have to worry about how to declutter your home or moving on your own because we offer moving and downsizing services for seniors. Prospective residents have access to Erickson Realty and Moving Services, a special program that offers complimentary coordination of all realty and moving needs, including downsizing, home staging, packing, and selection of a real estate professional.

You'll work with Personal Moving Consultant Vera Ballard, who can help you decide which furniture pieces and household items will work best in your new home. She can even design a floor plan that the movers will use to place furniture on moving day—so your apartment feels like home from day one.

2. Make meals leisurely again

Ah, dinnertime. All you have to do to enjoy a lovely meal is: plan a meal; drive to the grocery store; lug heavy bags into the house; prepare and cook the meal; and then, after you've finally eaten, wash the dishes.

If you've put in more than your fair share of time in the kitchen, then meals at Charlestown will quickly become one of your favorite parts of the day. With seven on-site restaurants, serving more than two dozen menu items daily, you can leave the cooking to the professionals. 

3. Trade unused space for valuable time

You may love your house, but chances are you've come to dread all of the weed pulling, gutter cleaning, spare-room dusting, and second-bathroom scrubbing that comes with it. It's an unavoidable reality: the more excess space you have, the more time you have to spend on maintenance.

At Charlestown, all maintenance—from mowing the lawn to changing the light bulbs—is handled by the professional staff. And with apartment homes that have just the right number of rooms, you'll no longer have to lose Saturday afternoons to cleaning out storage closets or mopping dusty floors in rooms you don't even use.

With all of that newfound free time, you'll get to focus on the things you really love. You can spend more quality time with loved ones and immerse yourself in hobbies you may have neglected for years.

4. Enjoy the financial freedom of knowing you have a home for life

Thanks to a solid financial structure that includes a predictable monthly service package and a refundable entrance fee, as a resident of Charlestown you can balance your budget with confidence. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing with certainty that no matter what the future holds, your investment is safe and your future is secure. 

Our 90% refundable entrance fee secures an apartment home for as long as you live in the community. The funds can be accessed to cover qualified continuing care expenses if your health needs change or refunded to your estate or your heirs should you leave the community. 

Another important feature that sets Charlestown apart from other communities is the strong belief as a community in helping residents who experience an unforeseen financial hardship. Charlestown's Benevolent Care Fund assists those individuals who are unable to pay their full monthly fees by providing needed financial assistance. This assurance says we will never ask you to leave the community for a genuine inability to pay. Our Residence and Care Agreement has complete details.

5. First-rate health care right down the hall

Most people move to Erickson Living-managed communities like Charlestown because everything they need is in one location, including their medical team of physicians and nurses. There is comfort in knowing that a doctor is available, just minutes away. Community members may choose to see one of these doctors or continue to work with the doctors they visited prior to their move.

Charlestown offers a level of care unavailable at other retirement communities, including services dedicated to providing the best care possible at all levels of health. The hand-picked medical staff specializes in the unique needs of seniors and works exclusively with Charlestown community members. They provide same-day appointments and personalized care focused on individual patients' goals.

What are you waiting for?

It's time to retire your toolbox and your worries. Take the first step on the journey to maintenance-free living by requesting a brochure today!