Decluttering: What seniors should know about clearing out their homes

At 80, Leni Siegel’s rich life is visible throughout the Berkeley home she’s lived in for 20 years - in family photos, old theater programs from performances she attended and books she’s collected over the years. Now, feeling overwhelmed by it all, she’s facing the difficult task of deciding what to keep and what to let go.

“I still have a ways to go,” she said, “but I feel lighter.”

Too much stuff can lead to problems as people age. Increasingly older adults aim to stay in their homes - about 88%, according to research from the University of Michigan - and maintaining a space that is safe, clear and accessible becomes increasingly important. Too much stuff increases the risk of falls that undermine older adults’ ability to live independently, a 2023 study by researchers at Mississippi State University found.

Still, for many older adults, decluttering is hard. The toughest part is often knowing where to begin.

“Overwhelm is the biggest thing,” said Becky Bacon, a professional organizer who has worked with clients in their 40s through 70s for more than 15 years throughout the Bay Area. “They don’t know when to start, and there’s a lot of fear tied up in it.”

That fear is often tied to why someone is paring down their belongings. Some are preparing to move into a smaller home or a senior community. Others are adapting to health changes, like bringing in a caregiver or navigating a spouse’s dementia. In every case, Bacon said, the uncertainty can make even small decisions feel daunting.

And then there’s the weight of a lifetime of belongings.

In his research, Dr. Joseph Ferrari, a psychology professor at DePaul University, has found that increasing clutter is tied to decreased life satisfaction. While holding on to items may feel good in the moment, his work suggests that less can be more.

“All that stuff does not make you happier,” Ferrari said.

In his decades of research, across all groups, participants reported positive emotions to having less.

In a 2023 study of 172 adults who had recently decluttered their homes, researchers found people tend to approach the process in three distinct ways: enthusiastic, challenged or disengaged. Those who viewed decluttering as personally meaningful were more likely to find the process enjoyable and successful, while those who felt pressed for time or lacked control reported higher stress and less progress. But all felt better in the end.

Even when people are ready, the process is slow, Bacon said. Downsizing a home can take six months to a year, depending on how quickly someone can make decisions.

An emotional connection can make it difficult to let go, especially for older generations who grew up with scarcity and were taught to hold onto things. Many of Bacon’s clients worry that the next person won’t cherish the item as much as they do.

She encourages clients to think about where their belongings might go next. Donating items to places or people who will value them can help reframe the process from loss to continuity, as many clients want to see their items continue to have a “life.”

Bacon’s work requires patience and compassion. Rather than making decisions for clients, Bacon guides them through the process, keeping them focused on one area at a time. Much of that work involves listening, as clients often want to share the stories behind their belongings.

“Honoring the item helps them let it go,” she said.

And for loved ones who want to help, she emphasizes care and understanding - both for the person downsizing and for the process itself.

“You have to meet people where they are,” she said.

Bacon said she often sees patterns of excess belongings among older adults who lived through the Great Depression, noting that a scarcity mindset was likely shaped by that period of hardship.

For Leni Siegel, that rang true in her family. Her late mother had lived through the Great Depression, and Siegel saw those habits reflected in the items she left behind.

“She had so much stuff, it was a burden,” she said.

Siegel began downsizing during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the boxes her mother had accumulated became harder to ignore. As she and her sister sifted through old documents and photos, Siegel realized she didn't want her own children to face the same fate.

“I just started going room by room, cupboard by cupboard,” Siegel said.

She’s still in the process of clearing things out, but says she already feels a difference. After a few years of gradual decluttering - trips to recycling centers, donations to Goodwill and reducing her bookcases to just two - Siegel said her mind is now settled in a way she hadn’t anticipated. She still holds on to her grandmother’s heirloom silverware set.

“I actually realized I don’t need ten tablecloths,” Siegel said, laughing. “I’m good with one or two.”

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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 4:10 AM.