Possessions accumulate with the passage of time and serve their owners in both functional and symbolic capacities. Research indicates that while the instrumental meaning of an object decreases with age, its symbolic meaning increases over time. Downsizing during one’s later years represents a narrowing of life when burdens should be lightened, and connections illuminated.

The purpose of this project was to develop a toolkit to assist older adults who are moving to a smaller residence or institutional setting or reducing their household content to make it more manageable as they age. A foundational strategy of the toolkit is to pass possessions along to someone who wants or needs them through donation, creating an opportunity to continue their story and create legacy, thereby connecting to the inner emotions and to community members in need.