Make Downsizing Easier: Helping Your Parents Transition Smoothly with Amy Slenker-Smith (Ep 298)
About the episode
After losing both in-laws within months of each other, life coach Amy Slenker-Smith shares what she learned helping them downsize and the conversations she wishes more families would start sooner.
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Connect with Amy Slenker-Smith
Are you dreading the day you'll have to clear out your parents' home while grieving?
In this powerful episode, Amy Slenker-Smith shares her deeply personal experience of losing both in-laws within two and a half months of each other, and what she learned helping them downsize years before.
Amy walked her in-laws through a massive transition: from 3,400 square feet to a 1,200 square foot apartment. Because of that work, clearing their belongings after they passed took just 3-4 days instead of months. She's sharing exactly how you can give that same gift to YOUR family.
Key Takeaways:
Why proper downsizing takes 1-2 years (and what to do if you're already in crisis mode)
The first thing to abandon when your timeline is short (hint: it's selling)
How the "category by category" method makes decisions easier
Why the things your family wants are NOT what you'd expect
How to start conversations even when parents won't talk about "someday"
The phrase "I'll let my kids deal with it" and why it's so devastating
About Amy Slenker-Smith:
Amy Slenker‑Smith is a life and business coach helping women simplify their homes, habits, and businesses.
A former professional organizer, she believes true organization begins with owning less. Amy guides her clients through practical systems and intentional habits—so they can stop managing the chaos and start living and leading with more ease, purpose, and follow-through.
Time Stamps:
0:00 Intro
1:36 Amy's background
6:05 Losing both in-laws within months
10:47 Why hospice is a gift
14:07 The first downsize: 3,400 to 1,200 sq ft
22:43 Why you need more time than you think
26:36 Tips for tight timelines
29:58 Category by category (17 side tables!)
35:53 What your family actually wants
43:30 "I don't want to do this to my kids"
57:05 How to start the tough conversation
1:00:35 Rapid fire questions
Music: Fresh Lift by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com
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cheers!
About Deanna Yates
Based in San Diego, CA, Deanna helps high-achieving moms clear the clutter from their homes and lives.
Through coaching, courses, summits, and her top-ranked Wannabe Clutter Free podcast, she supports modern women in building organized, peaceful homes where they can thrive.
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