Handling emotions and dealing with sentimental items is one of the hardest things to deal with when downsizing. We project our memories in our belongings and feel we will lose those memories when we do not possess the belongings anymore. To overcome those feelings, the first step is to understand that our memories are NOT in our belongings, but our belongings trigger our memories.

When Toni Konjin from Cherish Books contacted me to meet for a coffee a while ago I browsed her website and decided to share her story and business idea with you on my blog. From the research for my book I know that dealing with sentimental items is a big challenge for empty nesters and I think Toni’s idea of creating keepsake books for beloved treasures, art collections, and hobbies is a fantastic way of preserving these memories. So I asked her to be part of my podcast show and hope you will be inspired and get some ideas what to do with your sentimental items you can’t take into your new home.

More tips how to deal with sentimental items are available in my book Downsize With Style.

The post DWS 05: Creative Ways to Deal With Sentimental Items appeared first on Bettina Deda.

Finding the right place to live when downsizing is one of the hardest tasks for empty nesters. There are many factors to take into consideration when looking for a new home, which should be cosy and comfortable as this is vital for your wellbeing.

Are you overwhelmed with the number of retirement housing options to choose from?

Are you frustrated with the level of information you are receiving when contacting village operators?

Are you time-poor and find it hard to select a place for your elderly parents?

Don’t worry – you are not alone!

In this week's podcast I talk to Amanda Graham, Co-Founder of Seniors Housing Online, an online platform to find the right place to live when retiring. Amanda shares the three most important steps to follow when looking for a retirement village - either for yourself or your parents.

We also talk about trends in retirement living and her new international site.

Please leave a rating on iTunes and share the podcast with your friends and community - if you found it interesting.  Submit your questions or topics via the contact form on my website or leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you and make this podcast even more awesome!

The post DWS 04: How to Find the Right Retirement Village appeared first on Bettina Deda.

I recently was invited to speak at a downsizing event about property styling and how to best dress your home for success when selling. Over 150 people attended this information session with Andrew Winter from Selling Houses Australia at The Gracewood Community in Kellyville. The attendants asked a lot of questions about how to de-clutter and prepare their home for sale in which they have lived for 30, 40 or more years. After the presentations Andrew Winter led a panel session with Linda Coskerie, Seniors Real Estate Specialist and the third speaker, myself and three residents of The Gracewood Community. Visitors asked lots of questions about de-cluttering, preparing their home for sale and how to get started with downsizing to a smaller home. They also had the chance to hear first-hand how it feels like to live in a brand new retirement village like Gracewood.

I was pleased to receive very positive feedback to my presentation and decided to share it with you as a podcast.

If you are planning to downsize one of the first hurdles to take is selling your family home. In this episode of the Downsize With Style podcast – now available for free on iTunes –  I am talking about how to style your property for sale in order to achieve top dollar on auction day.

Chances are that you live in a large 5-bedroom house with lots of furniture and stuff that has accumulated over the past 20 to 30 years. After listening to this podcast you will have a toolbox of tips and resources to dress your home for success.

What I am going to share with you are the top 3 strategies to follow in order to create a wow factor in key areas of your home and to achieve the highest return on investment:

Please subscribe to my podcast if you would like to receive all episodes once they are published. I also would love to read your reviews on iTunes. This will help me to improve it and deliver more valuable content for you.

Any comments or questions are much appreciated in the comment section below. I am pretty sure others have the same questions and I am happy to answer all of them in future episodes. What would you like to hear about in the future?

The post DWS 03: How To Style Your Property For Sale When Downsizing appeared first on Bettina Deda.

I recently had my first author talk at the lovely Bookoccino book store in Avalon, on Sydney's Northern Beaches. With 20 guests and the staff seated between book shelves we had a nice and cosy atmosphere to discuss downsizing challenges. I gave an overview of the 5 steps to downsize with style with a more detailed discussion of steps 1, 3 and 4, which are

At the end of my talk I gave away a signed copy of Downsize With Style. The lucky winner was a lovely lady living nearby and a regular Bookoccino customer.

[image_frame style="framed" align="center"]http://www.bdcolourdesign.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/IMG_2316-e1402614764364.jpg[/image_frame]

[image_frame style="framed" align="center"]http://www.bdcolourdesign.net.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/IMG_1084-e1402614861897.jpg[/image_frame]

For those of you who could not attend I have recorded the talk and added it to my DWS podcast show. The podcasts will soon be on iTunes for you to subscribe, download and listen when it is convenient for you.

I appreciate any feedback and input what you would like to hear more about.

The post DWS 02: Downsize With Style Author Talk appeared first on Bettina Deda.

Welcome to the Downsize With Style podcast show to help you create a happy home and refine your new lifestyle!

A I keep getting a lot of positive feedback to my book I decided utilise another media channel to share my message with you  -  the Downsize With Style podcast show for people, who are planning to downsize and prefer listening to my message while cooking, walking or driving. We spend so much time in the car these days – why not using it for education and inspiration?

The first episode is an introduction of myself and my journey into the world of colour and interiors. I am also talking about what inspired me to start this show.

The Downsize With Style podcast is for you if

As I would love to answer your questions in future episodes, why not leaving a comment below with topics that interest you or challenges you would like to get solved? I promise I will answer them all! I am aiming at finding topic hosts to discuss specific topics and provide professional advice. It is all about empowering you to make the right decisions and stay in control of your downsizing project.

Now, what are you waiting for? Click the Play button below to listen to the first episode.

The post DWS 01: Introduction of the Downsize With Style Podcast Show appeared first on Bettina Deda.