Downsizing a Lifetime of Memories
A “10-minute rule” can help kūpuna start their transition to a new home
By: Donald Dietz
Jul 1, 2026
One of the hardest parts of getting older is not just moving from one home to another — it is the process of going through a lifetime of memories and deciding what stays, what goes and what is ready to bless someone else.
As an O‘ahu Realtor for over 30 years, I have helped many longtime clients prepare for this kind of transition. Some were moving to the U.S. continent to be closer to family. Others were moving across town into a smaller home that was easier to manage; in many cases, their original family house had simply become too much to maintain. These experiences eventually led me to start a service to help kūpuna and their families navigate the emotional, physical and practical parts of downsizing.
At first, I often encouraged family members to help with the sorting and packing. But over time, I learned that this can be much harder than people expect. Going through a parent’s home is not just a cleaning project — each photo, dish, tool, letter or piece of furniture may carry a memory. What looks like “clutter” to someone else may represent a chapter of someone’s life.
That is why I often recommend what I call the “10-minute rule” — choose one room, closet, drawer or area that you have been avoiding and commit to spending only 10 minutes there. Create three simple categories: 1) keep, 2) donate, and 3) let go. When the 10 minutes are up, stop. Then come back the next day and do another 10 minutes.
The goal is not to finish everything at once; the goal is to begin somewhere. Once you start seeing progress, it often becomes easier to continue.
Items in your “keep” pile should include important documents placed in a single safe or file box: insurance policies, mortgage papers, bank accounts, stock accounts, auto documents, estate documents and other records your family may need later.
For items you no longer need, remember that they may still have purpose. Clothes can help someone in need. Furniture can help a family starting over. Food can be donated to feed others. Letting go does not mean the item has no value — it means its value can continue somewhere else.
Downsizing is not about throwing away your life. It is about honoring your memories, easing the burden on your family and taking one small step at a time.
Sometimes, 10 minutes is enough to begin a whole new chapter.
Donald Dietz is a Realtor and founder of Aloha Senior 411.
This story appears in the July/August 2026 print issue of Ku‘u Home magazine.