A New York Times article this week titled Shrinking the World, or at Least Your Corner discusses an emerging group of workers called “downsizing specialists.”
What does a downsizing specialists do (according to the NYT article)?
"Downsizing specialist isn’t a formal designation with its own professional association; it’s a term for a job that combines organizing, psychology and plain old hand-holding.
People with backgrounds in gerontology, social work, health care and psychology are entering the field. They are helping their clients survive the daunting task of sorting out their furniture, collections, art, knickknacks, clothing, books and other items, and arranging for them to be sold, donated or discarded."
As silly as it seems, I think a lot of seniors will find this type of service useful. One reason is that as people age, they can have difficulty making decisions. I see it all the time. Even people who were very successful business executives can find it hard and stressful to make the simplest of decisions as they age. And cleaning out a home or moving is challenging under the best of circumstances.
And apparently, downsizing can be lucrative: many specialists say they charge $45 to $75 an hour to sort and dispose of possessions through estate or online sales, auction houses or charities.
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