Feeling at Home: Mother-Daughter Duo Tackles Rightsizing Together
When Ginny R. decided to move to The Hacienda at Georgetown last summer, she knew which belongings had to make their way into her new apartment. Photographs of her and her husband starring in a rendition of Sweet Charity had to have a prominent spot in her living room. So too did the glassware she collected during her time living in Jerusalem and the artwork she picked up from her travels abroad. But what about her other belongings, those she no longer needed or wanted in her new residence?
Enter Liz Fitzgerald, founder of Austin Home Transitions. For more than 10 years, Liz has helped seniors and their families organize, declutter, rightsize, and make a successful move. But embarking on this new journey with Ginny was different. You might call it a family affair — because Liz is Ginny’s daughter.
“It’s definitely different when it’s your mom,” Liz reflected on helping her mother move to The Hacienda.
“We always joke and I say that she’s my hardest client. [But] I was able to give her a little insight.”
The two reminisced about Ginny’s moving process — and her prioritizing some objects over others.
“I said, ‘Wait, why are you keeping your George Foreman grill but throwing out my baby blanket?’” laughed Liz.
“I didn’t throw out your baby blanket!” Ginny replied. “Let’s get something straight here.”
“I took it! You did want to keep the George Foreman grill though, but we got rid of that.”
“And that’s right, I wouldn’t use it here at all!”
In fact, Ginny’s decision to move to The Hacienda was largely based on her desire to spend less time cooking and to be closer to friends who already resided in the community.
“I had some friends that were in Georgetown. I got tired of cooking and grocery shopping. The idea was appealing to have three meals served to me. All I had to do was get myself down there to have the meal.”
So when it came time to move from her home in Austin, Texas, to The Hacienda at Georgetown, Ginny and Liz came up with a plan to design Ginny’s new residence with everything she enjoyed, utilizing every square inch of the space. Ginny was happy to discard her kitchen appliances that she no longer had use for, but when it came time to consider keeping or donating books and clothing, she had to make some tough decisions.
“I brought the things that I really liked and cared about,” explained Ginny, “but I really had to pare down. So I had to be choosy about that and bring what was practical.”
"All of your favorite things are here,” Liz added. “They’re not only things you use every day but the things that bring you joy and make you happy.”
![GHG-1-(1) Woman holding cane, standing in her apartment.](/getmedia/7e632467-5aa3-40cb-96f6-f3b4bffceae8/GHG-1-(1).jpg)
Liz acknowledges that while it was difficult for her mother to acclimate to a much smaller residence, she gained much more additional space at The Hacienda with different program rooms, a movie theater,
art studio, and multiple dining areas. But this initial challenge that Ginny faced — deciding how to make a new, and smaller, living space feel like home, along with the usual stresses of moving itself — is something that Liz has plenty of experience in tackling.
“We try, from the community level, to partner [new residents] with a move managing company,” said Community Liaison Director Molly Nedley, “so they can take it from there and hold their hand through the most stressful parts of it all, with attention, solutions, and support. When people hear there’s a solution to that big question mark in their minds of ‘How will I get there?' they breathe a little easier, knowing there’s an expert there to assist. Our move-in coordinator provides incredible insider support, and these qualified companies help ensure they are executed seamlessly.”
Making a Seamless Transition
If you’re thinking or planning a move, there are steps you can take to rightsize and create a beautiful new home, regardless of whether you use a move management company. Before thinking about whether to keep or donate that George Foreman grill or baby blanket, Ginny and Liz say that having an open conversation about an upcoming transition, including discussing your unique needs and desires, is the best place for seniors and their families to start. And it might even provide opportunities to pass down beloved items to children or grandchildren, creating special memories in the process.
“You get to hear the unique story [behind the item] from the person giving it to you,” said Molly.
Added Liz: “It’s an opportunity to get kids involved now.”
Once a tour is scheduled and a move-in date is set, Ginny and Liz advise thinking about belongings in a practical manner.
Starting with one room at a time, identify what’s important first and work on cleaning the clutter by getting rid of old papers, like tax return forms or magazines. For items that haven’t been used in a while, they recommend taking photos of those you’re willing to part with so you can retain the memories, and then consider gifting them to family members or donating to other families in need. This process helps to make the letting go process easier knowing that your items are going to a good home.
Once you’ve identified which items to keep, think about what your every day will look like in your new residence. Do you enjoy your mornings cuddled up on the couch with your newspaper and a fresh cup of coffee? Or, like Ginny, do you look forward to watching the sunset over a glass of wine? Liz suggests choosing a residence that speaks to you and storing your coffee maker, mugs, or wine glasses in prominent, readily-accessible places. And for additional space, closets, desks, and nooks can be repurposed into bars or display areas for beloved trinkets.
“We use furniture in different ways that they may not have used in their home but they still want to keep that piece and utilize it in a different way,” said Liz.
“We try to get creative in the floor planning so they have everything they’re going to need.”
But above all, creating a safe, positive space where you can easily move around and live each day with joy is of utmost importance. While your new residence may not have room for all of your file cabinets, Liz suggests bringing one or two will allow you to keep your important documents close at hand. And you never have to apologize or second-guess keeping mementos from pets who have passed or magnets you’ve collected from vacations. Your needs are always valid — because your place is all yours.
![Living-Room-640x600 Living room with gray couch and photographs hanging on the wall.](/getmedia/53efabae-311d-4e98-a599-03ab9d6355f7/Living-Room-640x600.jpg)
![TV-Room-640x600 Living room with gray couch and photographs hanging on the wall.](/getmedia/ec5dcbe4-5ef2-434f-a0f1-0ac5a1e575ed/TV-Room-640x600.jpg)
Home Is More Than Just Space
After hours of decluttering, rightsizing, and decorating her new apartment, Ginny is settled and happy at The Hacienda. While she acknowledges the transition process took some time to fully accept, Ginny is enjoying her active lifestyle. She loves designing diamond art and participates in exercise classes and card games alongside new friends. She recently attended her first wine dinner at the community, featuring The Hacienda’s inspired team of chefs. “You just have to try new things, get out there, and go for it. That’s what I always tell my friends here,” said Ginny.
“I get jealous every time I come here,” Liz added. “I love meeting all these people and having a glass of wine. I try to spend the night here every once in a while.”
“I’m very popular with the rest of the family,” Ginny replied with a smile.
After all, home is more than just a place to keep your belongings. It’s warm, comfortable, and familiar. It’s a place to relax, bond, and create cherished memories together. For Liz, she takes comfort in the fact that her mother found a home where she can thrive in a safe and welcoming community. For Ginny, she found a home where she can live each day surrounded by those who accept her. And for this mother-daughter duo, they know that their journey to finding Ginny’s new home was always possible with each other's help and unconditional love.
As Ginny said about Liz: “She chose the right profession, and I chose the right daughter.”