Stuff It

Think your kids/relatives are going to want your stuff when you’re gone. They’ll take your money for sure, but pass on the stuff. You can’t blame them. No one does formal entertaining anymore so what the heck can you do with china and glass service for 12?

The real shock comes when boomers ask the kids what they want and they are truly stumped by the question. Not the antiques, not the expensive furniture, not the rocking chair, definitely not the photo albums. Clothing? Real fur? No way. Women might nibble at the purses and men will cherry pick some tools, but that may be the best you can expect. Scroll through eBay and you’ll see what people are almost begging you to take off their hands.

Younger generations live for the most part in smaller homes/apartments, and their taste is dramatically different from yours. Just the idea of sorting through all your belongings is a major turn-off.

You could start selling off your stuff but even that comes with some disappointments. Nothing that you own is worth what you think it is. Not even close. Entire dining room sets for $100? Big pieces that no one wants just end up broken down and tossed.

Whatever you do, experts advise don’t put it in storage. That ends up being someone’s major headache down the line and the kids still won’t want any of it, which means it’s going to strangers or the landfill.

Do you really want to think about your kids or relatives going through your belongings to cull anything of value? If you’re trying to give them the stuff now, what you’re really doing is downsizing yourself while you try to upsize them.

Experts advise that you ask the offspring/relatives what they want and give it to them NOW. When you’re gone, the removal company can come in and take care of whatever is left. Don’t feel bad. You enjoyed your stuff. It doesn’t mean that anyone else needs to love it or live with it.

Final advice from the pros is do not put this off. Dispensing with a lifetime’s accumulation of possessions is neither easy nor quick. Donating your possessions to people that really need them will make you feel better, knowing it’s going to people who need and appreciate it.

The good news is that your abode will look a lot and feel more roomy and be easier to clean. You can finally get that RoombaVacuum!

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. You can also visit his author page here. His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.

Saving the Day

And you thought it was teens buying Taylor Swift concert and movie tickets (I’m not knocking them. Those kids are dropping some serious cash).

Here’s a quick rundown of the numbers. Boomers over age 65 make up 18% of the population. But we’re holding half of the country’s total net worth of $75 trillion. But that’s not all!! We were responsible for 22% of all spending in 2022.

It’s enough to make you hum the Mighty Mouse theme song. “Here I come, to save the day!
Baby Boomers are on the way!”

Boomers have less consumer debt and some sizable nest eggs. Where is all that money? $18 trillion in real estate. $15 trillion in pensions. $20 trillion in stocks.

Are we sitting on it? NO! Spending by older households has increased over 34% since 1982. Economists believe that boomers who grew up with the “live-for-today” attitude are the best hope of this country ducking a big recession. We’ve got the time and we’ve got the money. That makes us a generational economic engine. We can travel to far away places, stay in fine hotels, buy a new electric car (maybe two!), eat in the best restaurants, drink the best wines, buy a second home. Come on people! We’ve got an economy to save!

What happens if we don’t spend it all (a very likely scenario according to economists, by the way)? It gets left to Gen Xers and Millennials, who might want to cut boomers some slack considering the windfall that will be coming their way.

If you’re sitting on the sidelines (and sitting on the nest egg), it’s time to get cracking. America’s economy is counting on you. We’ll see you at the airport!

Jay Harrison is a writer and creative consultant for DesignConcept. You can also visit his author page here. His newest mystery novel, Rio Puerco Demise is available on Amazon. His first mystery novel, Head Above Water, is also available on Amazon. But that’s not all. You can also purchase the Best of BoomSpeak on Amazon.