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Move, Reno, Repurpose - How to Decice
2 Plays3 hours ago
In this solo reflection episode, Jacquie unpacks the biggest insights from her conversation with Kim Costa (author of Live in Your Wheelhouse) and translates them into practical questions listeners can use to evaluate whether their current home still fits the life they want in retirement. The throughline: your home isn’t just a building—it’s a support system for your health, relationships, routines, and sense of peace.
Why this matters (the “retire TO” connection)
Retirement isn’t only a financial transition—it’s a lifestyle transition. Jacquie invites listeners to think proactively about what they’re retiring to: a daily rhythm, a community, and an environment that supports who they are now (not who they were 20 years ago).
What we covered
- Why a “forever home” can stop fitting as your life evolves
- The idea of evaluating your home based on how it supports your lifestyle—not just your stuff
- Kim Costa’s Wheelhouse Method: looking at life in eight dimensions to spot what’s out of sync
- Options beyond moving: renovating, downsizing, repurposing rooms, and experimenting with new routines
- The often-forgotten role of spirituality/grounding and nature in retirement happiness
- Timing: avoiding the stress of waiting too long (or moving too quickly)
- Living authentically in your “third life” and letting go of stereotypes about what retirement should look like
Key takeaways
- Your home should support your life stage. What worked at 25 may not work at 55 or 65.
- A home decision is also a life decision. It impacts your mobility, energy, relationships, and joy.
- Not every solution requires a move. Small changes can create big alignment.
- Don’t ignore the “soft” needs. Peace, sunlight, nature, and spiritual grounding matter.
- Plan before it becomes urgent. The best moves are made from choice, not pressure.
WANT TO KICKSTART YOUR RETIREMENT JOURNEY?
Start here: https://beyondretirement.ca/start-here/
Book a FREE call with Jacquie: https://calendly.com/jacquiedoucette/discovery
Check out the Beyond Retirement Library: https://placeforbooks.com
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Transcript
Challenging Traditional Retirement Views
00:00:03
Speaker
Retirement. That's what we're all aiming at, right? But exactly what does that mean? conjures up visions of endless days of golf, drinks with little umbrellas in them on a tropical beach, feet up reading a book.
00:00:16
Speaker
Is that what it's all about? I don't think so. Life would get pretty dull after a while without anything meaningful to do, don't you think? I'm Jackie Doucette, and I'm on a mission to discover exactly what life is like beyond retirement.
00:00:30
Speaker
Join me while I chat with people who've already done it, who've retired to something rather than from something. Let's find out together exactly what's waiting for us when we say goodbye to that nine to five.
Supporting Meaningful Transitions
00:00:51
Speaker
Hi everyone, welcome to another episode of Beyond Retirement. I'm your host, Jackie Doucette. Through Beyond Retirement, I help people retire to something meaningful. Maybe that means more purpose, more routine, more joy.
00:01:06
Speaker
Whatever it might be for you, remember that you don't have to struggle alone in the transition to retirement. let's have a conversation. There's a link to a free call in the show notes.
00:01:18
Speaker
And if you prefer to do some quiet exploration first, I've published a variety of books to help you on your journey. The link to my library is also in the show notes, and both those links are also available on my website, beyondretirement.ca.
00:01:34
Speaker
I look forward to talking with you and to helping make your journey beyond retirement the very best it can be.
Adapting Homes to Life Needs
00:01:41
Speaker
And today I want to dive a little bit deeper into what Kim Costa and I were talking about last week.
00:01:48
Speaker
If you remember, Kim is a top Atlanta realtor and and the author of Live in Your Wheelhouse. If you missed that episode, I highly recommend you go back and listen to it after this one, because Kim offered some truly insightful ways to think about home, life, and the big transitions that come with retirement.
00:02:07
Speaker
Today I want to unpack those ideas a little bit and really focus on how they relate to all of us heading into retirement or maybe already in the thick of it.
00:02:20
Speaker
One of the things that really struck me was Kim's perspective that buying or staying in a home isn't just about the walls, the yard, or how many bedrooms there are.
00:02:31
Speaker
It's about how that environment interacts with and supports your life as it changes. Many of us move into a home thinking it'll be our forever home, but as Kim pointed out and as we all know, our idea of a forever home at 25 is rarely what we need at 55 or 65 or 85.
00:02:56
Speaker
Transitions happen, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. Kids move out, careers wind down, sometimes health or mobility issues crop up.
00:03:07
Speaker
Even simple things like not wanting to shovel snow or mow the lawn anymore can start to feel pretty important after a while. That doesn't mean everybody needs to jump up and sell their homes right now, but it does mean it's worth taking a thoughtful inventory of what you want your life to look like And it's important to ask honestly, does my home support that vision?
Kim's Wheelhouse Method
00:03:35
Speaker
Kim developed something she calls the wheelhouse method, where you look at eight different facets of your life, the same things that I talk about in my wheel of life, things like health, finances, family, fun, spirituality, and you rate each one in terms of how your current living situation fits it.
00:03:54
Speaker
I tried her wheel, on my situation, it was kind of eye-opening. My wheel is sort of flat. Sometimes we don't realize how much a home can be out of sync with where we are.
00:04:07
Speaker
Maybe you've got a big house, but everyone you love is far away. Maybe your home is paid off, but it's got stairs that are turning into a nightly obstacle course.
00:04:18
Speaker
Maybe you're longing for more connection with nature or easier access to your community. and your current spot just doesn't cut it. What I really loved about Kim's approach is that not every solution means moving.
00:04:33
Speaker
Sometimes it's about renovating, sometimes it's about downsizing, or even just repurposing rooms to better fit your hobbies, your interests, and your needs today, not the needs you had 20 years ago when you bought the place.
Spirituality in Retirement Choices
00:04:47
Speaker
Another dimension that Kim highlighted and one I think that a lot of us overlook is the role of spirituality or grounding, however you want to describe it. It might be faith, it might be meditation, it might just be connecting with nature.
00:05:04
Speaker
One of the things Kim said, getting sunlight, connecting to the outdoors, appreciating a sense of peace in your environment, they're proven to contribute to happiness.
00:05:15
Speaker
And they're often neglected when you're making decisions. When you're thinking about a place to retire, don't just consider the practical stuff. Ask yourself, does this environment nourish me?
00:05:28
Speaker
For some, that means a garden or a park nearby. For others, it means proximity to a faith community. For me personally, a morning walk where I can just breathe and think is sometimes just as important as square footage.
00:05:46
Speaker
Kim also talked about timing, and honestly, that's one of the trickiest parts.
Timing Housing Decisions
00:05:51
Speaker
Many people stay too long in homes that don't fit anymore, sometimes until health or logistical challenges force a move under stress.
00:06:01
Speaker
Others rush into change without checking to see if the new place really suits their needs, and then they regret it a few months later. The lesson here is to find that sweet spot.
00:06:13
Speaker
Take the time to really consider what you want, but don't wait until things get urgent. Start making a plan ahead of time. Experiment a little. Go spend a season somewhere else. Try out new routines.
00:06:26
Speaker
Repurpose old rooms to reflect your next chapter. Don't settle for a wheel of life that feels like a flat tire. Balance matters. Maybe the most powerful idea from my conversation with Kim is that retirement really can be your third life.
00:06:44
Speaker
It's a time to rediscover what makes you uniquely you. This isn't about following what everyone else is doing, moving to Florida because that's a stereotype, downsizing because it's expected, or keeping that big house because you always have.
00:06:59
Speaker
It's about taking stock of your needs, your wants, and your dreams, and taking steps so that your environment fits. Whether that means moving, renovating, or simply rearranging your favorite chair to catch the morning sun, make sure you're living in your own wheelhouse.
Assessing Home Suitability
00:07:18
Speaker
Take some time for yourself. Ask honestly, what's working in my current home? What isn't? What does home mean to me now? And does my space support what I want for the years to come?
00:07:33
Speaker
Another thing I've been thinking about a little bit, a few things that can make this kind of time of life even better. And I'd like to finish up with a bit of a list because I like making lists.
Enhancing Retirement Fulfillment
00:07:50
Speaker
So these are things that I've been thinking about a little bit to make um retirement a little bit more rewarding. Number one is test drive your dreams.
00:08:01
Speaker
And I've said it before, don't rush into major decisions if you can help it. Think about them for a little while. Are you thinking about moving to a new city? Try renting there for a winter or for a summer and see how you really like it.
00:08:15
Speaker
Do you think downsizing is the right idea? Experiment with living small for a little while. Close off part of your house and see if you really need all that extra space.
00:08:28
Speaker
Repurpose your spaces. If you've decided you want to stay put, you can kind of give your environment a little bit of a facelift. Convert an unused bedroom into a studio for painting, for writing, or for whatever makes you tick. Maybe it's playing music.
00:08:44
Speaker
Don't let a room just sit idle because it's the spare room or it belongs to your kids. Make it serve the person that you are today. And take a look at that wheel of life and make sure that you're looking at all of the spokes and taking time to evaluate the areas that matter the most. Is it your health? Is it your finances? Is it proximity to family?
00:09:08
Speaker
Access to nature? Maybe it is spiritual fulfillment. Whatever it is, figure out what matters most and revisit the priorities as you go through your days, just so that you can round it out a little bit.
00:09:25
Speaker
This next one is something that's tough for me. Declutter, both physically and emotionally. So don't wait until a move is forced upon you to start organizing and simplifying your life. Start now. Let go of the stuff because it can be emotionally freeing as well. If you have family or friends who might treasure a keepsake, pass it on now and enjoy seeing them appreciate And if nobody's going to enjoy it, get rid of it now.
00:09:54
Speaker
You'll feel a little freer.
Flexibility and Connection in Retirement
00:09:57
Speaker
The next thing is don't forget or don't be afraid to be a little bit selfish. It's easy to think I have to stay put because my kids want me at home or I shouldn't move because everyone expects me to do something.
00:10:11
Speaker
But as Kim pointed out, this stage of life is for you. If you've spent a lifetime caring for everybody else, now is the time to build a home and a lifestyle that make you happy.
00:10:22
Speaker
So it's okay to think about yourself sometimes. And who knows, if you decide to move, maybe your kids or your grandkids will love coming to visit you. Stay flexible and stay curious.
00:10:35
Speaker
Seasons change. Health can change. Families move. Give yourself permission to change along with them. There's no one-size-fits-all retirement. And along with that, it's important to stay connected because loneliness is a real challenge as we get older.
00:10:55
Speaker
Whether you move closer to friends and family, join new clubs, um adopt a pet, maybe it'll get you out walking more. Make social connections part of your retirement plan because it'll make you happier.
Reflecting on Life Fulfillment
00:11:11
Speaker
So in closing, I'd like you just to think about what living in your wheelhouse really means to you. Are you in a place physically, emotionally, spiritually that feels like home?
00:11:25
Speaker
If not, maybe it's time for a tune-up. Take a few minutes this week to rate those areas of your life. See where the bumps are in that wheel and start dreaming of the ways that you can round it out a little bit.
00:11:40
Speaker
I'd love to hear what you think about it. Have you had a crazy realization about your own life, about the way things are going? Are you considering a move or a renovation or just changing in how you use your space at home?
00:11:55
Speaker
Tell me about it. I'd like to know. Thanks for joining me
Closing and Resources
00:11:59
Speaker
today. I really hope it gave you something to think about. And until next time, keep chugging along.
00:12:07
Speaker
Thanks for joining me today. If something in today's episode created a spark for you, let's explore it together. I help people heading through retirement create a life that fits them where they are right now.
00:12:20
Speaker
I've also published a variety of books designed to help guide you towards a more fulfilling life. You can find links to my library and to my free call in the show notes and on my website at beyondretirement.ca.
00:12:36
Speaker
And that's it for this episode of Beyond Retirement. Thank you so much for hanging out with me. I hope you enjoyed it. Are you ready to start rocking your retirement? Head on over to www.beyondretirement.ca forward slash rocking it and sign up to plan out your own roadmap for retirement.
00:12:55
Speaker
Don't wait till it's too late.