Frequently Asked Questions

It begins with a free phone or video consultation. We’ll learn about your situation, answer questions, and determine next steps. If it’s a fit, we’ll schedule an in-home consultation and provide a personalized estimate. We also offer virtual consultations for families coordinating moves from out of state.

Get started with our consultation form.

We know this can feel overwhelming. The first step is simply a conversation. We’ll listen, talk through your goals and timeline, and create a plan that feels manageable and respectful of your pace.

Yes — that’s often the best time to start. We can help you plan ahead with organizing, sorting, disbursement, home prep, and real estate coordination so nothing feels rushed.

We provide full-service move and downsizing management, including:

• Project management and planning
• Sorting, organizing, and disbursement
• Donation, consignment, and junk removal coordination
• Packing and unpacking support
• Floor planning and space layout
• Move-day oversight
• Home clear-outs and estate closeout
• Home sale preparation

Yes. We coordinate trusted partners for junk removal, donation pickups, and full-house clear-outs based on your needs.

Absolutely. We coordinate thoughtful setup of your new space, including furniture placement, art hanging, and essentials, so it feels comfortable and familiar.

Yes. We manage the local downsizing process and coordinate with vetted professionals in your destination city to ensure a smooth transition. Contact us to review your situation and we can tell you how we help.

An estate closeout is a comprehensive service to clear a home after a loved one passes away or moves from a longtime home. Our signature “Walk Away” service is a hands-off solution. We manage clearing all of a home’s contents, from helping you identify items to be moved or shipped to coordinating high-value auctions and charitable donations. We leave the property empty and “broom-clean,” ready for sale or transfer.

We prioritize responsible and thoughtful disposition of every item.

Items with resale value may be sold through auction, consignment, or private sale. Usable household goods are donated to local charities, and clients receive a tax-deductible receipt when available. Items that cannot be sold, donated, recycled or otherwise re-homed are disposed of legally and properly.

While every home is unique, we can typically schedule a clear out within 3 weeks of our initial meeting.  Once we have a scheduled date, our Walk Away process is completed in a matter of days.

Following a complimentary phone call, we visit the home, and then provide a clear proposal, project timeline, and realistic expectations for clearing the home completely. We can also provide clear instructions and timelines you can share with family members.

Our clear out pricing in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC is based primarily on the volume of belongings that need to be sorted, moved, and removed. We work with experienced local teams that provide competitive, custom pricing.

Our all inclusive proposals covers services like:

• Project management from start to finish
• Sorting and organizing belongings
• Moving services
• Auction and consignment coordination
• Donation coordination
• Junk removal and recycling
• Cleaning of the home

After an in-home consultation, you will receive a transparent, fixed price estimate so you know exactly what to expect with no hidden fees or surprises.

No. Many of our clients live out of state or have demanding schedules. You do not need to organize, pre-sort, or clean anything. You can leave all unneeded items right where they are. That’s the best part!

With our Walk Away service, we can help you save sentimental items, family keepsakes, and important documents upfront. Once those decisions are made, our team handles the sorting, selling, donating, recycling, and coordination required to fully clear the home, keeping you informed throughout the process. Simply Downsized handles everything, from furnishings, household items, clothing, tools, outdoor items and even household chemicals.  We clear drawers, cabinets, garages, sheds and attics, all included in one price.

Because you’re managing two major life events at the same time. Selling a home alone can feel overwhelming — emotionally and logistically. When you add sorting, clearing out, organizing, and preparing for a move, the workload and decision-making multiply quickly.

If your move plan and listing plan aren’t aligned, unnecessary stress can creep in. Real estate agents often propose aggressive timelines or begin pre-listing steps without fully understanding the time needed to sort, organize, and prepare for a downsizing move. Clear coordination keeps expectations realistic, prevents you from duplicating efforts like hiring overlapping services, and protects you from unnecessary pressure.

Problems usually happen when expectations, responsibilities, and timelines are not clearly defined from the start. Common challenges include:

• Listing the home before there is enough time to sort, downsize, and prepare it for sale
• Different expectations about how the home will look after the move
• Uncertainty about whether the homeowner will remain in the home during staging and showings
• Poor coordination between the moving, downsizing, and real estate timelines
• Recommendations to sell the home “as-is” when strategic updates or preparation could increase its value
• Well-intentioned offers from family, friends, or service providers who lack the experience, resources, or insurance to manage the project effectively

At Simply Downsized, we help create a clear plan before the work begins. We coordinate with homeowners, families, Realtors®, movers, and other professionals to align timelines, define responsibilities, and keep the project moving forward. While we can step in at any stage of the process, we recommend contacting us before hiring a real estate agent. We can provide a realistic timeline for clearing out the home and move with confidence.

Collaboration. When your Realtor® and Move Manager stay in close communication and respect the complexity of the process, the experience becomes far more manageable. With aligned timelines, clear roles, and shared goals, your transition can feel organized, supported, and far less overwhelming.

No. While we specialize in helping older adults, we also support families, adult children, and individuals navigating major life transitions or large home clear-outs.

Yes. This is very common. We manage planning, logistics, move-day coordination, and settling in — so you don’t have to do this alone.

Never. We work with complete discretion and zero judgment. This is our specialty, and you’re in safe hands.

A senior move manager is a trained professional who helps older adults and families manage the physical and emotional aspects of downsizing, organizing, and moving.

We manage the entire process — not just moving day. From sorting and staging to coordinating real estate and settling you in, we guide your transition from start to finish with care and experience.

Yes. Coordinating downsizing with the right real estate timing is key. We partner with trusted agents to align home prep and sales, saving time and money.

Yes. We are fully licensed and insured for both real estate consulting, and personal organizing and moving services. We treat every client with care, discretion, and professionalism.

We serve the Washington, D.C. metro area, including Northern Virginia (Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, McLean, Vienna, Oakton, Reston, Great Falls, and more), Washington, DC, and select areas of Maryland (Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring).

We also offer virtual consultations for families coordinating moves from out of state. If you’re unsure whether we cover your area, just reach out through our consultation form, we’re happy to confirm or refer you to a trusted professional in your region.

Every project is unique. After a free phone consultation, we schedule an in-home visit for a $300 fee. This fee must be paid prior to the visit. After the in-home or more extensive consultation, you’ll receive a clear proposal based on your needs, home size, and scope of services with no surprises or hidden fees.

Our downsizing service is a full-support experience. We help you:

• Sort and decide what to keep, donate, or sell
• Coordinate donations, estate sales, or clean-outs
• Partner with real estate agents as needed
• Arrange movers and oversee logistics
• Manage timelines and details from start to finish

You’ll receive a personalized plan, hands-on support, and access to trusted local partners so the process stays organized and stress-free.

Our business hours are Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. These hours may vary for onsite visits of active projects.

Yes. We specialize in accessible, safe, and dignified downsizing support and can handle as much of the physical process as needed.

Absolutely. We often work with adult children coordinating estate clear-outs or preparing a longtime family home for sale — even from out of town. Our goal is to make a difficult time easier with compassion and clear communication.