Possession divestment by sales in later life

Abstract Residential relocation in later life is almost always a downsizing, with many possessions to be divested in a short period of time. This article examines older movers' capacities for selling things, and ways that selling attenuates people's ties to those things, thus accomplishing...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of aging studies 2015-08, Vol.34, p.21-28
Main Authors: Ekerdt, David J, Addington, Aislinn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Commerce - economics
Commodification
Delay Discounting
Divestment
Family Characteristics
Female
Gift Giving
Household Articles - economics
Housing - economics
Human Migration
Humans
Internal Medicine
Knowledge
Life Change Events
Male
Materiality
Mental Competency
Middle Aged
Midwestern United States
Narration
Older people
Personal Satisfaction
Possessions
Relocation
Residence Characteristics
Sales
Social networks
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Summary:Abstract Residential relocation in later life is almost always a downsizing, with many possessions to be divested in a short period of time. This article examines older movers' capacities for selling things, and ways that selling attenuates people's ties to those things, thus accomplishing the human dis-possession of the material convoy. In qualitative interviews in 79 households in the Midwestern United States, older adults reported their experience with possession sales associated with residential relocation. Among this group, three-quarters of the households downsized by selling some belongings. Informal sales seemed the least fraught of all strategies, estate sales had mixed reviews, and garage sales were recalled as laborious. Sellers' efforts were eased by social relations and social networks as helpers and buyers came forward. As selling proceeded, sentiment about possessions waned as their materiality and economic value came to the fore, easing their detachment from the household. Possession selling is challenging because older adults are limited in the knowledge, skills, and efforts that they can apply to the recommodification of their belongings. Selling can nonetheless be encouraged as a divestment strategy as long as the frustrations and drawbacks are transparent, and the goal of ridding is kept in view.
ISSN:0890-4065
1879-193X
DOI:10.1016/j.jaging.2015.03.006