No doubt, many of us will be wrestling with the dilemma of whether to stay put or move to a smaller and easier-to-care-for home in this new year. It’s a potentially momentous decision, one that many agebuzz readers regularly struggle with. Whether the conversation is triggered by a suddenly empty nest, a desire for a simpler life or the need to more carefully manage your finances, there are lots of good reasons- and yet resistance- to scaling back your housing and your lifestyle.

Maura Blackman, writing for The Million Acres division of The Motley Fool, has several recent pieces presenting both the pros and cons of downsizing. On the plus side? Some obvious financial benefits including lower mortgage and maintenance costs and potentially lower property taxes. As well, some less obvious cost-savings may arise from fewer temptations to buy items for your home (with the reduced space) which may then lead to a more frugal lifestyle generally. Against moving? Blackman cites such concerns as having space to host your family (or to even house an adult child coming back for a period) as well as worries that this might not be the right market to sell your larger home. In fact, in a recent piece in The New York Times, writer Kaya Laterman shared stories of couples who decided to stay put and re-work their space once the nest was empty, tackling home renovations more suitable to their new circumstances. The renovations included making room for rental space and upgrades to allow for more hosting and entertaining.

Whether or not you move, you may still be looking for ways to get rid of accumulated possessions. Want an example of an ingenious and fun way to offload your items? Take a look at this recent post in the Philadelphia Inquirer about Karen and Fritz Mulhauser, who had a mimosa party at their home of 45 years. Guests were not only wined and dined but persuaded to take away virtually any items in the home they coveted, thereby relieving the Mulhausers of the pain of pairing down on their own. Finally, do you ever wonder where the items you donate or give away actually wind up? You may want to check out the recently published book, Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Winter. In it, you’ll find out about the multi-billion dollar industry of “re-use” and why “too-much-itis” is a worldwide phenomenon.