Through the years our family has periodically downsized. As my husband often has said to me, "Dear, before you buy any new clothes, better throw out the clothes that you never wear." Research has brought out that people wear only about 20 percent of the clothes that are hanging in their closets and I certainly am no exception to that statistic.

Our daughter had been urging us to re-locate to a new senior housing development just two blocks away from her home. She finally settled for helping me bring her father home from the care center once more. But she insisted that I downsize our basement clutter to prepare room for a live-in care giver just in case.

I dreaded the day when we were to begin sorting and tossing. I am aware of businesses that specialize in helping seniors eliminate unnecessary overcrowding in basements and closets, but I chose to listen to our daughter's offer to come once a week and help. Soon I found myself sorting books like Tales of Peter Rabbit, The Little Lame Prince, and Pinnochio. I reminisced about the times we had put our children to sleep while reading aloud to them. As I sorted through these precious old books, I feared that my daughter and I would argue about what to keep and what to toss. Instead, she waited amiably for my decision - this one to my save pile, this one for the family pile, this one to sell or give away.

It was gratifying to realize that much of our collection in boxes and drawers could be donated to a museum or archive somewhere. One important donation was a mannequin, which had been displayed in the Equal Rights Amendment headquarters all during the campaign to pass the state's ERA legislation. Since 2007 marks the 35th anniversary of the passage of our state's ERA, it was fitting that during this year she would find her new home with MOHAI, the Museum of History and Industry.

After my daughter and I had removed our dust masks and climbed up 14 steps to the upper floor for a rest, I put on a DVD of the PBS program Mothers and Daughters. For the first time we truly appreciated the years spent in our mother-daughter relationship. We finally realized that we are more alike than we are different - both admitting to tendencies which open us up to a myriad of opportunities, but at the same time tempting us toward more than we could possibly take advantage of in one lifetime.

With the downsizing on its way, our three grown children and I set a lunch meeting date to go over a family plan of involvement in further downsizing, ways to improve their father's long-term care in our home, and get-togethers for upcoming holidays. Each one of our grown children contributes in unique ways - one with administrative experience, one a builder and planner, and one in the nursing profession with a part-time travel business.

Seems we have come full circle. We once managed our home and as parents helped our children learn to be productive citizens and to cooperate and make intelligent choices. Now we are turning to our grown children for assistance in making decisions regarding our elder years. We are fortunate in having our family close by and that they care to be involved in our well being.

Oh, oh, there's my cell phone singing its tune again. "Mom, I will be free tomorrow until 6 p.m. Let me know if there is anything you need." Our other two children had just let us know when they would be coming over, one to play pinochle and the other to bring dinner. Believe me, downsizing isn't so bad when you know your grown children care.

Georgie Bright Kunkel is a freelance writer who can be reached at gnkunkel@comcast.net or 935-8663.