Kluvers enjoying the upsides to downsizing

When you’ve been married for well over 50 years and have lived and traveled all over the world like Kenneth and Phyllis Kluver, you tend to accumulate a few things. When the time comes to move, the very idea of “downsizing” can be both daunting and scary, but for the Kluvers it was an opportunity.

“We had a 22-foot by 40-foot garage. It was full of stuff we had collected for 38 years. That’s how you run into trouble downsizing,” said Phyllis “But we did it the easy way. We took only what we thought we would need.”

For Kenneth, that meant leaving behind some of his bigger, more space-consuming power tools as well as his trusty lawnmower.

“I used to really love and enjoy mowing. To me it was therapy,” said Kenneth. “You’re in your own little world doing your thing.”

However, since moving into the community, Kenneth has learned to enjoy the opportunity to sit back, relax and let someone else take care of a few of the things that used to occupy a lot of his time.

“From the maintenance man to the contractor, everyone is so courteous,” said Kenneth. “If we have a maintenance problem, boom, they come down to fix it.”

And if you think all of that extra time on his hands has Kenneth sitting around with nothing to do, think again.

“You look at the activity calendar for every week, and, my goodness, if you’re bored, it’s because you have no initiative,” said Kenneth.

It’s that level of activity that was one of the things that drew Kenneth and Phyllis to Presbyterian Manors in the first place.

“This is a community. It’s not people just lying in a bed,” said Phyllis. “These people are up doing things.”

Since moving in last July, the Kluvers have had no problem feeling as though they are a part of that community thanks to the friendliness of their new neighbors.

“We could be sitting up by the dining hall before it opens and it’s a heartbeat before someone comes and sits down beside you and starts chatting,” said Kenneth.

Put it all together and a little “downsizing” has led the Kluvers to find their perfect fit.

“This feels like home. It did the first time we walked in,” said Phyllis.

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