Helping Families Navigate Home Transitions, Aging in Place, and Downsizing
Replace feeling overwhelmed with a clear path forward.
Deciding what comes next for a longtime family home is rarely simple.
Whether you are helping aging parents or planning for your own future, The Kitchen Table Advisory helps Chicago families slow down, explore their options, and move forward with greater confidence.
Personalized Services for Chicago Families
Many families come to us because they are wondering whether aging in place is still realistic, how to begin downsizing after decades in the same home, or how to navigate difficult decisions when family members disagree. The Kitchen Table Advisory provides independent guidance and practical frameworks to help families organize information and make thoughtful decisions—without pressure.
Senior Transition Kitchen Table Consultation — $300
A focused planning session to align priorities and turn uncertainty into an actionable starting point.
90-Minute Session: A collaborative conversation at your kitchen table (or virtually) focused on your family’s specific concerns and priorities.
Priorities Assessment: A structured approach to help family members get on the same page and identify next steps.
Foundational Tools: Includes digital planning resources to support your ongoing decision-making.
Credit Toward Guided Planning: The full consultation fee is applied as a credit toward a Guided Planning session.
Guided Senior Transition Planning Sessions — $2,000
Comprehensive, hands-on support to navigate the logistics and emotions of a major life transition.
Dedicated Guidance: Ten hours of structured support delivered through two five-hour sessions, either in person or virtually.
Four Path Planning™ Framework: A practical method for sorting belongings into four categories: Keep, Gift, Sell, or Donate.
Market Clarity: A framework for understanding your home's value and evaluating real estate professionals with confidence.
Continued Support: Includes a one-week follow-up call to help maintain momentum and answer additional questions.
How It Works
1. Begin the Conversation
Start with a Kitchen Table Consultation to discuss your concerns, priorities, and goals.
2. Explore Your Options
Together, we'll organize information, identify next steps, and create a plan that reflects your family's needs.
3. Move Forward with Confidence
Whether you decide to age in place, downsize, or simply prepare for the future, you'll have a clearer path forward.
Who We Help
The Kitchen Table Advisory works with:
Adult children helping aging parents.
Seniors considering aging in place.
Families preparing to downsize after decades in the same home.
Siblings trying to navigate difficult decisions together.
Homeowners who want independent guidance before speaking with a realtor.
Families facing health changes or unexpected life transitions.
About the Founder
Based in Chicago, I founded The Kitchen Table Advisory after experiencing firsthand how complicated—and sometimes overwhelming—it can be to help parents and siblings navigate decisions about a home filled with decades of memories. What began as a personal challenge became a structured approach designed to help other families move through the same process with less stress and more clarity. Drawing on a professional background in strategic planning and executive leadership, I developed the Four Path Planning™ framework to help families organize information, align priorities, and make thoughtful decisions at their own pace.
Sometimes the most important decisions happen around the kitchen table.
Self-Guided Senior Home Transition & Downsizing Tools
Available Nationwide • Coming Soon
The easiest way to start sorting a lifetime of belongings.
A Complete Room-by-Room System: Break an overwhelming process into manageable, bite-sized steps.
The Four Path Framework: A simple way to keep track of family decisions and identify next steps.
Progress at Your Own Pace: Create momentum and reach a resolution without pressure.
Take the guesswork out of choosing the right realtor.
Apples-to-Apples Comparison: Evaluate two real estate agents’ recommendations side-by-side.
Objective Decision Making: Focus on facts, pricing, and marketing strategy rather than sales pitches.
Decide With Confidence: Gain the clarity you need before making a major life decision.
Get both guides together.
This toolkit provides the framework you need to manage belongings and evaluate the real estate market with greater confidence.
What Families Are Saying
"Helping my parents decide what to do with their house felt like we were just spinning our wheels. Sitting down with The Kitchen Table Advisory was the first time we all felt like we were making progress without being pushed. We finally have a path forward that everyone feels good about." — Sarah M. | Chicago, IL
"My mom was so stressed about picking the right realtor for her place. We used the Comparative Home Market Analysis Guide, and it was such a relief to just see the facts side-by-side. It cut through the sales pitches and helped us make a choice we actually felt confident in." — James R. | Tallahassee, FL
"We aren’t ready to leave our home, but we knew we needed to get our ducks in a row. The consultation was exactly what we needed—just an honest, quiet conversation about our options. No one was trying to sell us anything; it was just about what was right for us." — Linda K. | Chicago, IL
FAQs
Q Do we have to be ready to move to begin?
A No. Many families begin simply because they want to understand their options before a crisis forces a decision.
Q Will we be pressured to sell?
A Never. We are independent advisors, not brokers. Our purpose is to create clarity, not urgency.
Q What if our family does not agree on what to do?
A This is very common. We provide a neutral, structured environment to help families talk through options thoughtfully.
Q What is the Four Path Planning™ framework?
A It is our proprietary method for sorting a lifetime of belongings into four distinct paths: Keep, Gift, Sell, or Donate. This structured approach breaks an overwhelming process into manageable steps and removes the emotional guesswork.
Q Where do you provide in-home consultations?
A We provide in-home sessions throughout Chicago, including West Town and surrounding neighborhoods. For families located elsewhere, we offer virtual consultations and digital planning guides to provide the same level of structured support nationwide.
Q How does the $300 consultation credit work?
A We want the transition from initial planning to active support to be seamless. The full $300 fee from your Kitchen Table Consultation is applied as a direct credit toward our Guided Planning package.
Q Can we use your digital guides if we aren't ready for a full consultation?
A Absolutely. Our guides, including the Four Path Planning™ and Comparative Home Market Analysis, are designed to help you gather facts and build momentum at your own pace. You can download them individually to start the process independently.
Q Are you a realtor?
A No. The Kitchen Table Advisory is an independent planning resource. We do not sell homes or earn commissions. Our role is to help families organize information, evaluate options, and make decisions that are right for them.
What Comes Next?
Major life transitions rarely come with a roadmap.
Whether you are helping aging parents, preparing for downsizing after decades in the same home, or wondering whether aging in place is still realistic, a thoughtful process can make difficult decisions feel more manageable.
The Kitchen Table Advisory provides practical tools, independent guidance, and a calm framework to help families move forward together—without pressure and at their own pace.
Local Expertise
Serving families throughout Chicago, including West Town, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Ukrainian Village, Lincoln Park, Old Town, and surrounding neighborhoods.
Virtual consultations and digital planning guides are available nationwide.