When I deliver the bad news, I get the same reaction at every talk I give on downsizing: The kids don’t want your stuff. Invariably, parents moan, and adult children cheer. “Don’t believe me?” I ask. ...

You’ve seen the pictures: scuffed-up coffee tables, distressed dressers and sad, unloved chairs all revitalized by a colorful new paint job. It seems so simple on your screen, but is it? All that ...