ABOUT US
We bring calm, experience and genuine care.
ALL ABOUT CLARE
Clare graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Sydney in 2009 and has spent more than 15 years working across the ageing, disability, health and community sectors.
Her career has spanned Local Government, hospitals, community development programs, not-for-profit organisations and the NDIS, providing her with a broad understanding of the challenges individuals and families face as they navigate life's transitions.
Since 2020, Clare has worked as a Specialist Support Coordinator, supporting people living with disability and complex needs to access services, build meaningful connections and achieve their goals. Beginning her specialist work with Dementia Australia, supporting people living with Younger Onset Dementia, Clare has developed a strong passion for working alongside individuals and families during times of significant change, helping them find practical solutions while maintaining dignity, choice and independence.
What drives Clare most is her genuine love of people. She believes that every person has a unique story and values taking the time to listen, understand and build trusted relationships. Her approach is warm, compassionate and person-centred, with a focus on creating calm, supportive environments where people feel heard and respected.
Based in Brisbane, Clare has supported individuals and families throughout Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, both remotely and in person. While technology has made it possible to support people wherever they are, Clare firmly believes there is immense value in face-to-face connection, particularly when helping people navigate major life changes such as downsizing, relocation or transitioning into new stages of life.
Through Upside Downsize, Clare combines her professional expertise with her passion for helping people simplify life's complexities, creating a supportive and positive experience during what can often feel like an overwhelming time.
Clare Thompson, Director
Candy Eaton Gaul, Director
ALL ABOUT CANDY
Candy holds an Honours degree in Industrial Psychology and a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, along with postgraduate qualifications in Labour Law and Digital Transformation in HR from the London School of Economics. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and a member of the Australian HR Institute (MAHRI).
Over more than 20 years, Candy has held executive People & Culture roles across global and national organisations, from leading the HR and consulting function for a national professional services firm to shaping the global people strategy for the world's seventh largest accounting network, spanning 64,000 employees across more than 150 countries.
Throughout her career she has specialised in organisational culture, leadership development, change leadership and workforce planning, guiding people and businesses through complex transitions, mergers and transformation. She has served on remuneration and nominations committees, advised international boards, and acted as a trustee for a number of educational trusts.
What drives Candy most is people. She believes every person and organisation has a unique story, and she values taking the time to listen, understand and build trusted relationships. Her approach is warm, considered and steady, with a focus on creating calm, organised environments where people feel supported and at ease.
Based in Brisbane, Candy has supported individuals, teams and organisations across Australia and around the world, both remotely and in person. While technology has made it possible to support people wherever they are, she firmly believes there is immense value in face-to-face connection, particularly when helping people navigate significant change.
Through Upside Downsize, Candy turns two decades of helping people through change toward something more personal, bringing order, momentum and a calm head to a move that can otherwise feel like too much to hold on your own.
WHY WE STARTED THIS BUSINESS
Between us, we have spent our working lives helping people through change - Clare alongside individuals and families navigating ageing, disability and complex life transitions, and Candy guiding people and organisations through times of growth, upheaval and reinvention.
Again and again, we saw the same thing: a move later in life is rarely just about boxes. It is about a lifetime of memories, a loss of independence that can feel frightening, and families who love each other but don't always know how to help. Too often the practical help on offer was rushed, transactional, or simply missing the care the moment deserved.
We started Upside Downsize because we believed it could be done differently - with patience, genuine warmth, and the kind of careful coordination that takes the weight off a family’s shoulders. Somewhere that treats the person at the centre of the move as the client, and never loses sight of the fact that this is their home and their story.
We bring together two very different sets of experience - one rooted in care and human support, the other in organising complexity and leading people through change. Together, they let us hold both sides of a move at once: the practical and the deeply personal.
It is work we find genuinely meaningful. There is real privilege in being trusted to help someone close one chapter and settle gently into the next - and that is exactly why we do it.
Clare and Candy, Directors
If you'd like the detail of the work itself, our four services set out what we actually do. Cost, timing and what happens to the things you're not keeping are answered in the questions we're asked most.
If you'd like to talk through a possible move - pop us a message through the "talk to us" button.
Talk to us