Adventures in Downsizing: Part 2

If you read part 1 here is the next step, if you haven’t, go back and read as it is very important in the process.

Sorting and Purging

This is the most overwhelming part of the process and takes the longest. It also is the hardest. Basically, there are 5 things you can do with your stuff. Keep, Auction, Family, Donate or Trash. Sometimes I make a maybe pile, when I am unsure if it will fit the new location.

If there are items your family would want, now is the time for them to go. This is also a great time to help a grandchild moving out on their own, first apartment or home, moving to college, if they could use anything you might have? If you can plan family sort and purge days over time, it is also a wonderful time to review family items, great stories of your youth, or important moments in family history you would like to share with them. Then have a wonderful meal and discuss your day with them and how much you appreciated thier efforts.

The first and most important rule to follow is this. Choose what you need, not want, first. I find it is easier, when possible, to move first with only your needed items, clothes, chosen furnishings, (if something doesn’t fit it can go back) basic kitchen stuff needed, bath items, toiletries, medicines, some wall art and light décor, lighting, electronics etc. Being able to move this way also reduces stress of giving up things you may not have to, based on the space the needed items take up. Choosing need only items limits your choices in the beginning, making it easier and faster. When choosing furniture remember if you’re moving into a home with limited space. You will want to plan ahead for aging there. A move manager is great for this by figuring out furniture placement, with proper egress in each room. It is important to remember that your memories are not stored in a box, closet or drawer. Important things are on display or in your mind and heart. Unimportant things are hidden away. If it’s been in a box for years, its not really that important.

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Begin in the smallest room, like a bedroom or laundry room. If you have family and friends close by, then ask for help. Set up boxes or bags labeled auction, donate and trash. Start with one thing in the room, furniture or closets. Go through everything in it and what you are keeping stays put. If the things in that room are not going with you it should basically be left empty, besides the furniture. Once you find a new home you may have to revisit you have kept, and do another round, based on available space and storage. If you question the value of something set it aside in a pile for the auctioneer to look at. Donated goods need to be clean, in good repair, no tears or stains, not heavily worn, nothing stretched out or musty. The mindset should be this, if you needed assistance, think of the condition of the item you would like to be given. You wouldn’t want something broken or stained. Be thoughtful, not everything has a value, some things just belong in the trash.

Less is more, wall to wall furniture makes the space seem even smaller and it makes it less safe and more difficult to navigate. Put a small piece of blue painters’ tape in an inconspicuous are on the furniture and items you want to take. Plan on possibly no coffee table to allow for a three-foot egress around furniture in case you need a walker or chair down the road. Do make sure to take your favorite comfy chair and set up an area around you, like you utilized at home with a side table, maybe some storage for things you use daily. A basket that can fit under a side table or in front within reach are a great way to contain puzzle books, a few pens, scissors, mailing labels, stamps, envelopes, magnifying glass, bills, check books etc.…or maybe it is a knitting basket or crochet things you use often.

You do not need more than 3 yrs. of bank records, 1 year if you don’t itemize taxes. Get rid of papers you will no longer need. Keep only current insurance records. It’s a good time to stop magazine subscriptions etc. go thru books and donate them to libraries.

If you love to craft, then limit your supplies to a plastic three drawer stack bin, to store in a closet. If you have multiple hobbies you may need to decide which one or two would be the easiest to do in a smaller space and pick those items first. Many people take to much and then have boxes of stuff crammed into their only closet.

Pictures take up the most space. Take them to where your comfy, sort them by era or by family. You can label zippy bags with years or time frames, family member etc. You can gift some to family members like siblings, kids, or nieces and nephews, who may not have many and would enjoy having them, vs. sitting in a box or album no one sees? Once sorted and bagged, there are companies you can mail them to, 400 at a time, and have them put onto a flash drive. Purchase a nice sized digital frame to plug the flash drive into and you get the joy of watching photos roll that you probably haven’t seen for years or even remembered you have. The other great part of this, is you can also purchase a nice digital frame and make copies of the flash drive to go with them. These make great gifts to family members. A gift they will love and use for years to come.

Remember your new home will be much smaller, you will have less furniture and storage areas for mementos. Whatever you take out of a piece of furniture or closet or tub that you’re not planning on taking with you, must have a place to call home at the new location.

If you have a garage or a room you rarely use, it is a good place to stage your keep or auction items. Drop off donations a little at a time. Trash goes out right away. Putting trash out as you go can save money later on and can hire a small junk service when ready to move for those last things. That can save hundreds of dollars as an avg dumpster can run 700 to 800 dollars per fill plus the labor costs to fill it, if you physically can’t. You usually get it for a week to 10 days tops. Utilize the trash service you already pay for. Use contractor bags so they don’t break and ask for younger folks, neighbors, kids, family etc.. to come haul them out for you on trash day.

I suggest not working for more than 4 hours at a time as it can be physically and mentally exhausting. As you get through each room it is good to take stock of the work you have accomplished and how the process works for you. If a small room was difficult to do then the larger parts of the house, attic, basement or garage will be extremely difficult. This first room or two should help you gauge the task before you and even if it is a longer-term project, now is the time to ask yourself if this is a task you want to tackle yourself, or if hiring a professional team makes more sense.

Watch for part 3