Author: Deborah Bongiorno
Prime Time
A blog for older Americans to help them make the most of their prime retirement years and age well
Diving Into Downsizing
Take a few seconds and look around your home right now.
See all the stuff? Furniture and furnishings. Books and bookcases. Wall hangings and tabletop decor. Kitchenware and countertop appliances. Closets and storage bins ...
It’s a lot, even if you live in an apartment or condo. Downsizing—sorting, organizing, and decluttering your possessions—can seem like a massive undertaking. So big, if fact, that many homeowners put it off because they don’t know how or where to start.
If you’re getting ready to move or you just know in your heart that you need to simplify your life, here are a few guidelines to help you get started and stay at it:
- The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu got it right: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
- Keep in mind the power of the four piles: Move, donate, sell, and recycle/discard.
- Avoid the temptation of a “maybe” pile. You might end up with a pile that’s bigger than the other four.
- Adopt the one-year rule. When was the last time you used a bundt cake pan, grass clippers, or that eight-track player stuck in the back of your attic?
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Make decisions about special possessions like these:
- Items that are unique to you–family heirlooms and memorabilia like a spouse’s military uniforms and honors, genealogy documents, awards and diplomas, ancestors’ photographs, or your grandmother’s handwritten recipes.
- Items with significant financial value–silver services, original artwork, coin and stamp collections, luxury watches and fine jewelry, antiques, rare collectibles like first editions, Elvis’ first 45 record, Mickey Mantle’s rookie baseball card, and similar possessions.
- Items as part of larger groupings–books, family photos, music and movie media, figurines, hobby and crafting materials, 12-place settings of china and crystal, and so on.
- Start small to end big. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. The lesson here? Start with a junk drawer or a linen closet.
- Build momentum and make progress over time. Make downsizing a daily habit.
- Take the initiative. Don’t wait for things to magically happen.
- Set deadlines. Now’s the time for your adult children to claim their keepsakes—sports trophies, CDs, posters, college textbooks, school projects, and childhood toys and games,
- Get rid of duplicates, especially from your kitchen and workshop. You won’t need three types of spatulas or four phillips screwdrivers.
- Get rid of unworn and uncomfortable items, including the jeans all of us have tucked away hoping they’ll fit us again some day.
- Recycle magazines, newspapers, and obsolete technology.
- Leave time for revisiting the “move” pile: What are your true essentials? What sparks joy? What’s left and how to handle it?
Still feeling overwhelmed? When it comes to downsizing, the to-do list can seem like it’s a mile long. White Glove Solution (WGS) specializes in turning “to-do lists” into “all-done lists,” no matter how big the task.
So give us a call. Our team is ready to partner with you and help you benefit from the upside of downsizing.