Getting Started is Perhaps the Hardest Part.
Some of the toughest tasks, when downsizing, are how to decide which meaningful mementos to keep and what to do with those sentimental treasures you really love but don’t have room for.
Getting started is perhaps the hardest part. Sorting through everything is difficult, but here are some getting-started tips for you or a loved one that may make this project less stressful.
- Be methodical. Take your time but stay on task.
The sorting process takes a lot of time and there are often journeys down “memory lane” that threaten to derail the process. Going through your keepsakes isn’t something that can be done in a weekend. Select one box or collection and go through them one by one. Ask yourself: Does this item still give me “joy”? Will it stay tucked away in a box or will I have room to display it? - It is OK to take time to reminisce about special moments and to share meaningful stories about the items that matter.
- If family members have a vested interest in any items, get them to take part. They will feel more in control of the decluttering and moving process. Sharing stories and making their own decisions takes time, but this engenders feelings of self-worth vs having someone else deciding for them.
- Some items may be viewed as family heirlooms, no matter their actual cash value. Look for opportunities to gift important keepsakes to family and friends who are receptive to receiving them. You’ll get to experience their delight in something that has had significant meaning to you.
- For items that will not have a new home with a family member, take a photo of it and write a brief description of its history. You’ll retain the memory and will be more easily able to sell or donate the item to charity.
Other questions you can ask during the sorting process are:
- Do I use this item regularly?
- Has it been used in the past year?
- Does it enhance the quality of my (or my loved one’s) life?
- Will this fit into a smaller living space and future lifestyle?
The decluttering process is key for those who are scheduling a forthcoming move, but it is equally important a project for anyone who has lived in the same home for a number of years. “Things” seem to accumulate on their own and a refrain that applies to everyone is: “Purge early; purge often.”
If you have questions about the decluttering or transitioning process, call Marie LeBlanc at 617-513-0433 or send her an email.