Decluttering: How to “Let it Go!”
At Caring Transitions, we believe “Rightsizing is the art of downsizing with a purpose™”
When you “rightsize” before you move to a new residence, your entire move will progress more smoothly. Your new home will be less cluttered and your current home is more likely to sell.
The point of Rightsizing is to create a new living environment that reflects a meaningful, comfortable lifestyle for the years ahead. Personal possessions that have purpose and meaning are honored and preserved for the new home, while those that have lost their purpose or meaning are respectfully disposed of via sale or donation.
The steps to effective Rightsizing are as follows:
- Determine the space requirements (via floor plan) for the new residence.
- Decide what items are actually NEEDED for living safely or comfortably. This includes necessary items such as a bed, place for clothes, eating utensils, and so forth.
- Add items that we LOVE to the space plan. These are meaningful items that define us as individuals.
- Choose from what we WANT from the remaining possessions and decide which are most important. Make sure they will fit into the space plan.
- Review and revise the space plan as necessary.
- Establish action for selling items of monetary value, gifting those of sentimental value, then donating or disposing of the rest.
The following is a list of items to typically “let go” when you are Rightsizing.
- Dispose of broken, outdated electronics
- Reduce items that have too many “multiples.” For example, if you have four 1-quart casserole dishes, release 3. If you have 6 umbrellas, release 4. If you have 3 pair of worn out red wool gloves, you may choose to release them all!
- Get rid of things that belong to others. For instance, your 40-year old son’s high school project or the heirloom desk you agreed to store for your cousin…10 years ago.
- Release items you have kept out of guilt or fear. For example, you may have that box of multi-colored knitted scarves that you never wore, but your grandma made, so you just cannot bring yourself to let them go. Now is the time. Or perhaps you are afraid your neighbor will notice the ant-shaped napkin holder she gave you 15 years ago is now included in the garage sale. In that situation you may wish to donate it instead, but either way, let it go.
- Finally, donate all the cloths, shoes and coats that never fit, don’t fit or have simply been taking up space for years.
- Find out of that “special collection” was really worth all the time and energy you once put into it and place it on the market.
- Sort the linen closet and get rid of everything that doesn’t match, is worn or stained.
- Give up the many books and magazines that you haven’ read in ages. In most cases you can rely on digital options or the good old-fashioned library if you ever really wish to read them again.
- Dump your outdated spices.
- Do the same with all that accumulated junk mail or newspaper and magazine clippings. Again, the internet provides easy access to all of that information should you ever decide you need it.
- Find safe outlets for your outdated medications and over the counter products. Most police stations and pharmacies sponsor “take-back” programs.
- If moving to an apartment or condo, it’s time to sell or donate your lawn , garden and home maintenance items
- Dump the entire contents of the “junk drawer” (none of it is worth paying a mover to move it!). Keep the car keys and money of course!
- Reduce your inventory of seasonal décor items. Try to keep only those that are space efficient or have tremendous sentimental value.
Sometimes “rightsizing” is easier said than done and in those instances, our professional staff is here to help; coast to coast!