It Doesn’t Have to be as Stressful as You Think!
Many of my clients are getting ready to move, which includes downsizing, or already have moved and are still cleaning out their old homes. Whatever the reason is, I implore you to start this process early so you don’t have to go through the anxiety of throwing things in boxes willy-nilly and not knowing where anything is when you get to your new home. You may think you have a ton of time, but in the long run, there never is. There are always last minute items that are thrown into boxes, but that should be the exception, not the rule.
The task is overwhelming, especially if you have lived in the house for many, many years. You may even look at a pile on a table, inside a closet, or inside a drawer, and think, “Hum, this isn’t a lot”. Then, you start to peel back the onion and see that there are layers and layers of items that you forgot you even had.
The other side of this coin is that you may have things in your house that either belong to your children or think you should save something in case they may want it. Ask them if they would like anything. If the answer is no, you now can free yourself of whatever you think they may have wanted.
If the answer is yes, give them a deadline as to when they should get their items out of your house, especially if you have a deadline. I conducted a workshop a little while ago, and the question of saving things for your children came up. Actually, this question comes up a lot. One woman solved the problem when she was downsizing. Her kids wanted some items, she gave them a deadline, however, they never came to pick up their things. She lives in NJ, and her kids live in Denver. Her solution to the problem was to rent a moving van and send everything to them. Everyone in the audience laughed. To my way of thinking, this was a very clever solution.
If you can, give yourself at least a 3-month window. Here are 5 tips to help you.
- Make a timeline for yourself. If you can’t or don’t want to do this by yourself, solicit help from your spouse, relatives, or friends.
- Hire a professional organizer if you need additional help or if time is of the essence. The professional organizer can keep you on track, keep you motivated, and can help you decide if you really want to take everything with you. Why pay to move something if you are not going to use/need/want it?
- Start with rooms where you won’t need everyday things. For instance, don’t pack kitchen items that you use on a daily basis. Stay in whatever room you are in until it is packed.
- Label the boxes with the contents and what rooms the boxes should be put in at the new home.
- Make a master list of the boxes and contents so you can account for everything once the move is completed.
This can be a massive undertaking, which includes an emotional component. Try to give yourself as much time as possible. If you have already been through moves, feel free to share suggestions as to how you got through this. If you haven’t, what are you going to do to make this less overwhelming?
Now is Your Time to Go from Bedlam to Brilliance!
Barbara Berman
www.bb-clutter-solutions.com
info@bb-clutter-solutions.com
856-912-0077
Referrals are the best compliments!
Serving South Jersey (including Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Salem, Ocean, Atlantic, Cape May, and Mercer counties), North Jersey, and Philadelphia (including its surrounding counties).
