Oleta Yancey, Principal Broker, Harcourts The Garner Group
Downsizing your lifetime's worth of possessions can be a daunting task, especially when accumulating those possessions has taken years. As a Senior Market Specialist and broker at Harcourts The Garner Group, I specialize in helping my clients manage this important process as they consider selling their homes and moving into smaller and more manageable spaces later in life.
Here are a few tips and tricks that can make it the process of decluttering less painful:
Set small, bitesize goals for the process
Take a look at your goals for downsizing. Are you moving into a space that is half the size of your current home, or less? Will you need to eliminate, store, or completely give away that many of your belongings? Is donating your things something that is important to you? Sort through the things you no longer need and set a timeline to get rid of them. Start a schedule that allows you to get rid of a few items at a time. Next, ask yourself if the items hold any sentimental value and set aside those items that have special memories. Consider speaking with family members about special things that they might want to hang onto for you, or for themselves.
Categorize items into the necessary, sentimental
One of the first things you should do is to separate the items into categories or groups such as sentimental items and things you need. This will make the process easier and help you mentally compartmentalize your possessions. Prepare to box the items, or store them. Containers that are clearly labeled and prepared for donations or storage will be key to keeping track of where your belongings are and are headed.
Look into the process for eliminating things no longer needed
Finally, consider the different ways that you move your items out of your home. For instance, you can sell them online or in a garage sale, you can donate them to local charities, or you can pass them along to family and friends. All of these methods can help you downsize your belongings. Creating this plan and engaging family members to help you with the process can get the timeline moving.
Downsizing your lifetime's worth of possessions can be an overwhelming process, but with these helpful tips, you can make it a manageable and organized task. From creating categories to setting a timeline for yourself, you can sort through your belongings with ease and make sure that you keep what matters and get rid of the things you no longer need.
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