Are you thinking about downsizing?

For many "Empty- Nester's" the discussion on moving and downsizing has come up in the conversation.  The children are out of the house, the housing market is finally seeing some action, the interest rates are still low and it would be nice to get rid of some of the debt that has accumulated.

The question is how and where to start in the process of getting rid of years of STUFF~  here are some guidelines that may help you in preparation for a Spring Time listing!  Check out Martha Stewart's 100 reasons to get rid of stuff.

1. Eliminating Clutter reduces Stress
   
    A great first step is to take out those family pictures during the upcoming Thanksgiving Celebration ~  Ask your self ~do you really need pictures of the butterflies that visited your garden 7 years ago?   Go through the pictures and eliminate all of the non descriptive pictures.  Then make piles of all the pictures according to family members - Scan them for distribution later in time -
2.   Closets -
   
   One at a time - Do Not Buy Bins and Hangers to get organize - The opportune word is PURGE ~While placing your fall clothes in your closet - hang the hanger's backwards, if they are still backwards come spring time - Donate, Consignment, throw out.
3. One Room at a Time -
   
   during the months of November - April ~ Schedule time one room a week  ~ This will force you to look at your own spending habits, ( you will find items with tags on for sure) this small task is a eye opener on things we bought and never used - Note:  If you are storing items for an Adult Child, set a dead-line for them to pick up/donate or throw out. Do not keep things that you are not using or are no longer meaningful,
4. Invite a Friend -
   
   If you are having a hard time getting rid of the Tonka Trucks, or Digger the Dog ~ ask a friend to help you make sense of what to keep and what to get rid of.
5. Now you are ready to organize -
   
    If you have eliminated all non descriptive, non sentimental, never used/worn items .  You should now have what you need to bring with you to your new location - sorted and organize according to items.
6. De-Cluttered your computer and email -
   
   This may take a few days depending on how organized your files are in your computer - It is important to have all of your items saved to a exterior hard drive.  Unsubscribe to emails that you never read.  Delete files that you haven't used in six months.  You know the files that you took along with you at your last job, just in case!!  Get rid of it....
7. Once your home is De-cluttered and organized it will be easier to keep it this way.
   
     You will have a clean slate - you will feel like you can move forward on to the next chapter of your life..

I hope you found this helpful - I have moved several times and it is a huge undertaking.  Just follow my instructions and make a time line - breaking down a huge task into smaller chunks makes the transition so much easier.

   Corinne ~by Harmonizing Homes

   917.699.1262