Last week I talked about delegating responsibility to adult children to help declutter for downsizing. First, it should be known that one can get rid of things and still stay in their current home. I will use the concept of downsizing to mean paring down belongings and documents, so the bulk of non-essential stuff goes bye-bye.
When one gets rid of excessive items, spaces open up so the home can breathe. When the environment feels lighter, so does your brain. It can be torturous looking at piles of accumulated clothing, papers, magazines, sports equipment, photographs, dishes, toys – fill in the blank. Mental clutter happens when the brain is clogged with to-dos and should-dos.
So if plan A – getting your Adult kids to help – does not work because they live too far away, or they really do not care to participate in the process, or your do not have kids, then go to Plan B.
With this option, you still need a good game plan.
Game Rules for Paring Down When Your Adult Kids Are Not an Option
- Come up with dates on your calendar (preferably in blocks of 3 hours of time) when you will go room by room to start the downsizing process.
- You will need containers to transport, donate and toss the goodbye items.
- Set up a staging area to put things that need to be moved, repaired, donated or tossed.
- Label your bins/containers so everything has a home.
- Take snack and water breaks.
- Play motivating music if that keeps you working.
- Hire a Professional Organizer if it is too painful for you to do this on your own. You can contact me or call me at Captured Clutter, 678-294-7813 if this is a desirable option.
The end result will be worth the effort and sacrifice of time that might have been spent doing more pleasurable activities. You might discover forgotten cash, gift cards or meaningful mementos.
At any rate, it will be a cleansing process, and you will eventually feel rejuvenated – maybe even inspired to tackle your car clutter next. Who knows?
The critical part is setting the date on your calendar, making an appointment for yourself to start the downsizing process, whether you are moving or staying in your current home.
