I work with senior citizens every day to help them plan for and implement a smooth transition from a large family home of many years with square footage from 1800-3500 to a smaller 700-1500 square foot ranch, condominium, duplex, or even an apartment-sized home. The physical and emotional challenges of “what to do with so much stuff they no longer need” are enormous. Emotions can run high during a time of much anxiety when the To Do List seems to grow larger rather than smaller.
Having a little tunnel vision for a project this size is a necessity to getting things done in a timely manner and reaching your goals. From my years of experience working in many and varied living environments, there are several common traits to all large downsizing projects that I would advise to anyone starting this phase of their lives.
1. Start Early
It is never too soon to start purging. In fact, I recommend starting as soon as the children leave the nest by making the kids responsible to get rid of their own clothing, trophies, mementos, and the like. Becoming a warehouse for your children’s belongings is never wise.
Beyond that, start as soon as you begin feeling that home upkeep and yard work are no longer enjoyable tasks of homeownership. Waiting until your long time family home is sold is a disaster waiting to happen because stress levels are already high and having the enormous job of purging becomes too overwhelming to do it properly.
2. Start Small
Start with small projects like a junk drawer, a closet, a child’s/guest room that is a manageable task that can be completed in 1-3 hours or less. You achieve a sense of accomplishment and a “Can do” attitude about moving forward onto the next project until you finally feel empowered to take on the attic or garage or storage shed.
Work in smaller chunks of time; don’t “shoot for the moon”. Setting aside an entire day to clean out the attic right away will not only exhaust your energies but likely leave a bigger mess to deal with that tends to linger on longer than necessary.
Decide in advance how much time you can spend without jeopardizing other routine daily tasks. This may be 2 hours, 1 hour or even just 15 minutes a day, but be committed to yourself for sticking with a schedule.
3. Only Make 3 Sorting Piles – No Maybe’s
Organized sorting consists of making decisions about what to keep; what is good enough for someone else to use; what needs to be disposed of. Sorting out a “maybe pile” is irrelevant. Here’s why: If it is a “maybe”, it is definitely NOT a valuable family heirloom. Maybe says, “My family may need this someday”. The likelihood of your family needing or wanting the thing, which has already outlived its fashion era or technological prowess, is very small.
Maybe says,” I may need this again someday”. Chances are, the very few times you may actually need the thing again it could easily be borrowed from someone you know or rented and given back. Older adults are nearly always in denial about the fact that their lifestyle is likely going to change dramatically.
Maybe says, “This was a gift, I feel like I should keep it”. Most people give gifts to honor an event or show their care about you for a fleeting few moments of joy. Most people do not intend that keeping their gift is a life sentence. Let someone else find joy in it.
Following these three tips will not only help you actually accomplish your goals but also make sorting out a lifetime of memories more enjoyable.