Preparing for Your Next Move

January 2022 – Preparing for Your Next Move

“You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.”- Unknown
I hope this month’s newsletter can help to change your mindset about your next move…no matter when it may be.

From Castle to Condo

“I can never move out of my house – there’s too much #$% in the basement.”
“Oh my gosh – the thought of moving makes me sick to my stomach.”
“Next to death and divorce, moving is one of the most stressful things you can ever experience.”
Have you or someone you know ever said any of these things? I hear these comments all the time! The thought of having to get rid of (or greatly reduce) your life’s possessions is DAUNTING! I feel your pain! We often talk about how long we’ll stay in our home and with a robust inventory of eBay items to sell, we will be staying put for a loooong time. But enough about me:).
Here’s my best tips and tricks for preparing for your next move – pick one, any one, and try a few minutes a day for starters:

Inventory your books and see what you can live without. There are book donation boxes as well as the Maryland Book Bank who will gladly enjoy your books and give them a second life. You are not trashing them – you are literally giving the joy of reading to another person.
Inventory your dishes, china, serving pieces, cookware. What have you not touched in years? Offer to family and friends and if you do not hear back in a timely manner (1 week), the answer is no – and you can contact a myriad of places who will gladly accept your donations. If you are unsure of value, you can look them up on www.eBay.com and see if they are worthy of selling.
Inventory your photographs. If you have a ton of family pictures in frames, consider taking pictures of the pictures (especially the collages) or at least remove photos from frames and donate the frames. Photos can be stored in folders or envelopes or given to unsuspecting family members:). You do not want boxes of pictures taking up room in your new smaller home. Scanning is an option although it makes sense to go through the photos before paying to scan all of them.
Inventory your clothes – especially the ones stuffed in back and sides of closets. If they have dust on the shoulders, that’s your cue that it’s time to go. Go on line and ask Vietnam Veterans or GreenDrop to pick them up at your front door.
Look for furniture that you are no longer using. Why spend your remaining time in your home crowded by unused furniture. Have it removed now so you can enjoy the extra space (and potentially use that space as a staging place for items to keep!) You can donate to places like ReStore or Second Chance or, if they are in poor condition, find local junk haulers or email me for recommendations.

That’s enough to whet your appetite for now – if it gets overwhelming, then take a deep breath and tell yourself to start SMALL – spend 5 minutes looking at a few books or a few old sweaters and see how you do. And we are always here to help if you get stuck.

Declutter Challenge Club – Join the Fun in 2022!

The Declutter Club is now in its second year and some of our members have signed up again as they are not quite finished with getting through the whole house. We are a small and cozy community where you can get a healthy dose of support, understanding, guidance and laughter, too.
The Declutter Club is a cost effective way to deal with your ‘stuff’ in a fun and welcoming setting. The daily emails are short and sweet and the twice monthly Zoom calls are on Monday evenings at 7:30 pm for an hour.
Membership is open to all, you can start today or whenever you want. Would love to see you there!
If you’re ready to join the Club, sign up HERE.
Please email me if you have any questions or need additional information.

“Helping Baby Boomers and their Parents Lighten their Loads”

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in your home, contact me. Together, we can transform your home into a happy, tidy place where you can feel at peace. We can also get you ready for your next move… more enjoyably, faster and easier. We specialize in senior moves and helping families find new homes for the things they no longer have room to keep. We can also take care of clearing out homes that need to be listed quickly for resale. Contact me to schedule an appointment.