Begin in the areas of the home that you use least... ...attic, basement, garage, back bedroom. This will be the least disruptive to your current life and these areas often contain many items which won’t be missed when set aside for family and friends, charity, or disposal.
Have a sorting plan Here are suggested categories: 1) Items you will keep with you as you move forward 2) Items you would like to pass on to family or friends 3) Items which you would like to give away to charity 4) Items you would like to sell 5) Items which you would like to throw away
Mark items in each category with an easily-removable sticker in a different color. Often it is not necessary to mark each individual item, but rather mark entire shelves, drawers, sides of the closet, etc.
Keep your focus It is easy to do a little bit here and a little bit there, and feel like you have not accomplished anything. Set yourself a task, (for example, to clear this dresser) and stay with it. Have your colored stickers and your garbage bag easily available. Also have a box where you can put things that really belong in other areas of the house. When you have finished your current project, you can then parcel out the items which belong elsewhere. This will keep you from traipsing all around the house, but accomplishing little.
Allow plenty of time, but not all at once Allow enough time to recall memories, share stories with family and friends, shed tears if needed. This is not a process that can be rushed at any age. Don’t plan to work more than two hours a day. Set a timer; work efficiently for your allotted time; then go on about your normal life.
Don’t try to do everything at once Some things are too time consuming to do in the midst of a move, such as organizing your family pictures. For most people, this is an enormous task which should be done either before or after moving. If you try to do it while moving you can easily get bogged down and not get anything else done. If you must, box up your pictures to organize after your move.
Sort in place Move things from shelf to shelf, drawer to drawer, one side of the closet to the other in order to accomplish your sorting. In this way you keep the things you are retaining in their place, and avoid piles of things on your floor, your table, your bed, which you must put away later.
Remember, your goal is to simplify your life You don’t need to get rid of everything, but most people have accumulated more than they really need; things which can become a burden. Keep those items which are useful, which you use on a regular basis, which give you a feeling of home, or which provide pleasant memories. Cheerfully release the rest. You will be surprised how wonderful a simple life can be.
