In some ways it’s human nature to collect things, and maybe even to form sentimental attachments to those things. While this can be good if you’re a collector, or plan to stay in one place for the rest of eternity, this habit of acquiring objects can present quite a problem when you’re wanting to move and trying to figure out what to do with all of your, well junk.
Moving is stressful enough, don’t make it worse on yourself by lugging around unnecessary stuff for no reason. How should you decide what gets to stay, and what you have to leave behind? The answer is simple. Follow the tips below, and before you know it, you’ll be clutter free and able to start anew.
Get Your Mind Right Before Tackling The Task
No doubt, it is a huge undertaking to go through all of your worldly possessions in an attempt to flesh out only what you need to move with. This is even more the case if you have a huge house, with an attic, multiple wardrobes, or a multi-car garage.
Don't let your home get this unorganized!
So, acknowledge that it’s going to be stressful, and work through it a bit at a time. When you’re doing it, be completely focused on the task at hand, but also acknowledge that you are going to be attached to some things, and that’s OK. That said however, you really need to think about a process like this logically and not emotionally as much as possible.
Set The Rules Of The Game
Any good game has a system of simple rules, and this is no different. You’re going to end up with a “yes” pile and a “no” pile, but you need to be clear on the criteria that need to be met for an object to go into a specific place.
For example:
- If it still has tags on it, or is unopened but covered in dust, you probably aren’t going to get around to changing that any time soon, and it’s OK to let that go.
- If you can’t fit into it, it’s OK to not take it with you.
- If you haven’t worn it or used it in a year (or since college) , are you really ever going to wear or use it again?
- If it’s broken, throw it away, don’t think about the “someday” when you want to fix it
- If you have multiples of it, get rid of at least one.
- If it’s a big object like a car, washing machine, or TV, think about whether or not it might be cheaper to just sell what you have and get a replacement when you get to your new destination.
- If it has sentimental value to you, keep it, but really think about the definition of sentimental value, so that you end up keeping truly meaningful things, and not just “neat junk.”
Work In A System
As mentioned above, this process can be overwhelming on many levels physically and emotionally. Start as soon as you can, and try to breakdown your house into individual areas and tackle them one at a time.
Don’t rush through this process, and try to cram the attic, basement, kids’ rooms and etc into one go-round, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Chances are, if you do this alone, and all at once It will not end well, in fact everyone will probably just end up cranky and frustrated, staring at all the stuff that’s still clogging up your lives.
Remember The Saying About One Man’s Trash…
Consider that just because you’re getting rid of things, it doesn’t mean that you can’t benefit from it. Things can be sold, sometimes for quite a tidy sum on sites like http://craigslist.org or http://ebay.com or you can have an old fashioned garage sale.
Getting a monetary reward from selling the valuables you don’t need to haul along with you may provide just enough motivation to tear through your place in a way you wouldn’t usually. Also consider making a charitable donation. No matter your situation, many families are less fortunate, and things like toys, games, clothing, shoes and furniture can make a huge difference in someone’s life. Such donations are also often tax deductible.
No matter how you approach your need to deeply de-clutter your surroundings in preparation for a move, just think about the opportunity as an open door for a new start. Don’t be afraid to let go of unnecessary “stuff.”
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