Tips to clear clutter and simplify your move
By Julia Boyle
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
Want more time to pursue all the things you’ve always wanted to do? Don’t overlook downsizing as a solution. Decreasing your square footage also means scaling down the amount of maintenance all that space and stuff requires.
To help make it easier and more effective, we’ve asked Rose Suter, a custom interiors coordinator for Erickson communities, to offer some downscaling advice.
Use it or lose it
Start by asking your grown children to pick up or throw away any belongings they left behind when they moved out. You don’t want to toss their favorite teddy bear if it’ll cause a family feud, but you don’t want to keep anything unnecessary either.
Next, go through each room in your house following this basic rule of thumb: if you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it. This goes for appliances, decorations, clothes, anything. Throw away any broken items, as well, unless they are valuable and can be fixed.
Once mended, you can sort collectables to sell. “Many people have antique dealers come to their house,” Rose says. “That is an excellent way to get rid of unwanted items.”
Other ideas include holding a yard sale, giving sentimental items to friends or family members, and donating to charity. Goodwill and Salvation Army will pick up items in some areas.
Don
and Merrilea Trawin, who moved to Cedar Crest from their home in Montclair, N.J. about two and a half years ago, combined selling with giving for a beneficial outcome. “Our attic was full of paintings that I had produced. We had a big art sale at our church and split the proceeds with them,” Mr. Trawin says.
If you have a college student or recent graduate in the family, keep them in mind for furniture and appliances. Chances are they will gladly accept those larger items that might not fit in your new home.