Most people have adorned their refrigerator doors with magnets and photos, but just clearing off those items and putting them in a shoebox is an important first step. “Take it step by step, closet by closet, drawer by drawer,” Ford advises.
Less is more … peace
Though giving away possessions can be difficult, experts say moving with more than you have room for is worse. “If you’re taking too much, it’s a cost to you financially, emotionally, and physically,” says Sharon Fisher, owner of Come to Order Professional Organizing Services in Roslindale.
Your best bet is to begin early and prioritize, says Fisher, who has assisted a number of people moving to Linden Ponds. The sooner you begin planning, the more time you will have for decision-making.
Decisions, decisions
When deciding about specific items, Fisher and Ford suggest asking yourself the following questions: Where did I get it? What does it mean? How long have I had it? What do I have in place of it? Have I used it recently, or in the past year? Do I really need it?
Peterson suggests being ruthless as you decide what to save and what to give away. Like many others, she donated what her family didn’t want. “I like to think that the things that I gave away I recycled,” she says. “I have this very nice, comforting feeling that somebody out there is using them.”
John Evans, who moved to Linden Ponds from a four bedroom home in Connecticut, says there isn’t much he misses from the things he had to give away.
“I thought there would be [things that I missed]. I had difficulty imagining myself not owning a house anymore and living in an apartment,” he says. “But other than the fact that I had to give up a lot of my tools, I do as much here as I ever did [before]. In fact, I do more.”