Wind Crest	UPDATED: Monday, March 03, 2008
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Downsizing demystified

Posted on Saturday, March 01, 2008

By Laurie Whittier
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

For some, the notion of sifting through a house full of belongings ranks somewhere in the vicinity of getting a root canal without anesthesia. But Wind Crest’s move-in coordinator recently simplified the process for around 100 future residents.

Moving forward
It was all part of a move-in workshop for those planning to move to Wind Crest’s third building—Evergreen Crossing—set to open this spring. Free of charge, these workshops are offered before any new residence building opens in order to help answer questions related to moving and life at Wind Crest. Complete with vendor booths where incoming residents can visit with experts in moving, storage, organization, and even finance, they also create a golden opportunity to meet and mingle with future neighbors.

Wind Crest’s Move-In Coordinator Beth Brandenburg dedicated a good part of the workshop to downsizing—and for good reason. “Most incoming residents will need to reduce their belongings by around half, which can be difficult,” she says.

Where do I start?
Deciding where to start is less important than diving in, says Brandenburg: “Start anywhere, but start early,” because sorting through an entire house takes time.

Here is some of her advice on downsizing:
• Choose furniture that does multiple duty—like end tables with storage, cabinets with shelves, and desks with drawers.
• Be “heartless” in your kitchen. How many Jell-o molds, cast-iron skillets, and sets of dishes do you really need?
• Know your room dimensions and be realistic about what size furniture is right for your new space.
• Shred and/or discard old files, owner’s manuals, bank statements, and tax records that are outdated or no longer necessary.
• Keep items that mean “home” to you—like your mother’s vase that you always kept in your front entryway.
• Focus on one room at a time, and avoid going from room to room—an unproductive habit known as “zigzag organizing.”

Downsizing

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In a 2007 Natural Home magazine article titled “Clutter Free Living,” professional organizer Ariane Benefit says if you’re unsure about an item, ask yourself these questions: (1) Do I really love this? (2) How does this item make my life better or easier? (3) Have I used it in the past year? (4) Will I really use this again?

Brandenburg suggests sorting items into several categories: things to keep, things to offer to family or friends, things to sell at a garage sale or online, things to donate, and things to throw away. And remember the 80–20 rule: “We use 20% of what we have, 80% of the time,” she says. “If you haven’t used or worn it in a year, get rid of it.”

Mental & physical benefits
Decluttering spaces can make you healthier and more productive. According to a January 2008 Chicago Tribune article, “Letting go of material things gives a feeling of euphoria some liken to the runner’s high. Emotionally, it’s liberating, and [it] frees up time and space for healthy habits, like exercising.”

Decluttering can even relieve allergy symptoms by ridding closets and bedrooms of excess clothing, blankets, and stuffed animals, and eliminating other warm, moist environments that attract dust mites, the article reports.

First tears, then relief
Incoming Wind Crest residents Alma and Emil Weiler have completed most of their downsizing. But having lived in their 3,000-square-foot New Jersey home for 50 years, it wasn’t easy. “My father always taught me not to throw things away because I might need them someday, so we accumulated a lot,” says Emil Weiler.

Alma Weiler says she cried every day as she was getting rid of things. “It was so hard, but after it all went, I was surprised to find that I really didn’t miss it.”

For Jo DeJonghe, who lived in her Littleton home for 40 years, the biggest challenge was sifting through the volume of stored items and deciding what to do with it all. But she’s glad she did it.

“It’s a relief knowing that my family won’t be burdened with all that work. Now I can focus on enjoying my new life at Wind Crest,” she says.

Experts at the ready
Several industry experts were available at the movein workshop, and nearly all participants took the opportunity to gather information—including incoming Wind Crest resident Paul Lindsay.

“Having those vendors there was helpful,” he says. “We’ll have lots of help from family, but I got some literature just in case. If we get overwhelmed, we’ll know who to call.”