Time to move? Time for downsizing? Then not all of your possessions can make the move with you. You have made some deep attachments over the years, but space in your new home is limited. Some things have got to go. Relax. You do not need to make the severe choices that you may anticipate.

Prioritize before you organize

Getting organized is ultimately not about sorting out your stuff, but about sorting out you priorities. So before you order a dumpster, get clear on your priorities. If your priority is to sell your house, then focus less on organizing a comfortable home. Instead, focus more on creating a product for the marketplace. You are downsizing. Remove the excess. Remove the personal parts, that may prevent your house from feeling like a home for someone else.

Focus on what you are keeping

This may sound like a direct contradiction, to my last point, but hear me out. It is an emotional proposition to remove your personality from your home, when you are downsizing. So embrace this positive approach. Don’t focus on what you are discarding. Focus on what you are keeping. When you can focus on what you are keeping for your new space, then you have a positive goal. The process is less about what you are giving up and more about what you are gaining. When you focus on what you are keeping and how much and on why you are keeping, the process is easier. Focus on where the most special things go and it becomes easier to say no to the less important things.

Clarify the why

So here’s the big tip. If you are downsizing and you are asking yourself where it is all going to go, do this. Turn the question around and ask yourself why are you keeping it.

This is an important question, because you can keep the same items for several different reasons.

Books for example

Recently, I spoke in front of a room full of realtors  about “Decluttering for a Sale.” we were at the Habitat For Humanity Re-store in Danbury. I was sharing my best decluttering tips. These were tips to pass along to their clients who need to sell their home. My favorite tip is “clarify the why.” I explained  this approach in this video, using books as an example. Watch here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8c8ELGpb2I

This applies to everything, not just books.  So prioritize before you organize, focus on what you are keeping, and clarify the why. This will help you focus and declutter, so that you can downsize. If you just have more than you can handle and are overwhelmed, give us a call. We can help. The consult is always free.