The New York Times recently published an article by Elizabeth Olson, “Moving into a Smaller Home and Decluttering a Lifetime of Belongings,” about a couple moving into a retirement community. They had lived in their home for 44 years and were downsizing big time. The article focused on the hardship of decluttering, which they were finding a difficult, emotional and sometimes painful process. In the end, they hired organizers to help them be ready for the move.
The couple’s advice is not to wait! They have found it overwhelming to deal with the accumulation of so many years at once.
It’s never too late to start shedding no longer needed items. Accumulating less over the years makes later moves much easier.
I try to keep a policy of “one in, one out” as a low-stress way to prevent accumulating too many things I don’t use anymore. What are the tricks you do to help minimize accumulation in your home?