Do You Really Need All of That Stuff?
I am invited to a home because the owners have decided it’s time to sell. They apologize. They know their home is full of things that they no longer use, need or want, but they don’t even know where to begin the process of sorting through their items and deciding what to take, what to sell, and what to toss. We can’t begin to market the home until potential buyers can see the actual home versus the owners’ “stuff”. The process of decluttering your home can be so overwhelming that it prevents the owners from moving, leaving them physically and emotionally stuck. It’s easy when you live in a large home for a number of years to accumulate things, and most people in Park City live in large homes.
My advice is to deal with the clutter BEFORE you are ready to move. I can refer you to some talented professionals who can assist if you feel the project is too monumental to take on by yourself. Sometimes, it’s hard to be objective about your own items. Most of the time, there is an emotional connection to our things, and making the decision on what to purge can be emotionally exhausting.
The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
I recommend the book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” by Marie Kondo. In a nutshell, Kondo recommends you look at each item and decide whether it brings you joy. If it does, you keep it. If it doesn’t, you sell, donate or toss it. If you are getting ready to downsize and need to get rid of some valuable items, consider hiring a professional estate sale liquidator. The liquidator will cull through the items you no longer need and make the decision on what has value and what should be tossed. The estate liquidator will organize, display, and market the estate sale. I have had clients who had great success with estate sales. Below is a photo of my kitchen cabinet after my last decluttering purge 6 months ago. I’m not planning on selling my home; however, I enjoy the ease of seeing where everything is. I don’t have to search to find the dish I am looking for. It is also quite easy to maintain.
I hope I have inspired you to tackle your clutter before you are ready to move. It takes time, but the results are worth it. And please give us a call when you’re ready. We can help you make a stress free transition to your new, clutter-free home.
4 Comments
Thank you Nancy! I am in the process of trying to declutter. Deciding what to keep and get rid of is indeed hard. I like the question, Does it bring you joy? Hopefully this info will make my job a little bit easier!
Great information Nancy, we used to see many homes that would present so much better if they were de cluttered which is why we now always provide a guide for all vendors on how to best present their home before the photography and video shoot.
Like laundry, haircuts and working out, decluttering is not a one time thing. It is something that you should do routinely. For clothing and sports equipment, twice a year. Paperwork daily, weekly, monthly and annually. If you continue to evaluate your possessions as you go through life, you will create a more peaceful and attractive home for your family, be prepared to move should the opportunity arrise quickly and spare yourself and your grown children the overwhelming task of cleaning out your home in later years. Eliminating unwanted stuff is profitable, charitable and liberatiing.
Thanks for the great article, Nancy! This is a great time to start to declutter and be ready for a new year? Do you really love all those Holiday decorations? We are keeping only the ones we love and passing the others on!