Letting it go!

My husband, Bob, and I have been considering downsizing and moving for a couple years but it's been hard to let go of the emotional and physical attachment we have to our home of 35 years, where we raised our two children, and all the stuff we've accumulated, even though it's too big, and I'm tired of cleaning it, and he's tired of maintenance and lawn care and snow removal.  So we decided to practice what I preach... 

Tip #3.  You can't take it with you.  Let it go. When my clients tell me they want to move, the first thing I tell them is you need to take action and act as if you are moving tomorrow--shift the energy today.  You must actually start the process by doing something toward your goal: begin packing, dumping and donating, and letting go of anything you don't want in your new home.  So we did! 

The amount of stuff we have is overwhelming.  We felt paralyzed.  And the very best thing that happened to help us take action toward downsizing?...our neighborhood garage sale!  I've tried Craigs List and been only marginally successful.  I have no patience for eBay and all the rules and fees.  And I've poo-pooed garage sales as a waste of time and energy in my de-clutter classes for years.  They are a huge amount of work to organize, price and display, to advertise, and then to sit around for two days bargaining a $1 item down to 25 cents.  Here's what changed my mind and got us excited about moving forward with our plans to downsize. 

Getting started.  Our neighborhood holds an annual garage sale the first weekend in May, that brings in an unbelievable number of buyers, thanks to the hard work of the Stellar Real Estate Group.  I was going to say they do all the work, but I had to check myself: not entirely.  They did all the marketing, which was huge! Advertising, social media posts, maps of the neighborhood, signage at the entrances, arranging for garbage pickup of unsellables and trash, and scheduling donation pick up at the end.  Then all we had to do was the deciding, gathering, pricing and hauling out to the driveway.  Here's some of what we accomplished:

• Let go of the 30-cup percolator and punch bowl I haven't used in 10 years
• Sold all my fabric scraps to a group of little girls who had just learned how to make some sort of fabric hair accessory
• Sold all the baby furniture and stroller, since our grandkids are now 4 and 7
• Cleaned out the garage and basement and our side yard and recycled two truckloads of metal to the metal recycler
• Took two truckloads for the neighborhood dump pick up
• Bob gave his mechanic books to an active mechanic
• Sold all those 1940s Army magazines, vinyls and 1940s newspapers to that nice young man who was excited to have them - felt like they were going to a good home
• Sold our freezer and told the buyer how to get a $50 rebate from Xcel energy for his old one, which Xcel would haul away for free
• Gave away all our old skis to a lady whose husband makes them into chairs
• Only brought six things back into the house and left a huge pile on the driveway for charity donation pick up

All the neighbors came out to chat. The steady stream of buyers kept us busy and motivated. It was so worth it!  We made nearly $2000 in a day and a half between the garage sale items and all the metal my husband recycled.  And you wouldn't believe how awesome our basement and garage look.  So we're doing it again this year.

Before Sale

After Sale

Use it or lose it.  As you're going through your things, use some of your sentimental 'treasures' for storage.  If you can't use it, lose it.  I decided to use my Dad's old lunch pail to hold markers and scissors and glue sticks for my grandkids.  And my favorite way of saving the memories and letting go of the item is taking pictures of things.  After my mom died, my three sisters and I took a sister vacation every year for 10 years.  In each location we purchased a mug.  This year, I took a picture of them and then let them go to the garage sale.  I saved one to hold pens on my desk.

This week keep in mind what Nancy Dougherty, a psychoanalyst from the Institute of Chicago says, Keeping the memory and letting go of the object is a process of growth. Consider joining me as we practice moving as many of the tangibles from our hands to our hearts, feeling good about it, and moving forward to make room for our spring goals.

Until Next Week