Top 10 Rightsizing Tips

  1. Start with the easy stuff. Eliminate anything that’s broken, damaged, or no longer wanted. Then, go to the out-or-the-way spaces like attics, crawlspaces, and garages. Making progress in ”easier” areas will build momentum to through the harder-to-decide areas.
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  3. Ask yourself, “If this disappeared tomorrow, would I run out and replace it? If you wouldn’t miss it or need to replace it, it’s probably not worth keeping.
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  5. Don’t be a storage unit for others. If friends or relatives have left things for you to store, it’s time to ask them to pick them up – or arrange to have them shipped. You may need to be tough and set a firm deadline, after which you will donate the items.
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  7. Ask for help. Although you can do much of this work on your own, a family member, a good friend, or even a professional organizer can help make the job more manageable.
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  9. Decide what’ really important. Pretend you are moving overseas, and the number of items you can take will be severely limited and it will cost a small fortune to ship things. What items belong on your list? These are the things that matter most to you!
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  11. Is this something from a lifestyle I no longer have or want? For example, if you have three cabinets full of plastic containers, but only cook for one or two people, you probably can lose a few plastic sets-and dishes, pots and pans, etc.
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  13. Schedule a regular time each week-or several days per week-to work on Rightsizing. Realize that rightsizing is a life-changing marathon, not a sprint. You didn’t accumulate everything overnight, and you won’t sort it all out overnight either.
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  15. Value what you keep. The fewer things you keep, the more you will treasure and enjoy what you have, instead of tucking them away in a closet or stored among dozens of other things. These are the few, meaningful items worth having in your personal space.
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  17. Prevent new collections from forming. Instead of material gifts, ask people to spoil you by sharing time, enjoying new experiences, and indulging in luxuries (spa certificates, imported chocolate, a musical or other theatre production, gift certificates for dinner out, etc)-the things you love and want, but don’t always buy for yourself.
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  19. Use age to your advantage. Now is a great time to “gift” items you “eventually” want family members to have. Take a photo (preferably a digital one) of them holding the special item and create a digital scrapbook of “next generation” memories...making your special people happy and freeing yourself of extra “stuff” that you have been charged with keeping for posterity.