For those who wish to remain in place with grace as they age, we love helping our clients declutter their homes by helping them sort, organize, store, and donate items. It's a formidable task that can be overwhelming, especially when one has accumulated years of treasured possessions and memorabilia. For some clients who need our help in cataloging those things they wish to will their loved ones, we can assist them by helping them identify, photograph, and inventory those items.
There comes a time for most of us as we age for the need to downsize to a smaller home or move into a retirement or assisted living community. As much as we'd like to we know we can't take it all with us, but it's so hard to let go... and how to go about prioritizing what to let go of and what to keep, and how to go about it?
That's where the team of 5 Star Concierge comes in! Please contact us for a free consultation to see how we can best help you declutter and/or downsize.
In the meantime, here are some ways you can begin decluttering your space. Ask the help of family or friends. If they aren't available or you'd rather not involve them with such a project, we are ready get to go to work for you to efficiently help with those tasks.
1. Start by clearing away an accumulated trash and recycling.
2. Pick one area to start organizing - a room, a closet, a dresser... start small.
3. When sorting, create three piles: keep, donate, or discard.
4. Find a place for everything you're keeping no matter how small.
5. Group items that a similar together on a shelf, in a cupboard, or in a labeled container to store or donate.
6. Set aside in a dedicated area or room those items you wish to pass on to your heirs.
7. Create an inventory of those things to include in your will, on along with the name of the recipient.
8. Don't try to do it all at once. Schedule time to do a little bit at a time. Don't stress or wear yourself out by trying to do too much at once.
Declutter tends to bring a great sense of relief and peace when it's done, and helps prepare you for next steps should you decide it might be time to downsize as well.
