Lessons from the Downsizing Diva!
By Karen Shinn - Published on Sunday, 29 May 2011 10:00
After helping a number of people move from family homes to condominiums, retirement residences and care communities, we’ve learned a thing or two about downsizing!
- Don’t save things for good! You can’t imagine the number of gifts in original Department Store boxes we’ve found. Use everything and if you can’t use it, share it with someone else who will.
- Put names and dates on the backs of all framed photographs. People think old photographs become family heirlooms. They do if they contain names of people in the photo and the date. Without this information, old photos just become old photos.
- Check books, pockets and under drawers for money. People stash money in the strangest spots and these are three of the most common. Sometimes we forget where we’ve hidden money and it only takes a moment to flip through a book and be rewarded with a fluttering of bills.
- Surround yourself with things you love. We live in a society that values stuff, but resist the urge to buy more than you can use. This is the time to leave behind those “guilt gifts” and remember, we don’t own anything forever, we are only the caretakers!
- Savor the memories! Whether you’re downsizing your own home or helping someone else downsize theirs, take time to enjoy the moments and the memories!
As Move Organizers Extraordinaire, Gail Shields and Karen Shinn are Co-Founders of Downsizing Diva – a company that helps Seniors and their families downsize with care, compassion and, sometimes, comedy!
Gail and Karen love what they do….and it shows! They have written a book about moving, called “GO! The Essential Guide to Organizing and Moving” which is available at www.downsizingdiva.com