![]() ![]() Be kind to yourselfĭownsizing and decluttering can be tough as we form emotional attachments to our belongings and the memories they hold. “We had friends help, we donated stuff to charity, we gave to family and friends, we sold on Facebook Marketplace,” says Chris. Auction houses can also be a destination for selling your unwanted items but they can be very fussy about what they’ll accept. Thirdly, ask charities if they want your unwanted items but don’t just assume they will – charities often have limited room or too much stock already. Secondly, consider a private garage sale for people you know and trust and put coloured stickers on the items you no longer want. Now’s the time to create your new home for the next exciting stage of your life.įirstly, ask your children if they want any of the items you don’t want, but be prepared for them to not want many of them, no matter how precious they are to you. ![]() Moving into your new home can also be your chance to update some of those older items for some nice things you’ve had your eye on. For example, if you buy a new set of wine glasses, donate the existing ones. It’s OK to still buy new items but try adopting ‘the one in / one out’ rule. Enlist some friends or family to help digitize them all and then frame the ones that are special to take pride of place in your new home. Photos are treasured items and need to preserved, but they can also be heavy and bulky. Speaking of photos, you may have boxes of old photos and many albums. It will preserve the memory without taking up any space in your new home. Take photosĬonsider taking photographs or video of things that can’t go to your new home. We’d got rid of all this stuff we didn’t really need and living here feels like we’re on holiday every day,” says Del, a RetireAustralia resident from Wellington Manor. Don’t create a ‘maybe’ pile as it is something you’re just going to have to sort out again later. You can create piles or areas to sort into, such as ‘keep’, ‘toss’ and ‘sell/giveaway/donate’. To help make decisions on what to keep, ask yourself “do I need it, use it or love it?” Be honest with yourself and remember objects don’t have feelings. You don’t need to do it all at once, but slowly you’ll be able to work up to longer periods. Remember, you will have access to all the fabulous common areas at The Green, and there will be no need to bring that lawn mower or hedge trimmer.Įven if it’s for only 15 minutes at a time, short sessions will soon add up to a lot of work. Take advantage of this by taking measurements of all the spaces and storage areas and use this to help you decide what to take. ![]() RetireAustralia’s sales team will provide you with a floor plan of your low-maintenance, thoughtfully-designed apartment at The Green Tarragindi, which will include the room measurements. ![]() Take measurements and consider your new lifestyle Quite often you will underestimate just how much you need to de-clutter, so starting as soon as possible is your best bet says RetireAustralia resident Chris, “My top tip is start clearing the rubbish in the garage two years before you downsize!” 3. This is important if you have a high level of attachment to your belongings and allows you to stay in control of decision making. Start to make decluttering decisions well in advance of your actual move date. Once you’ve done these you can work your way up to photos, books, knick-knacks and other sentimental memorabilia. Group your objects into categories and start culling less emotional items such as paperwork, kitchen utensils, stationery supplies, cleaning products, clothes, linen and plastic-ware. We’ve supported many residents and their families over the years through this process and gathered their best tips and advice on how to make things as easy as possible. Before long, you will be relaxing in your new home. It may seem overwhelming, but there are some simple things you can do to make clearing the clutter stress free. When you’re making the move into retirement living there is often an element of downsizing as you move from a family home to the next chapter of your life. We often don’t realise how much ‘stuff’ we have until it’s time to move house. It’s so easy to accumulate a lifetime of treasured trinkets and possessions. ![]()
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