Downsizing How to Let Go of Stuff with Sentimental Value.
How do you let go of stuff with sentimental value?
When you’re faced with the tough task of decluttering sentimental items, it’s seems easy just to follow the principle, just keep the things you love. But sometimes, even after decluttering you’re left with a house that is just too full. So learning how to let go of stuff becomes essential.
Hi, I’m Paula Quinn with RE/MAX Central, a certified senior’s real estate specialist focused on helping baby boomers and above downsize from their current home into the right-size home.
How do you deal with having too much stuff you love or that has sentimental value to you or your loved ones? It’s extremely common to have things in your home that you feel obligated to keep or have a hard time parting with, for whatever reason.
That set of china that you were given for your wedding but that you have had to hand wash so it sits in a box in the garage.
Or that collection of angels that you inherited from a family member and felt you should keep to honor their memory.
How about that leather jacket you earned as an award and used used to wear in 1995 but it not longer fits, you would never wear it today and it sits hanging in the back of your closet? Yeah, that might be me. It might seem simple to declutter in theory but when it comes down to it, all of us have those moments of stress and even guilt about what to do with a sentimental item.
The following three steps will help you with the process of letting go of those possessions in a way that hopefully makes you feel lighter and happier.
Number one, get rid of the easy items first. To start, go through your house, clear out anything and everything room by room that you don’t need or want. Be as thorough as possible in the steps so that you can genuinely rid your house of things that are just simply filling space. For example, maybe your kitchen is filled with gadgets and appliances that you haven’t used in years. Or perhaps your living room is cluttered with knick-knacks and decorative items that you purchased 10 years ago at some of those home parties and are now collecting dust. Sorting through the kids’ papers from school and letting regular assignments go but keeping special papers and artwork is a start. After clearing out the things you don’t need you can donate the items to a local charity or community thrift store so that others can enjoy your items.
Number two, cultivate that gratitude practice to make letting go easier. Having less stuff makes it easier to practice gratitude. One way to practice gratitude is to make a list of things you have in your home that make you feel thankful. Write down everything that resides under your roof that you’re grateful to have in your life, family and pets included. As you make your list, you will realize just how fortunate you actually are and you can frame that list or tape it to your bathroom mirror to remind you daily. You can also fold it up and transfer it from room to room as you sort through all of your belongings, as that reminder. Shifting to a place of gratitude can help lessen the harmful sting associated with letting go. It can provide a space for positivity and allow you to keep the things around you that you are genuinely grateful for and part with the rest in your own time.
Number three, one of my favorites in our house that we’re trying to do is downsize and upgrade. For example, sell that set of 12 of china sitting in a box in the attic and use the money to buy a set of four that you will use and that can go in the dishwasher. Every time you use that new, upgraded dish set, you’ll smile knowing that the wedding gift of china is still giving you joy, in your new set, and somebody else is enjoying your china.
No one is saying that letting go of sentimental stuff is easy but taking one step at a time by getting rid of the easy stuff, knowing what you’re truly grateful for and allowing yourself to downsize and upgrade can get you to where you need to be.
Downsizing How to Let Go of Stuff with Sentimental Value
Creating a tradition of trust, your realtor for life. Paula Quinn with RE/MAX Central. When you do what you love, people love what you do.
Paula@REMAX-CentralMN.com
www.thePaulaQuinn.com
(612) 810-3907
