Is Your Stuff Stalling Your Move?

I was part of the moving crew to help my daughter move last week...Part way through the unloading, she turned to me and asked, "Do you think we have too much stuff? You'd tell me, right?"

Here's how you know if you have too much stuff:

• Packing takes WAY longer than you thought it would.
• You have to go out for more boxes, many, many more.
• As you're packing, you find yourself muttering, "Why do we have all of these_____(fill in the blank)?"
• You sigh deeply, shake your head and wonder why you're keeping _____(again, fill in the blank).
• You actually ask someone on your CREW if they think you have too much stuff...

Here's what to do about it:

Plan ahead! 
Start at least 6 months ahead of your move to downsize your items. For some people it's easiest to work on one room at a time. Other people like to choose a category, like books, and go through the whole house plucking out books that they no longer read or that no longer delight them. Give yourself time to sort through and edit everything before you even think about packing. It's way too much to do all at the same time.

Ask yourself the hard questions, and EDIT ruthlessly!
"Do I want to carry it?"
(Even if you're not actually going to carry the boxes yourself, use that as a measuring tool and figuratively ask,
"Do I want to carry this ______ with me into my new life?")
"Does it serve the future me?"
"Do I get excited at the thought of unpacking it?"
"Do I Love it? Need it?"
"Will I ever miss it if it's gone, or does it thrill me that someone else will love it?"


Give back!
Many of us are keeping items for others, and this is often well intentioned, done out of a spirit of helping, love and kindness. What I often see, however, is that these items become a burden. They are items that belong to our children, our parents, or our long-gone relatives. We are the ones that keep this stuff because we have a basement, an attic, a storage locker. I am here to tell you that the time is now!  If you are contemplating a move...send out the word to the relatives:
              
YOU HAVE 3 MONTHS, (UNTIL {3 months from date...}) TO CLAIM YOUR ITEMS! AFTER SUCH TIME, THEY WILL BE DONATED AND SENT BACK OUT INTO THE WORLD TO ENCHANT SOMEONE ELSE. I WILL NOT DRAG THEM WITH ME INTO MY NEW LIFE! (or something like that...)

Blame me, Blame the blog, Feel the pinch and do it anyway. (If you must, try a nicer approach first...nice does not usually convey a sense of urgency.) 
A move is such a big transition and if you happen to also be downsizing, this is a crucial step.

Now, unpack, enjoy, CELEBRATE! 
You did all of the hard work, enjoy the beginning of your new life feeling lighter, sparkly, and spacious. 

If you are NOT moving, apply the above principles to your current location and have the sparkly and spacious feeling right now!

If you are headed for a move, let me know how I can support you, I have helped dozens of people get real about what to pack and move. I would love to help you, too!

Lots of love,
Jane