Have you lived in your home for 20, 30, or even 40+ years? Or maybe it’s only been a few years, but you brought a lifetime of things with you in your last move. And now you’ve started thinking about making a move to someplace smaller. But you feel overwhelmed and stressed because you do not know where to even begin.

Like the set of china you got as a wedding present or the tools your dad gave you. And now you have a house full of furniture but your kids have grown up and moved away. Then there’s all the things you’ve collected over the years. They all add up along with all the wonderful memories they carry.

This is the first thing that makes moving so hard as an older adult. It is not really about the stuff. It is about the memories it holds. A smaller space cannot hold everything a larger one did. You do not have to get rid of everything, but making the decision of what to take can often lead to paralysis by analysis. Some people just call that being stuck.

Start Long Before You Have To

The biggest mistake is waiting too long, thinking that you can manage everything in just a couple of months. Let’s face it, we’re not as young as we used to be and things take a bit longer to complete, and that’s not even thinking about the actual moving of items. So starting to sort things when you have a year or longer is ideal, so you feel less stressed and overwhelmed along the way.

Start With What You Want to Take

The natural instinct is to start by deciding what to get rid of. It works much better the other way around. Start with what you want in your next home: the things you will use, love having around, or could not imagine daily life without. Once that list is clear, everything else becomes a separate, easier decision. Some of it can go to family. You can donate or sell what’s left. Or simply let it go.

It Is Fine to Feel Something About This

Going through a lifetime of stuff brings up real emotion, and that is normal. A photograph, a piece of furniture, even a kitchen gadget can catch you off guard with a memory. Let yourself pause on those moments instead of pushing through just to get it done.

At the same time, keeping a memory does not always mean keeping the object. Take a photo of a piece of furniture, or a smaller item. The photo can help you hold onto the meaning that item gives you while taking up a lot less space.

You Do Not Have to Do This Alone

Enlist your family members, friends or neighbors, if they are helpful to you and readily available. There’s also the option of hiring someone, a move manager who can be a good resource to help you sort through things and make the decisions with you.

How I Can Help

You do not have to figure this out alone. As a Certified Senior Housing Professional working with senior clients across Northern Virginia, I start working with clients well before a move is imminent. That means helping you plan out what your move will look like, while you stay in control of the decisions, timing, and everything else. I’m there to help you get started and see things through until you settle into your new home.

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