Paring down
The wait is over, the emotional rollercoaster is slowing down and you’re ready for a fresh start in your new Rainey Home.
It’s often said that a journey begins with a single step, and in this case, your first move should be sorting through the accumulated baggage at your old homestead and leaving behind what doesn’t fit in the new picture.
Go in knowing it’s not going to be easy. Here are some tips that will help you have a positive attitude about the process—it will go far in paring down your household.
- Rather than moving from room to room, sort your belongings by category. Look at your accumulated sports equipment, for example, and focus on what you want to keep. It’s easier to set the skateboard aside when your mind is still wrapping around the cross-country skis you’ll put to good use at the nearby state forest. And there’s no problem saying “adieu” to the six also-rans when you’re beside yourself rediscovering that super-deluxe slowcooker long buried in your pantry.
- What makes your heart sing? Be touchy-feeling with everything; you’ll feel the joy of the pieces that play an important part in your life. The ones that make you think “What if?” go into a different pile. With few exceptions—flashlights come to mind—most of what you’re holding onto “just in case” isn’t worth wasting the space.
- Bid a fond farewell to the pieces you’re leaving behind. Don’t wait until you’re gone to pass along heirlooms to your family and close friends. Be charitable. Pass along the plastic dinnerware that carried you through your salad days to a thrift shop. Or throw a yard sale. Price it right, and you’ll have plenty of reason to celebrate your freedom from clutter.
You probably feel better already! Make the effort. You won’t regret it.