How to Tackle Years of Accumulated Treasures
Are you clearing out your parents' home, where they have lived
for decades? Do you find drawers and closets crammed? The basement and garage
filled with boxes-some not opened for years? Perhaps even a rented storage
unit filled to the brim with forgotten things?
And now the house is going on the market and, ultimately, needs to be cleared
out.
Here's a simple system to help you get started with the decisions of what
to keep and what to let go. When you are finished, we manage all the rest
for you.
A. Large items such as furniture, appliances, and large decorative
items:
1. Purchase 3/4-inch round Avery stickers (available at office-supply stores)
in several different colors.
- A different color for each friend or family member, to identify the things
each of you will be keeping and taking to your own homes.
- A color for anything that needs to remain with the house for the new owner
(this might include major appliances, draperies, a work bench in the garage,
garden items like birdbath or bench).
- A color for anything you know you want to sell, donate or otherwise dispose
of.
2. Go through one room at a time, placing stickers on all large items in the
room as you make your decisions.
B. Small items throughout the house:
1. Choose one room at a time.
2. Bring in boxes marked "Keep (for family and/or friends) and "Sell/Donate."
3. You might also have a box, marked "Read," for papers to go through
later. Set aside a tea break, after your organizing session, to go through
your "Read" box.
C. Clothing closets:
1. Remove all the clothing from the closet
2. Check all pockets for hidden treasures
3. Pack the items you plan to keep.
4. Put back into the closets the clothes you want to sell or donate. They
then will be ready to display in an estate sale.
D. Storage areas like garage, attic, basement, garden shed, and rented
storage units--if you haven't needed (or even thought about!) the things in
those rooms for over a year, chances are you won't need or miss them later:
1. Visit each room.
2. Make a general list of what is in them, for example "5 boxes of Christmas
decorations," "old tax records"
3. Review the lists and make decisions on paper as to what you must keep and
what you can let go of.
4. Use your valuable time to go through the boxes and other things that demand
your attention.
5. Again, mark with stickers what you will keep.
E. Personal documents and files - take them with you or shred them.
Once your decisions are made, we handle the rest -
sale, donations, and disposition of all items you decide not to keep.