It breaks my heart when I hear someone tell me that they emptied the contents of a home to save on costs and time and brought most items to the landfill.
True that downsizing can be an intimidating process for seniors, executors, and their families. But there are so many strategies that allow the downsize and move to occur in an eco-friendly manner.
#1 Prioritize items that will be kept during the relocation first. This ensures that essential possessions make it into the new home.
#2 Donate or sell unwanted items instead of disposing of them at the landfill. This helps to provide a source of income for the owners to alleviate some of the costs of the downsize and move.
#3 A storage facility is an option but not one that I would typically recommend. Try not to move your clutter or store your clutter, however, it can be a helpful temporary solution if you are making a move within a tight timeline.
#4 Reusing and recycling materials whenever possible has a positive impact on the environment. Reducing waste also cuts down the costs associated with moving.
#5 Let go of pre-conceived ideas of what items are worth. Often in today’s market, your preconceptions do not align with market value. Many of the same items are on the resale market. Processing this first will go a long way in understanding how to move through this transition quickly and easily.
Most move managers, transition support advisors, professional organizers, or estate or auction sale companies are well connected to their communities and know who is looking for what at any time. They are also very aware of what sells and does not sell and have multiple selling strategies to assist with the removal of items.
At this time when the cost of living is so expensive, rehoming items is a great way to help others save money on items that you no longer need or want.
Reduce your carbon footprint, repurpose items, resell as much as possible, and minimize what ends up in the landfill.
To find out more about how Hello Darlene can help with Decluttering, Downsizing and Relocating, click here.
