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Office: 404-702-1337, Pat Bowen

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                 Downsizing 101

Moving to a new home is a great opportunity to downsize.  Most seniors will be moving into smaller residences and will need to decide what they want to take with them and what they don’t.  Move Managers are experts at paring possessions down to size, and here are a few tips you can do yourself to get through the task.

•         Set some goals. If your new home will be smaller than your current one, compare the square footage and plan to identify only what will fit.  (Do not plan to put things into storage that you won’t use for years.)  For instance, if your new home is 1/3 smaller then you’ll have to part with 1/3 of your things.  If it’s the same size, you may want to identify items you no longer use or that are worn out.

•         The pros color code their decisions.  Get several packs of colored post-its and put them on all your possessions.  Try using green for ‘goes with me’, blue for ‘give aways’ like gifts to family and friends or donations, yellow for ‘things to sell’ in yard sales or online or in an auction, and red for ‘throw-aways’.  They’re great because you can write notes on them, and changing your mind is as easy as changing the color.

•         Finally, work in short spells:  30 minutes to an hour at a time.  You’ll make better decisions when you’re not worn out, and you’d be amazed at how much more you’ll accomplish over several weeks.