Category Archives: Downsizing and Organizing

The Great Paper Chase: Dealing with the Paper in Your Life

I have a confession: I have a paper problem. Currently, my desk is a staging post for piles of tax forms, receipts, note cards, bills and magazines. In the attic are boxes containing the more sentimental stuff: old love letters and even my elementary school report cards. (Thanks, Mom!)

Paper piles are hard to keep on top of–and that’s even when the recycling bin seems perennially full and my shredder works overtime. And, quite frankly, they’re an eyesore. Every so often, I dedicate an hour or two to corralling the bills and articles ripped from magazines, using the good old KonMarie Method (“What sparks joy?”).. Read the rest

“Just the Right Size” Downsizing Presentation

Need some inspiration for your moving project? Are you downsizing or selling your home? Join The Move Makers and other professionals for our free presentation, where we will share information on everything organizing, downsizing and moving. We will offer 10 valuable tips on how to work through the process. How do you avoid the emotional pitfalls? You will go away with a strategy that you can use. Industry professional speakers will be Valerie Hurst from The Springs, Lara James with Keller Williams and Deborah Ulrich with The Move Makers.

FREE “Just the Right Size” Downsizing Presentation

Date: Thursday, January 25 , 2024 Time: 11:00AM (lunch to follow)

Location: The Springs at Carman Oaks in the Theater Room
3800 Carman Dr.,
.. Read the rest

A Bookworm’s Guide to Downsizing A Book Collection

If you’re anything like me, you understand that books aren’t just inanimate objects: they are cherished companions on life’s journey. The classics of childhood evoke memories of days gone by, and the sight of a particular volume can transport you to the very places where you first enjoyed their pages, whether it was in a cozy mountain cabin or a sun-soaked beach. Perhaps you even possess valuable or rare books, or books signed by your favorite authors, with your name etched within.

There’s no denying that books are one of the most difficult things to downsize. They even earn their own chapter in Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up... Read the rest

Find Joy in Editing Your Holiday Decor

Last year, one of our Move Makers team members realized that the holiday decorations she’d collected over the years were taking up more time and space than she wanted. What was once a fun activity had become a chore, due to the sheer volume of decorations she had accumulated. Dragging those boxes and totes out of storage was becoming exhausting.  

Those of us who have been in our homes for many years can face the same challenges.  Do I need to put out ALL of my decorations each year?  Will it still feel like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or Christmas if I don’t?.. Read the rest

Tips for Downsizing Decor and More

Even though I live in a small home, I enjoy changing out my decor with the seasons. Over the years I have curated a collection of interesting items that I can arrange and rearrange with endless possibilities, which keeps me interested and my spaces fresh. I am fortunate to have a small walk up attic and this is my designated area for storing all decor by season.

When I was putting away holiday decorations earlier this month, I noticed that about half the boxes had not been touched. In fact, I remembered that this was the second year in a row it had happened, signaling to me that it was time to take action... Read the rest

Clean Up Your Outdoor Spaces NOW to Save Time, Money, and Stress When It’s Time to Move

Fall is a great time to downsize everything outside your home since indoor projects can happen once the weather turns cooler. Even when you are not planning to move, a quick clean-up will give you a head start in the spring. Think of starting at the edges of your property and working inward from the areas most visible from the street (and your neighbors). If you are planning to move within the next year or two, you will save yourself significant stress by taking care of the outside cleanup early, enabling you to focus on the inside of your home later... Read the rest

Garage Refresh –  Take Action and GET IT DONE

If you are planning to move in the next couple of years, it’s especially important to get control of large areas like the garage, which, for many of us, can be a repository for items we have deferred making decisions about. Making these decisions well before your move can save you time, stress (and money) when it is time to move. Remember that if you need help, the garage is a great place to start with a professional, like one of the organizers at The Move Makers.

Even if you are not planning a move, garages need some TLC. Fall is a great time to rethink and reorganize the garage... Read the rest

Painless Closet Organizing – The Liberating Feeling of LESS

I moved into my current petite home after seriously downsizing three times before. In the beginning, everything fit beautifully, with plenty of room to spare. Five years and one pandemic later, I began to feel the crunch. Somewhere along the way, my normal routine of editing my wardrobe seasonally had stopped working. Drawers were a little harder to close, I had even purchased additional hangers. Twice. I found myself laying clothes over a chair rather than wedging them into my closet. Does this sound familiar?

I decided it was time to do something about it. I borrowed a sturdy folding clothes rack, put a gardening podcast on speaker and got to work... Read the rest

How Discovering What Motivates You Can Help When it’s Time to Let Go of Your Unwanted Possessions

Once you have revisioned your home and made decisions about possessions that no longer support your vision, the logical next step is, of course, to let go. This can be a difficult part of the process for many of us, especially when the items have been in your possession for a long period of time, or they carry emotional weight.

How do you find motivation to take this final step? Below are some questions you can ask yourself to help uncover your motivator. Remember to focus on one object, or related group of objects at a time: 

  •  Does the thought of having everything just “disappear” bring relief?
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Edit Your Belongings to Support Your Updated Vision

Many of us find it difficult to part with possessions from a previous chapter of our lives, resulting in a home, garage, or storage area filled with outdated belongings. However, do these items truly merit occupying so much valuable space now? Why do we cling to things that no longer serve a purpose? How can we learn to identify and take action when our priorities and interests shift? And what are the consequences of failing to do so?

There are many reasons why we hang on to belongings. We think we may, at some future time, rekindle a past interest and will need those particular items again... Read the rest