Decluttering tips by Classic Moves
By Classic Moves
So, you’ve made the decision to move to a retirement village – congratulations! But where do you start when it comes to deciding what goes with you and how you get rid of all the things you can’t take? Chances are you’ve accumulated quite a bit of stuff living in your current home over the years.
The caring relocation experts at Classic Moves are here to help!
Moving from a three or four-bedroom family home into a smaller villa or apartment, may mean that you can only take up to 30% of your possessions to fit comfortably and safely into your new home.
A question that we are often asked is, “What will I do with the things I’m not taking?”
Your new life will be different from the one you have now – that’s the exciting part! So, you won’t need everything to come with you. A retirement village like Applewood has fantastic facilities that will mean you can do things differently.
For example, do you really need those three dinner services and the extra sets of glasses? Perhaps it’s time to delegate the Christmas dinner to a family member and leave them with the stress of getting things prepared (and the washing up afterwards!) Or entertain your friends and family in the community centre dining area and let someone else do the cooking!
Making all these decisions does take a bit of time and can be achieved with a good plan – and that’s where Classic Moves fits in. Class Moves works with you to create a moving plan to help you sort through and decide how to deal with everything, not just the things that you will be taking with you.
This is an important time for you to gather your thoughts and take time to farewell those possessions that have fond memories attached – and we know that this should not be rushed. If you’d like to get started on your own, here are 5 little things you can start to do right now:
- Ask your children to come and remove the things they’ve left “in storage” at your house. Get them to take the camping gear, old toys, books, and school photos home to their place or give you permission to donate them.
- Call for an expert opinion – ask an auction house to come and advise what’s saleable at auction. Knowing this early helps decisions along the way.
- Tackle one room at a time – and do the easy things first! A good starting point is the linen closet. How many towels and bedlinen do you think you will need? Donate your surplus items – even the well-worn ones are often welcomed by animal rescue shelters.
- Books seem to accumulate quickly. Consider which books you really need to take with you, and donate the rest. You could also donate some of your books to the village library to be enjoyed by others.
- The wardrobe – it’s time to get ruthless. If you haven’t worn something in over a year, if it doesn’t fit, or if it’s a relic from the 80s, then pack them up and donate them to a charity.
Don’t worry if you haven’t been able to sort out what to do with these things. You’re not alone! Contact the team at Classic Moves to help you with a smooth transition to your new home.
For more information on the services provided by Classic Moves, visit www.classicmoves.com.au