Tips for Downsizing Your Home – What to Discard

So far in our three part series of Downsizing Your Home, we’ve covered the basics of getting started, and dealing with Sentimental items and Family Heirlooms. Today we’re going to cover what to get rid of, and how.

Part 3: What to discard

8. The first rule of thumb, if it’s chipped, broken, or stained, toss it.
   Charities don’t want nonworking Christmas lights, snagged clothes, lidless plastic Tupperware, or any items that they can’t sell. Period.

8. Weigh your loyalty to recycling against your available time.
   Avoiding waste is noble, but finding a home for every object can be incredibly time-consuming. “If you recycle the other 364 days of the year, tossing a few things in the interests of time is fine. You have to be pragmatic.
9. Don’t be shy about tossing replaceable items.
   Not worth moving, donating, or even conferring about: old spices, junk mail, old magazines (yes, even all those yellow-spined National Geographic issues), outdated medications, unused toiletries, plastic food containers, candles, stuffed toys (most charities won’t accept them), and the contents of the junk drawer (just hang onto change and spare keys).
10. For a price, you don’t have to haul it away yourself.
    The local garbage company may have limits on how many large black trash bags it will take, and not all local dumps take unsorted trash, either.Services like 1-800-Got-Junk and 1-800-Junk-USA (which recently merged with the industry’s other biggie, College Hunks Hauling Junk) remove appliances and furniture as well as smaller items.Smaller local junk dealers may haul things away for free if they see, on appraisal, items that they’ll be able to sell.

Downsizing your home is not an easy task. It’s often taxing both physically and emotionally. Moving often brings about a big change in life and having to “let go of memories” is difficult for anyone to deal with.

At Potomac Concierge, we’ve helped many clients go through the downsizing process and we’re sensitive to the emotional toll it takes on people. Give us a call to learn more, or for help in downsizing your home or that of a loved one: (240) 200-4824.

• Part 1 – Getting Started
• Part 2 – Sentimental & Family Heirlooms
• Part 3 – What to Discard