While the discussions about moving had taken place over four years, they were finally ready to make the move. Once the decision was made, it was full steam ahead to get their belongings identified, sorted, packed and/or donated or pitched. (They lived in their single family home for about 12 years.)
Thankfully the extended family was very involved in the sorting/packing process. But throughout our time together, the phrase "But I might need that!" was heard...frequently.
Adults of the GI generation are hesitant to part with things. They are a product of the Depression Era where everything was used, nothing gone to waste and things were kept, "just in case". (There was no need to spend hard earned money if you had whatever that thing was around.)
Do you have things you're keeping around??? Here's an article/list to ponder:
(From Business Insider by Emily Co.)
1. The other side of a pair of lost earrings
2. Scraps of wrapping
paper
3.
Cards people have
given you with no sentimental value
4.
Receipts you don't
need
5.
Ticket stubs
6.
Socks with holes
7.
Old t-shirts
8.
Leftover change
9.
Dried flowers
10.
Magazines
11.
CDs
12.
Hair elastics that
have lost stretchiness
13.
Hair accessories you
don't use
14.
Shoes that don't fit or
that you don't wear
15.
Extra photo prints
16.
Little knickknacks
(designate a bowl and fill it)
17.
Kitchen things you
don't use
18.
Cooking utensils you
have two of
19.
Tired bras
20. Scarves you never
wear
21.
Clothes that don't
fit
22.
Gifts you don't like
23.
Old towels
24.
Old makeup
25. Old toiletries
26. Old or unused hangers
27. Expired or sample-sized toiletries
28. Extra buttons
29. Expired sauces
30. Toys your pets don't play with
31.
Expired medication
32. Dried-up nail polish
33. Bills you don't need to keep
34. Expired coupons
35. Old paperwork
36. DVDs you don't watch
37. Snacks your pets don't eat
38. Damaged clothing you can't mend
39. Stained clothing you can't clean
40. Old prom dresses
41.
Scratched nonstick
cookware
42. Old underwear or swimwear that's losing its stretch
43. Outdated electronics
44. Rusty jewelry
45. Stockings with runs
46. Pens that don't work
47. Clothing you've outgrown
48. Necklaces and bracelets with broken clasps
49. Cables and wires you don't use
50. Worn-out sheets and bedding
51.
Empty or near-empty
bottles of cleaning products
52. Old mending buttons for clothing you no longer have
53. Worn-out bath mats
54. Broken electronics
55. Purses you never use
56. Flatware, plates, and glasses that don't match the rest of
your collection, plus dingy children's plates you no longer use
57. Old pillows
58. Worn-out shoes
60. Save-the-dates
61.
Wedding favors you
don't use
62. Old wallets that you don't use
63. Broken kitchen equipment
64. Spare furniture parts you don't need
65. Furniture manuals
66. Boxes
67. Unused vases
68. Extra tupperware you don't need
69. Old mail
70. Junk mail
71.
Travel brochures
72. Bobby pins
73. Old crayons or art supplies, plus markers that have run out
of ink
74. Random containers and jars
75. Unused stationary, stickers, and sticky notes
76. Ripped denim
77. Old artwork or old children's artwork
78. Used and ripped envelopes
79. Broken or old iphone cases
80. Old unused batteries
81.
Extra and unused
coffee mugs
82. Old spices
83. Address labels for your old house
84. Wrinkled ribbon and bows for gift wrap
85. Cards or gifts from exes
86. Frequent shopper cards you never use
87. Matchbooks
88. Old shopping bags
89. Old calendars
90. Old folders
91.
Magnets
92. Clothes that are outdated or from college
93. Broken Christmas decorations
94. Christmas lights that don't work
95. Frayed towels
96. Expired food
97. Computer cords, firewire cord, etc. that you don't use
98. Old and outdated software
99. CDs for old computer programs
100. Old cell phones
101. Hand-me-downs that
you're guilt-tripped into keeping
102. Freebie or
promotional t-shirts you never wear
103. Old fortune cookie
fortunes
104. Old bank statements
105. Old planners
106. Delete email
subscriptions from sites
107. Delete emails you
don't need
109. Extra buttons that
come with newly purchased clothes
110. Games that are
missing pieces
111. Old
schoolbooks you'll never use again
112. Papers you have backed up on the computer
113.Books you've already read and don't want to display
114. Cell phone covers
you're over
115.Old manuals to electronics
116. Cell phone
accessories you don't use anymore
For more information on how A Stress-Less Transition, LLC can help you or an older adult, please visit our website.
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