Over the thanksgiving holiday, I was looking through photo albums with my family. A few of the photos were so old they were deteriorating. My husband and I were worried about these family treasures, so we decided to scan all of the old photos to keep our visual family records intact. This is one way to create amazing, and unique, family trees!
As I started the scanning process, I was labeling the photos with generic names like, “mom with me at the beach” or “mom holding me”. My husband came up with this Tip: label your photos as if a stranger would be looking at them. For example, use your loved ones’ full names, including your own. “Mary and her daughter Grace at the beach,” for example.
We also decided to scan the photos so that each and every family member would have the photos. That way there would be no disagreements about who would get the photos. Plus, it is nice to have them. We posted our photo collection on www.photobucket.com and www.facebook.com so that our families could access the photos for quick viewing. Another way to distribute photos to everyone is to burn them onto CDs. We save our photos on an external hard drive. However you decide to scan the photos and store them, just be sure to label the photos for future generations.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Estate Management
Losing someone you love is incredibly difficult; having to go through that person’s belongings can be one of the hardest things of all. Perhaps surprisingly, it can also be a wonderful experience – it all depends on how you approach the task at hand. I know a great lady that lost her mom – a woman who was a very flashy dresser – so she and her sister decided to sort her closet by trying on each item as a way of celebrating her life. They decided to keep a few items and the rest went to a charitable organization. While the experience was definitely bittersweet, it was much less painful then it could have been. Below is a list of organizing steps to help you through this process.
Determine what is being kept and what is going to family members. Then pick items designated for donation or to be put on Craig’s list. This is the hardest step, not only having to go through your loved ones’ items after they are gone, but also not knowing what to do with all of their treasured belongings; it really can bring all the grief home. Be sure that you have someone with you when you are going through this process.
Mark all items that are going to family. If possible, pack them up and send them to the family members with a quick personal note. For photos, I suggest the following: scan the individual photographs, and send them out to all family members. Give the originals to the eldest member of the surviving family. If there were photos given as gifts, ask the gift givers if they would like the photos back, if not they can be given to someone else in the family, or as a last resort, thrown away. Pack up what is being kept. Be sure to make an inventory of the boxes so that you can keep track of items; this way, when you are ready to unpack them you won’t have to go through the initial painful process. It will, instead, be like opening memories of that loved one – still sad, but hopefully less so. Have someone else take away the donations and other items. I have worked with many people who have lost loved ones, and taking those special items to a charitable organization was often terribly painful. Instead, have these boxes picked up or ask a friend to deliver them for you. If you aren’t ready to let go of the items right away, pack the items and mark the boxes carefully. Tread lightly here; you don’t want to end up with a household full of boxes that you are never able to get rid of and these boxes of cherished items can accumulate over time.
List items to donate or sell on Craigslist and people can come and pick them up directly. This is particularly helpful when there is furniture that needs to go. (If it isn’t expensive furniture, list it for free, it will go within the day.)
There are also situations that are too confusing, painful, or just plain overwhelming. If that is the case, having someone outside the circle of loved ones, like a professional, might bring a much needed sense of objectivity and relief.
Determine what is being kept and what is going to family members. Then pick items designated for donation or to be put on Craig’s list. This is the hardest step, not only having to go through your loved ones’ items after they are gone, but also not knowing what to do with all of their treasured belongings; it really can bring all the grief home. Be sure that you have someone with you when you are going through this process.
Mark all items that are going to family. If possible, pack them up and send them to the family members with a quick personal note. For photos, I suggest the following: scan the individual photographs, and send them out to all family members. Give the originals to the eldest member of the surviving family. If there were photos given as gifts, ask the gift givers if they would like the photos back, if not they can be given to someone else in the family, or as a last resort, thrown away. Pack up what is being kept. Be sure to make an inventory of the boxes so that you can keep track of items; this way, when you are ready to unpack them you won’t have to go through the initial painful process. It will, instead, be like opening memories of that loved one – still sad, but hopefully less so. Have someone else take away the donations and other items. I have worked with many people who have lost loved ones, and taking those special items to a charitable organization was often terribly painful. Instead, have these boxes picked up or ask a friend to deliver them for you. If you aren’t ready to let go of the items right away, pack the items and mark the boxes carefully. Tread lightly here; you don’t want to end up with a household full of boxes that you are never able to get rid of and these boxes of cherished items can accumulate over time.
List items to donate or sell on Craigslist and people can come and pick them up directly. This is particularly helpful when there is furniture that needs to go. (If it isn’t expensive furniture, list it for free, it will go within the day.)
There are also situations that are too confusing, painful, or just plain overwhelming. If that is the case, having someone outside the circle of loved ones, like a professional, might bring a much needed sense of objectivity and relief.
Maintaining Your Home While It’s For Sale
Summer is a popular time to sell houses. One of the hardest parts about selling a home is living in it while it’s being sold. Below are some simple and practical ways to maintain your newly staged home while it’s on the market.
Things to do each day to keep you on track:
IN THE MORNING:
Bedrooms:
• Make the beds
• Clear off any clutter on nightstands
• Make sure there are no dirty clothes on the floor
Bathroom:
• Keep counter tops clutter-free. This would be a perfect time to purchase those basket organizers you have been eyeballing!
• Make sure there are clean hand towels and hand soap available
• Make sure there is toilet paper
Kitchen:
• Make sure the counter tops are clutter free and clean
• If there is a cooking smell, air out your kitchen, or bake cookies!
Den/family room:
• Make sure there are no dirty dishes laying out
• Dust surfaces, if needed
IN THE EVENING:
Kitchen
• Clean up kitchen and leave nothing out
• Run the dishwasher and empty it
Den/family room:
• Fold up any blankets or throws that you used
If your budget allows, consider hiring a cleaning service as well as a yard service, to save you time and energy, and give your place the professional touch.
Things to do each day to keep you on track:
IN THE MORNING:
Bedrooms:
• Make the beds
• Clear off any clutter on nightstands
• Make sure there are no dirty clothes on the floor
Bathroom:
• Keep counter tops clutter-free. This would be a perfect time to purchase those basket organizers you have been eyeballing!
• Make sure there are clean hand towels and hand soap available
• Make sure there is toilet paper
Kitchen:
• Make sure the counter tops are clutter free and clean
• If there is a cooking smell, air out your kitchen, or bake cookies!
Den/family room:
• Make sure there are no dirty dishes laying out
• Dust surfaces, if needed
IN THE EVENING:
Kitchen
• Clean up kitchen and leave nothing out
• Run the dishwasher and empty it
Den/family room:
• Fold up any blankets or throws that you used
If your budget allows, consider hiring a cleaning service as well as a yard service, to save you time and energy, and give your place the professional touch.
eBay Instructions
Choosing What to Sell – The best advice I can give is: sell things that you are going to make more than $25.00. By the time you package it and drive to the post office, you have spent more time, energy, and gas on an inexpensive item. Think about it, what is more valuable your time or a $10.00 object sold on eBay? In other words, go for high bidding items. How do you know what is high bidding items? Research – read on for details. The exception is if you have a bunch of small things you can sell a lot of, such as a Hummel collection. In that case, tell bidders that you ship on Friday, and make one post office run to ship off everything you've sold at one time. Be sure to spell what you are selling correctly. If you spell the item for sale incorrectly the potential buyer won’t find it!
Excellent Description – Be specific when describing your item. What is the size? Is it hand painted? Can you tell a story of how you came to have it? Make it interesting and fun and you will have more viewers at you listing! Be sure to study similar listings that have the most bids on them to see how their items are described, it might give you ideas.
Clear Photos – Make sure your photos are clear and/or legible. Don’t post pictures that are too dark, or show your home in the background. Tip: use a drop cloth or the carpet as a background. If there are special marks indicating a collector’s item, be sure to take pictures of them.
Research – Research is the key to figuring out pricing, and if you have a treasure or not. Without researching, you may sell something for an inadequate amount, when it may have gone for more. A great way to figure out pricing is to do a “Title Only” search for items that are similar to what you are selling. To perform a “Title Only” search type in the title of what you are looking for, but do not specify a category. For example, you would type in “ceramic Dalmatian mug” leave the scroll bar at “all categories, and hit “search”. To finish researching the pricing, you would click on the “completed items” list and sort the results by price. Be sure to focus only on items that have bids. Here is an example: http://tinyurl.com/5gq69a
Pricing – Be sure to research the price of your object.
Use the search tool on eBay to see if someone is selling something similar and at what price. Has it been bid on? If not, the reasons can vary. It could be the price is too high, the description or photos are poor, or it’s just bad luck. eBay is tricky and often random – sometimes things sell and sometimes they don’t. If you go to the advanced search options, you can search items that have actually sold, not just ones that are currently for sale.
Gallery Pictures – Consider paying a little extra for the gallery photos, which displays your item for sale even before a buyer clicks on your listing. I would also have extra digital photos. You'll get your money back with more, and higher, bids.
Monitor Your Listing – If you listing has no bids you can adjust the listing. I suggest checking on your listing every day. One clue that you’re not getting any prospective buyers is if you have not received any emails asking questions about the item.
Setting Up Rules On The Listing – Be sure to specify where you will mail the item (this is an option you can click on when entering a listing. Unfortunately sometimes buyers don’t look at it anyway.) If you are selling a large and heavy object, such as furniture you probably only want to sell in the state of Washington as shipping would be astronomical, point this out in your listing. Reiterating the guidelines is ok, even recommended. Also be sure to have general prices for shipping for buyers available.
Set up guidelines:
• State that all sales are final. You will get newbie’s bidding on an item who will get buyers’ remorse. Unless they have a really good reason for backing out of the sale, tell them that you stated that all sales were final and stick to your guns.
• Put insurance on the items that you sell. Accidents do happen in shipping. This way you will be covered by insurance instead of having to pay the damages out of pocket. Before you do refund them, make sure they have proof that the item was
damaged.
• Be aware that every buyer you sell to will rate you. Keep this in mind when you ship things. I always take special care to ship things with extra bubble wrap to ensure it gets there in one piece. Don’t send the item until you receive payment – you can also specify this on your listing.
Buy It Now Feature – Instead of doing a regular auction, where you may not sell the item for what it is worth, I suggest using the “buy it now” feature. This is a great feature for selling an item faster, especially if you know exactly what it is worth. Start the price at more than half what it is worth to encourage bids.
Reserve feature – This feature allows you to put the
actual amount you want to sell the item for secretly. Until the reserve is met, it will not be sold. For example, if you reserve a tea cup for $50.00 and no one bids that high you have the right to withdraw the item that is for sale. Use this sparingly as it can scare potential buyers away.
Pay Pal – I suggest setting up an account with Pay Pal as it is the quickest, safest, and most accepted method of payment used on Ebay. Go to: www.paypal.com to do this. Be aware that they ask for your bank account information. There is a 3% fee when you use Pay Pal. Pay Pal will allow buyers to pay with credit card. You can also use Pay Pal to send money for things you purchased on eBay. It is also a great way to get the money right away from an item you have sold and keep track of your earnings.
Beware of false emails from supposed Pay Pal members or Pay Pal administration – if they ask you for ANY personal or financial information delete the email and report it to Pay Pal. This can also occur with false eBay emails asking for personal and financial information.
Methods of Payment- I would recommend accepting money orders, credit card payments through pay pal and cashier’s checks. You could also accept checks, but always wait for them to clear before sending out the sold item.
To learn more about the specifications of a sale and the rules of eBay go to:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/index.html
Excellent Description – Be specific when describing your item. What is the size? Is it hand painted? Can you tell a story of how you came to have it? Make it interesting and fun and you will have more viewers at you listing! Be sure to study similar listings that have the most bids on them to see how their items are described, it might give you ideas.
Clear Photos – Make sure your photos are clear and/or legible. Don’t post pictures that are too dark, or show your home in the background. Tip: use a drop cloth or the carpet as a background. If there are special marks indicating a collector’s item, be sure to take pictures of them.
Research – Research is the key to figuring out pricing, and if you have a treasure or not. Without researching, you may sell something for an inadequate amount, when it may have gone for more. A great way to figure out pricing is to do a “Title Only” search for items that are similar to what you are selling. To perform a “Title Only” search type in the title of what you are looking for, but do not specify a category. For example, you would type in “ceramic Dalmatian mug” leave the scroll bar at “all categories, and hit “search”. To finish researching the pricing, you would click on the “completed items” list and sort the results by price. Be sure to focus only on items that have bids. Here is an example: http://tinyurl.com/5gq69a
Pricing – Be sure to research the price of your object.
Use the search tool on eBay to see if someone is selling something similar and at what price. Has it been bid on? If not, the reasons can vary. It could be the price is too high, the description or photos are poor, or it’s just bad luck. eBay is tricky and often random – sometimes things sell and sometimes they don’t. If you go to the advanced search options, you can search items that have actually sold, not just ones that are currently for sale.
Gallery Pictures – Consider paying a little extra for the gallery photos, which displays your item for sale even before a buyer clicks on your listing. I would also have extra digital photos. You'll get your money back with more, and higher, bids.
Monitor Your Listing – If you listing has no bids you can adjust the listing. I suggest checking on your listing every day. One clue that you’re not getting any prospective buyers is if you have not received any emails asking questions about the item.
Setting Up Rules On The Listing – Be sure to specify where you will mail the item (this is an option you can click on when entering a listing. Unfortunately sometimes buyers don’t look at it anyway.) If you are selling a large and heavy object, such as furniture you probably only want to sell in the state of Washington as shipping would be astronomical, point this out in your listing. Reiterating the guidelines is ok, even recommended. Also be sure to have general prices for shipping for buyers available.
Set up guidelines:
• State that all sales are final. You will get newbie’s bidding on an item who will get buyers’ remorse. Unless they have a really good reason for backing out of the sale, tell them that you stated that all sales were final and stick to your guns.
• Put insurance on the items that you sell. Accidents do happen in shipping. This way you will be covered by insurance instead of having to pay the damages out of pocket. Before you do refund them, make sure they have proof that the item was
damaged.
• Be aware that every buyer you sell to will rate you. Keep this in mind when you ship things. I always take special care to ship things with extra bubble wrap to ensure it gets there in one piece. Don’t send the item until you receive payment – you can also specify this on your listing.
Buy It Now Feature – Instead of doing a regular auction, where you may not sell the item for what it is worth, I suggest using the “buy it now” feature. This is a great feature for selling an item faster, especially if you know exactly what it is worth. Start the price at more than half what it is worth to encourage bids.
Reserve feature – This feature allows you to put the
actual amount you want to sell the item for secretly. Until the reserve is met, it will not be sold. For example, if you reserve a tea cup for $50.00 and no one bids that high you have the right to withdraw the item that is for sale. Use this sparingly as it can scare potential buyers away.
Pay Pal – I suggest setting up an account with Pay Pal as it is the quickest, safest, and most accepted method of payment used on Ebay. Go to: www.paypal.com to do this. Be aware that they ask for your bank account information. There is a 3% fee when you use Pay Pal. Pay Pal will allow buyers to pay with credit card. You can also use Pay Pal to send money for things you purchased on eBay. It is also a great way to get the money right away from an item you have sold and keep track of your earnings.
Beware of false emails from supposed Pay Pal members or Pay Pal administration – if they ask you for ANY personal or financial information delete the email and report it to Pay Pal. This can also occur with false eBay emails asking for personal and financial information.
Methods of Payment- I would recommend accepting money orders, credit card payments through pay pal and cashier’s checks. You could also accept checks, but always wait for them to clear before sending out the sold item.
To learn more about the specifications of a sale and the rules of eBay go to:
http://pages.ebay.com/help/index.html
STAGING YOUR HOME FOR SELLING
When you are putting your house on the market, a key thing is Stage Your Home. An essential part of staging includes de-cluttering. You want to make your home look like a warm and inviting hotel. Start with this list below, and you will be on your way to staging your home in no time!
SORT
Be sure to have three things ready: a donation box, a garbage bag and a recycling bin. Go through your house systematically, room by room. Start putting likes with likes. For example, put clothes you are going to keep in one pile. If you have kids’ toys that are no longer used, put them in the donation box. Extra light bulbs that you’re not going to use in your new home can be recycled; see the following article for tips on how to recycle these and other items.
TOSS
Purge, Purge, and Purge! Now is the time to throw things away that can’t be recycled or donated! Liberate yourself from those bottles of shampoo that just have a smidgen left (I know you’ve got a few of these around in the shower!). If you have things lying around that haven’t been used in years, old stinky mops and multiple brooms: toss them. You’re not likely to use them in your new home and it’d be silly to move them. When you’re finished purging, take your garbage to the curb, so you don’t change your mind. Good Riddance!
Personal Photos – The key during a walk-through is to make potential buyers feel like they are living in their own home. Remember the idea is a hotel; there wouldn’t be pictures of other guests would there? To this end, take all your “making merry around the Christmas tree” and “bbq-ing in the backyard” photos and pack them up.
Closets – This is a perfect time to pack up seasonal clothing that you are not wearing and put it into plastic bins. Having a less cluttered closet will make it look bigger. And remember, people don’t want to see how you live, they want to imagine themselves living there; give them as tidy a palette as possible.
Collectibles – Go through your valued collectibles before you store them away. Maybe there are a handful you don’t like or need anymore. This may be an opportunity to give some items away, or sell them.
Counter tops – Be sure to keep counter tops clutter free. Everything should look streamlined and clean. This is the perfect time to figure out what you need on the counter tops and what you don’t. If some items are continuing to come back to haunt you, you probably need to rethink your set-up.
DONATE
Here are some general donation stations:
Goodwill donation center locator: http://www.seattlegoodwill.org/
Value Village donation center locator: http://tinyurl.com/38m37o
Shalom Bayit: http://www.ncjwseattle.org/DVproject.htm
Eyeglasses Stores: Many eye glass stores, and many drug stores, will gladly accept these donations for those who cannot afford glasses but desperately need them.
Doll museum – If you had a lot of dolls as a child and don’t want to just drop them off at the local donation station, this is a great place to take them. http://www.dollart.com/control.htm
SELLING
Think carefully about what you are attempting to sell. Is it really worth your time to sell the item?
Figure out how much the item may be worth before attempting to sell it. A good way to get an idea about how much you may get for an item is to visit www.eBay.com and look at the same item being sold by other people. I would suggest selling big ticket items, such as a 2 year-old refrigerator, or a really nice table saw. You may, however, want to re-think selling Barbie dolls that aren’t in their original box, as they don’t tend to bring in very much money. Think back to the SORTING phase, these Barbies may be a hot ticket donation item for some little girl who’s dying for a doll! If you don’t have a lot of time to mess around with the intricacies of online auctions, one option is to hire someone to sell on eBay for you like
http://www.i-soldit.com/index.asp; this company will sell your items for you, and send you a check or donate the proceeds from the sale to your favorite charity!
SORT
Be sure to have three things ready: a donation box, a garbage bag and a recycling bin. Go through your house systematically, room by room. Start putting likes with likes. For example, put clothes you are going to keep in one pile. If you have kids’ toys that are no longer used, put them in the donation box. Extra light bulbs that you’re not going to use in your new home can be recycled; see the following article for tips on how to recycle these and other items.
TOSS
Purge, Purge, and Purge! Now is the time to throw things away that can’t be recycled or donated! Liberate yourself from those bottles of shampoo that just have a smidgen left (I know you’ve got a few of these around in the shower!). If you have things lying around that haven’t been used in years, old stinky mops and multiple brooms: toss them. You’re not likely to use them in your new home and it’d be silly to move them. When you’re finished purging, take your garbage to the curb, so you don’t change your mind. Good Riddance!
Personal Photos – The key during a walk-through is to make potential buyers feel like they are living in their own home. Remember the idea is a hotel; there wouldn’t be pictures of other guests would there? To this end, take all your “making merry around the Christmas tree” and “bbq-ing in the backyard” photos and pack them up.
Closets – This is a perfect time to pack up seasonal clothing that you are not wearing and put it into plastic bins. Having a less cluttered closet will make it look bigger. And remember, people don’t want to see how you live, they want to imagine themselves living there; give them as tidy a palette as possible.
Collectibles – Go through your valued collectibles before you store them away. Maybe there are a handful you don’t like or need anymore. This may be an opportunity to give some items away, or sell them.
Counter tops – Be sure to keep counter tops clutter free. Everything should look streamlined and clean. This is the perfect time to figure out what you need on the counter tops and what you don’t. If some items are continuing to come back to haunt you, you probably need to rethink your set-up.
DONATE
Here are some general donation stations:
Goodwill donation center locator: http://www.seattlegoodwill.org/
Value Village donation center locator: http://tinyurl.com/38m37o
Shalom Bayit: http://www.ncjwseattle.org/DVproject.htm
Eyeglasses Stores: Many eye glass stores, and many drug stores, will gladly accept these donations for those who cannot afford glasses but desperately need them.
Doll museum – If you had a lot of dolls as a child and don’t want to just drop them off at the local donation station, this is a great place to take them. http://www.dollart.com/control.htm
SELLING
Think carefully about what you are attempting to sell. Is it really worth your time to sell the item?
Figure out how much the item may be worth before attempting to sell it. A good way to get an idea about how much you may get for an item is to visit www.eBay.com and look at the same item being sold by other people. I would suggest selling big ticket items, such as a 2 year-old refrigerator, or a really nice table saw. You may, however, want to re-think selling Barbie dolls that aren’t in their original box, as they don’t tend to bring in very much money. Think back to the SORTING phase, these Barbies may be a hot ticket donation item for some little girl who’s dying for a doll! If you don’t have a lot of time to mess around with the intricacies of online auctions, one option is to hire someone to sell on eBay for you like
http://www.i-soldit.com/index.asp; this company will sell your items for you, and send you a check or donate the proceeds from the sale to your favorite charity!
Moving the Right Way
Recently, I have been packing, moving and unpacking a lot of my clients at their new homes. Sometimes, I am only called upon to pack a few of their belongings. When this occurs, I often find that things are packed in a disorganized fashion, and not only does it take longer to unpack, but sometimes the boxes are miss-marked. Luckily, we unpack them immediately so this is not a problem. However, it seems lots of people never get around to unpacking all of their boxes and end up storing them in storage facilities or their garages. Years later they contact me and we have the daunting task of going through the miss-labeled boxes and find out that things that were supposed to be in certain boxes are in fact not there. This can be very frustrating for everyone for the following reasons: It takes longer to go through things, it takes longer to decide what to keep and toss, and it takes longer to organize belongings.
You get the picture! What can you do to avoid this?
1) Have the person packing properly mark boxes as you go – You should try creating a packing list.
There are several way you can do this:
• Use the software program Paper Tiger: http://thepapertiger.com/ – this is great software
–it allows you to use a numerical organizing system. You can number your boxes and create an inventory of what is in each box to reference upon arriving in your new home.
For example, box 1 might have random objects that you packed at the last minute, like sticky notes, extra pens, appliance manuals, and toilet paper. You can list this all in the program under “box number one.”
• Number the boxes and create an inventory using an excel spreadsheet
• Create a hand written packing list and tape it to the outside of each box– be sure to have someone remind you to do this, it’s easy to forget in the hustle and bustle of moving!
2) Take the time to go through everything before you move, that way you won’t pack things you don’t need. This way you will have less to pack, and will be more likely to unpack it all when you get to your new destination.
3) Pack things in an organized fashion – pack items room by room, likes with likes. For example, start with your office. Put all of the computer software together, and the tech books in another box. That way when you go to unpack, it will be easier to organize the office.
If you take all of these steps, I guarantee unpacking will be less of a nightmare and you won’t be wondering what’s in the boxes you didn’t have time to unpack!
You get the picture! What can you do to avoid this?
1) Have the person packing properly mark boxes as you go – You should try creating a packing list.
There are several way you can do this:
• Use the software program Paper Tiger: http://thepapertiger.com/ – this is great software
–it allows you to use a numerical organizing system. You can number your boxes and create an inventory of what is in each box to reference upon arriving in your new home.
For example, box 1 might have random objects that you packed at the last minute, like sticky notes, extra pens, appliance manuals, and toilet paper. You can list this all in the program under “box number one.”
• Number the boxes and create an inventory using an excel spreadsheet
• Create a hand written packing list and tape it to the outside of each box– be sure to have someone remind you to do this, it’s easy to forget in the hustle and bustle of moving!
2) Take the time to go through everything before you move, that way you won’t pack things you don’t need. This way you will have less to pack, and will be more likely to unpack it all when you get to your new destination.
3) Pack things in an organized fashion – pack items room by room, likes with likes. For example, start with your office. Put all of the computer software together, and the tech books in another box. That way when you go to unpack, it will be easier to organize the office.
If you take all of these steps, I guarantee unpacking will be less of a nightmare and you won’t be wondering what’s in the boxes you didn’t have time to unpack!
Moving Checklist
Summer is here and it is a popular time for people to sell their homes and buy new ones, which of course means that they will be moving. To many this is a much dreaded task. There is so much to do it can be overwhelming. Below is a checklist of final things to do before you move.
1. Turn off or change your phone number – Be sure to have the outgoing message let everyone know what your new number is (not just that your number has been disconnected)
2. Change your address - Send out change of address post cards and be sure change your address at your post office. To make the change of address run smoothly, contact your monthly billing places, such as credit cards, cell phone, banks, financial plans, subscriptions and any other company that sends you regular mail at least one month in advance of your move date.
3. Turn off utilities - Phone, gas, electricity, garbage, water, cable, internet, any food service provider (like a milk delivery or organic produce delivery service). Be sure to get a written letter from each company confirming that they have turned off your service. Give them the approximate time that you are moving (as well as your new address) so that they know where to mail your final bill.\
4. Check that your Home Owner’s Insurance covers moving damage –This is essential, so that if something is broken while you are being moved, it will be covered (after the cost of your deductible). While you are at it, contact all insurance companies that you have policies with and let them know of your change of address.
5. Defrost the freezer and clean it out (including the refrigerator) – While this task is easy, cleaning out the entire house is not when you are in the midst of a move. Instead, hire a cleaning service to do a deep cleaning of the house you are moving out of and the house you are moving into.
6. Disconnect any appliances you are taking with you.
7. Have the mover’s phone number handy and make sure they have yours – Be sure that they have a map of the area you are moving to, as well as a second phone number where they can reach you.
8. Arrange for a babysitter for your kids the day of the move – This will make everyone’s day easier!
9. Take photographs of everything you are moving – This is a great way to document your belongings for insurance in case any damage occurs during the move. I would also create an inventory along with the photographs.
10. Label the boxes – Put your name and address, along with the room that the box is going into on the box, so that there are no mix-ups. Sometimes the movers have more than one household in a single truck, so this can avoid any mishaps.
11. Have a “moving manager” on call - Make sure that someone is observing the move, so that all goes smoothly: think of them like a wedding planner. They are there to make sure that everything runs according to plan, that the movers are being careful with your belongings, and to answer any questions the movers may have.
If possible, don’t leave all of your moving tasks to the last minute. If you use this list as a guide for your next move you will find the act of moving a lot less disconcerting.
1. Turn off or change your phone number – Be sure to have the outgoing message let everyone know what your new number is (not just that your number has been disconnected)
2. Change your address - Send out change of address post cards and be sure change your address at your post office. To make the change of address run smoothly, contact your monthly billing places, such as credit cards, cell phone, banks, financial plans, subscriptions and any other company that sends you regular mail at least one month in advance of your move date.
3. Turn off utilities - Phone, gas, electricity, garbage, water, cable, internet, any food service provider (like a milk delivery or organic produce delivery service). Be sure to get a written letter from each company confirming that they have turned off your service. Give them the approximate time that you are moving (as well as your new address) so that they know where to mail your final bill.\
4. Check that your Home Owner’s Insurance covers moving damage –This is essential, so that if something is broken while you are being moved, it will be covered (after the cost of your deductible). While you are at it, contact all insurance companies that you have policies with and let them know of your change of address.
5. Defrost the freezer and clean it out (including the refrigerator) – While this task is easy, cleaning out the entire house is not when you are in the midst of a move. Instead, hire a cleaning service to do a deep cleaning of the house you are moving out of and the house you are moving into.
6. Disconnect any appliances you are taking with you.
7. Have the mover’s phone number handy and make sure they have yours – Be sure that they have a map of the area you are moving to, as well as a second phone number where they can reach you.
8. Arrange for a babysitter for your kids the day of the move – This will make everyone’s day easier!
9. Take photographs of everything you are moving – This is a great way to document your belongings for insurance in case any damage occurs during the move. I would also create an inventory along with the photographs.
10. Label the boxes – Put your name and address, along with the room that the box is going into on the box, so that there are no mix-ups. Sometimes the movers have more than one household in a single truck, so this can avoid any mishaps.
11. Have a “moving manager” on call - Make sure that someone is observing the move, so that all goes smoothly: think of them like a wedding planner. They are there to make sure that everything runs according to plan, that the movers are being careful with your belongings, and to answer any questions the movers may have.
If possible, don’t leave all of your moving tasks to the last minute. If you use this list as a guide for your next move you will find the act of moving a lot less disconcerting.
TRACKING TASKS WITH OUR OLDER LOVED ONES
As our parents get older (into their mid 80ʼs and 90ʼs), we often find ourselves assisting in aspects of their lives that they used to be able to maintain themselves. Because they are aging perhaps their eyes may begin to fail, or their hearing or they may need more assistance with things like finances, insurance, medication management, and doctor’s visits. If your parents are still living at home but with home care services, the home care provider will most likely be taking them to doctors’ appointments. To keep a strong authority and management presence over the household with the home care providers, I suggest keeping close contact with your parents in person or via the phone. During these conversations taking veracious notes, it’s simply too easy to forget details in stressful times. Email is also a good way to track things in writing. Below are sample forms I’ve developed based on my experiences with working with clients:
Calls to Make:
Project: Call home health agency – Help is on the way service, INC
Date: 2/5/07
Objective: Arrange for home health aide to check in on mom 1x a week
Outcome: made contact with an intake person who will come to the house on Thursday the 10th of February for an introductory session with mom.
Contact: Julie Bryer Phone #: 206-555-1982
Notes: have a list of mom’s medical issues ready as well as her insurance information
Name of care taker/home care provider services: Help is on the way services, INC
Date: 2/15/07
Because Mom is going to need additional care, I spoke with care director Arlene; she is going to send over a new girl this weekend: Connie Bart. Connie and I are going to meet ahead of time so I can overview my parents care with her. (Remember to bring a welcome packet to her).
Care taker/home care provider # 1 Judy Bryer
Date: 2/10/07
Mom will need to have additional care during evenings due to her hip problems.
Judy has asked me to make Mom an appointment with her Doctor so that he can recommend a PT. Dad is taking too much pain medication, will need to discuss this with doctor (add this to the questions/comments section below).
Care taker/home care provider #2: Connie Bart
Date: 2/18/07
Dad woke up 6 times during the evening. Connie is concerned that it has to do with anxiety. I will speak to the Dr. at our next appointment about this.
Mom is still in a lot of pain due to her bad hip, I am anxious for her to start PT.
Notes from Book keeper/CPA Date:03/05/07
Taxes issues:
Ask about social security.
Questions to ask during our meeting:
Spending:
Ask her if I should add up the expenses of the following:
Medications
Medical bills
co-pays
Dr. notes from dr. visit - Mom
Name of Doctor: Dr. Phorthax
Date: 2/23/07
Medication issues: n/a
New doctor referral: Dr. looked over Mom’s hip and suggested PT. We are going to start setting up appointments next week – be sure to arrange care takers to take her to the appointments. (Go to the first PT appointment to talk with the PT and request notes and handouts, and let them know a caretaker will be coming instead of me.)
Calls to Make:
Project: Call home health agency – Help is on the way service, INC
Date: 2/5/07
Objective: Arrange for home health aide to check in on mom 1x a week
Outcome: made contact with an intake person who will come to the house on Thursday the 10th of February for an introductory session with mom.
Contact: Julie Bryer Phone #: 206-555-1982
Notes: have a list of mom’s medical issues ready as well as her insurance information
Name of care taker/home care provider services: Help is on the way services, INC
Date: 2/15/07
Because Mom is going to need additional care, I spoke with care director Arlene; she is going to send over a new girl this weekend: Connie Bart. Connie and I are going to meet ahead of time so I can overview my parents care with her. (Remember to bring a welcome packet to her).
Care taker/home care provider # 1 Judy Bryer
Date: 2/10/07
Mom will need to have additional care during evenings due to her hip problems.
Judy has asked me to make Mom an appointment with her Doctor so that he can recommend a PT. Dad is taking too much pain medication, will need to discuss this with doctor (add this to the questions/comments section below).
Care taker/home care provider #2: Connie Bart
Date: 2/18/07
Dad woke up 6 times during the evening. Connie is concerned that it has to do with anxiety. I will speak to the Dr. at our next appointment about this.
Mom is still in a lot of pain due to her bad hip, I am anxious for her to start PT.
Notes from Book keeper/CPA Date:03/05/07
Taxes issues:
Ask about social security.
Questions to ask during our meeting:
Spending:
Ask her if I should add up the expenses of the following:
Medications
Medical bills
co-pays
Dr. notes from dr. visit - Mom
Name of Doctor: Dr. Phorthax
Date: 2/23/07
Medication issues: n/a
New doctor referral: Dr. looked over Mom’s hip and suggested PT. We are going to start setting up appointments next week – be sure to arrange care takers to take her to the appointments. (Go to the first PT appointment to talk with the PT and request notes and handouts, and let them know a caretaker will be coming instead of me.)
UNPACKING
Believe it or not, the most important thing most of us forget on moving day is food. Be sure to either have some food on hand, or be prepared to order take out. A full tummy is a productive tummy. When unpacking, It may seem obvious, but start with the necessities first.
For example:
BATHROOM
• Soap for the sink and shower
• Toilet paper
• Bath mat & towel for shower
• Band-Aids & ointment (you may cut yourself on the box cutter!)
• Medications
• Toiletry items – (hand-carry these over from your old place): facial cleanser, toothbrush, dental floss, tooth paste, shampoo & conditioner, make up, razors, hair brush.
LINENS
• Sheets - so you can make the bed for your first night in your new home
• Towels
CLOTHES
(if the move is close, I usually pack the clothes in suitcases and trash bags and unpack them right away.)
• Change of clothes
• Unmentionables ☺
• Socks
• Pajamas and slippers
KITCHEN
• Utensils
• Plates – if time permits, if not paper is great for the first few days
• Pots and pans
HOUSEHOLD NECESSITIES
Cleaning products
• Light bulbs
• Batteries
• Small tools(hammer, screwdriver, etc…)
• Emergency items (candles,matches, flashlights, etc…)
SAVE THE FOLLOWING FOR LAST:
• Framed art
• Framed pictures (perhaps hand carry over your favorites!)
• Memorabilia
• Seasonal decorations
• Seasonal items, such as skis if it is summer time.
By unpacking the important things first, you will find you are grounded and more comfortable and a little less overwhelmed by the whole situation. There will be more unpacking to do, but at least you will be well fed, showered, and dressed!
For example:
BATHROOM
• Soap for the sink and shower
• Toilet paper
• Bath mat & towel for shower
• Band-Aids & ointment (you may cut yourself on the box cutter!)
• Medications
• Toiletry items – (hand-carry these over from your old place): facial cleanser, toothbrush, dental floss, tooth paste, shampoo & conditioner, make up, razors, hair brush.
LINENS
• Sheets - so you can make the bed for your first night in your new home
• Towels
CLOTHES
(if the move is close, I usually pack the clothes in suitcases and trash bags and unpack them right away.)
• Change of clothes
• Unmentionables ☺
• Socks
• Pajamas and slippers
KITCHEN
• Utensils
• Plates – if time permits, if not paper is great for the first few days
• Pots and pans
HOUSEHOLD NECESSITIES
Cleaning products
• Light bulbs
• Batteries
• Small tools(hammer, screwdriver, etc…)
• Emergency items (candles,matches, flashlights, etc…)
SAVE THE FOLLOWING FOR LAST:
• Framed art
• Framed pictures (perhaps hand carry over your favorites!)
• Memorabilia
• Seasonal decorations
• Seasonal items, such as skis if it is summer time.
By unpacking the important things first, you will find you are grounded and more comfortable and a little less overwhelmed by the whole situation. There will be more unpacking to do, but at least you will be well fed, showered, and dressed!
ORGANIZING YOUR GUEST BEDROOM/CRAFT ROOM
Usually the guest bedroom is a multi-purpose room – a craft/guest room. October is the perfect month for organizing this room. Not only are the guests coming for Thanksgiving, but Halloween is approaching and the need for making costumes is near. That is why it is essential that this room be organized. The list below will help you organize the room area by area. First, take the time to clear off the floor, then, continue onto the closet.
❇ Closet:
Take everything out onto your nice clean floor. Now that the closet is emptied you can begin deciding what you want to keep and toss or donate. The things that you are keeping should go into piles of likes, such as all of the fabric together. As you start to pull out more and more crafting supplies continue putting likes with likes together, even if they are the exact same thing. For example, you may put tape and glue together or all coloring supplies together if space is an issue. Just for now, place the organized piles into the closet to get them out of the way.
❇ Pick another corner of the room:
Begin sorting that area. This may be a crafting table with drawers, baskets filled with random items, boxes filled with crafting supplies, or some other kind of storage device that is plumb full of crafting items. Continue sorting as you did before. Like with like, things to toss and give away, etc. If you have any other areas in the room to sort do so, if not, this means the first part of the process is done.
❇ Clean up:
Take out the boxes for donation, as well as the trash bags.
❇ Take stock:
Look at all the piles of items you are keeping and take an inventory. See what you would like to put into the closet. Would you like it to hold only guest items and bedding, or can half of it hold your crafts? Is there room for a piece of storage furniture that can hold all of your crafting supplies? When a guest comes to stay, it is nice if they don’t have to look at your stuff, so I suggest getting something that can be stored away for when they come.❇ Your storage needs:
Don’t just buy a system because it is on sale, or you think it might work. Really sit down and think about whether clear bins or just labels would work better for you. Do you have other systems set up in your house that do work, if so what? Can you mimic them with this room? Be sure to keep this in mind when you are shopping for your supplies!
You might consider choosing a storage solution that's mobile,
http://tinyurl.com/lvhj7 so that when you are in the middle of an actual project you can put it away with ease. You will also want to make sure to put your craft supplies away in a matter in which you will be able to keep it up. When you are to the point of purchasing the organizing tools to keep up the newly organized room, really think of what will make you keep the system up and running. Here are another few options. You could purchase a couple of these and stack them or place them side by side, http://tinyurl.com/r6pmf. And for heavy duty crafters
http://tinyurl.com/ocpgz.
❇ Closet:
Take everything out onto your nice clean floor. Now that the closet is emptied you can begin deciding what you want to keep and toss or donate. The things that you are keeping should go into piles of likes, such as all of the fabric together. As you start to pull out more and more crafting supplies continue putting likes with likes together, even if they are the exact same thing. For example, you may put tape and glue together or all coloring supplies together if space is an issue. Just for now, place the organized piles into the closet to get them out of the way.
❇ Pick another corner of the room:
Begin sorting that area. This may be a crafting table with drawers, baskets filled with random items, boxes filled with crafting supplies, or some other kind of storage device that is plumb full of crafting items. Continue sorting as you did before. Like with like, things to toss and give away, etc. If you have any other areas in the room to sort do so, if not, this means the first part of the process is done.
❇ Clean up:
Take out the boxes for donation, as well as the trash bags.
❇ Take stock:
Look at all the piles of items you are keeping and take an inventory. See what you would like to put into the closet. Would you like it to hold only guest items and bedding, or can half of it hold your crafts? Is there room for a piece of storage furniture that can hold all of your crafting supplies? When a guest comes to stay, it is nice if they don’t have to look at your stuff, so I suggest getting something that can be stored away for when they come.❇ Your storage needs:
Don’t just buy a system because it is on sale, or you think it might work. Really sit down and think about whether clear bins or just labels would work better for you. Do you have other systems set up in your house that do work, if so what? Can you mimic them with this room? Be sure to keep this in mind when you are shopping for your supplies!
You might consider choosing a storage solution that's mobile,
http://tinyurl.com/lvhj7 so that when you are in the middle of an actual project you can put it away with ease. You will also want to make sure to put your craft supplies away in a matter in which you will be able to keep it up. When you are to the point of purchasing the organizing tools to keep up the newly organized room, really think of what will make you keep the system up and running. Here are another few options. You could purchase a couple of these and stack them or place them side by side, http://tinyurl.com/r6pmf. And for heavy duty crafters
http://tinyurl.com/ocpgz.
Your Health History
Not long ago I was at my doctor’s office for a routine check up and I had to fill out an extensive pile of paperwork. I have to admit I was a bit peeved as I detest filling out forms. When I saw my doctor I asked him why this paper mill procedure was necessary. He admitted that a lot of people were grousing, but said that the requirement was established for a very good reason – he reminded me that every time he sees a patient, even one he’s seen many times before, it is likely that the state of their health has somehow changed. One form asked about my family history of heart disease, diabetes, and so on. I have to admit that I barely filled any of it out, both out of annoyance and pure ignorance. I truly had no idea about most of my immediate family’s health history. I know romantic stories about my grandparents, such as my grandfather dying of a “broken heart’ after my grandmother passed away. Was this a real ailment? Does this mean he had a bad heart? If so, was it ongestive heart failure, caused from high blood pressure? What caused his heart to “break” – was it grief or a pre-existing condition? My doctor was telling me this for my sake and for the health of everyone I know and love! What the heck is the health history in our families, and how do we get all of that information, with accuracy, specially if most of them are deceased? You may not know all of it, but I suggest getting the best possible answers now.
Family History:
Health can be a very private matter, be sure to always use care and respect when inquiring after your loved one’s wellness issues. If you run into sensitive areas of questioning, often times other relatives can be of assistance in providing answers.
Use the simple form below to ask your family members about their health. Include the following people: parents, grandparents,
siblings, aunts, uncles – be sure to indicate paternal or maternal and the approximate age of diagnosis.
Remember that as much as you love your step-relatives, their health history is not relevant in terms of genetic predisposition
for disease such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc.
Keep this document in your medical files and be sure to give one to each of your medical providers. This chart will provide you with information about the health of your family tree, and inform your doctors. The more knowledge you have, the more you can do to optimize your own health.*
*I gathered this list of diseases and disorders from going to different specialists around town, as well as by surfing the web. I know there is even more in depth research into each area (believe me, I could have detailed every single thing that can go wrong with your heart, but I thought I would keep it simple for you.) For example, here is an insurance website which provides a comprehensive list (31 pages) of diseases/disorders that you can use to research your family members if you choose:
http://tinyurl.com/qr4vt
CONDITION(S) RELATIVE(S) AFFECTED
Alcohol/drug use
Allergies
Arthritis
Asthma
Bladder disease
Bleeding disorder
Blood clot in leg or lung
Cancer
Depression
Diabetes type 1
Diabetes type 2
Eating disorders
Genetic disease
Glaucoma
Gout
Gynecologic problems
Heart disease
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Hypertension
Intestinal disorder
Kidney disease
Low white blood cell counts
Mental illness
Migraine headaches
Neurological disorder
Obesity
Premature death
Prostate health
Stroke
Suicide attempt
Thyroid disease
Other
Family History:
Health can be a very private matter, be sure to always use care and respect when inquiring after your loved one’s wellness issues. If you run into sensitive areas of questioning, often times other relatives can be of assistance in providing answers.
Use the simple form below to ask your family members about their health. Include the following people: parents, grandparents,
siblings, aunts, uncles – be sure to indicate paternal or maternal and the approximate age of diagnosis.
Remember that as much as you love your step-relatives, their health history is not relevant in terms of genetic predisposition
for disease such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, etc.
Keep this document in your medical files and be sure to give one to each of your medical providers. This chart will provide you with information about the health of your family tree, and inform your doctors. The more knowledge you have, the more you can do to optimize your own health.*
*I gathered this list of diseases and disorders from going to different specialists around town, as well as by surfing the web. I know there is even more in depth research into each area (believe me, I could have detailed every single thing that can go wrong with your heart, but I thought I would keep it simple for you.) For example, here is an insurance website which provides a comprehensive list (31 pages) of diseases/disorders that you can use to research your family members if you choose:
http://tinyurl.com/qr4vt
CONDITION(S) RELATIVE(S) AFFECTED
Alcohol/drug use
Allergies
Arthritis
Asthma
Bladder disease
Bleeding disorder
Blood clot in leg or lung
Cancer
Depression
Diabetes type 1
Diabetes type 2
Eating disorders
Genetic disease
Glaucoma
Gout
Gynecologic problems
Heart disease
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Hypertension
Intestinal disorder
Kidney disease
Low white blood cell counts
Mental illness
Migraine headaches
Neurological disorder
Obesity
Premature death
Prostate health
Stroke
Suicide attempt
Thyroid disease
Other
Combining Two Households into One
I have worked with many clients who joined households after getting engaged or walking down the aisle. As you can imagine, this is a huge undertaking. Usually one person moves into the others house. This means the owner of the home has to make room for his or her new partner–emotionally and spatially. Emotions run wild; people are, after all, giving up huge chunks of their space. If possible, both parties should try to follow the steps below before moving in together. If there is not enough time before the move, you can still follow these steps afterward, but they may take a lot more time. Plus, there won’t be as much space for sorting items into piles.
1. Sort it. Regardless of whether you sort before moving or afterward, this is a much-needed process. You should always pare down your items when moving in with another person. One of you will probably be coming from a larger home filled with too many things. Perhaps there is a storage unit as well. Start by tackling one room at a time. If you start in your bedroom, the closet is a logical first target. This is a great time to go through your clothes, get rid of what you don’t wear anymore and start packing the items you’ll keep. If you realize that you are packing up numerous boxes of shoes, handbags, suits and so on, you may need to take a second pass. If you are sorting after the move, you probably have at least 20 boxes of clothes. This is still a great opportunity for paring down—plus, you’ll already have the boxes for the cast-offs! With every room you finish, even the closet, make it a point to get rid of five boxes immediately. Otherwise, they may mix in with other items in the room, accidentally get unpacked, or stay behind in the garage. (Be sure to re-label your discard boxes so this doesn’t happen.) You won’t believe how good it feels to let go of all that stuff!
2. Sell it. Some of your discards may be worth something. For example, designer clothes, purses, briefcases and wallets. Do you have any rare books? What about figurines, or electronic equipment?
Check out http://www.i-soldit.com/your_store.asp a site that will sell your items for you on eBay for a minimum percentage. Making money is always a great incentive to let go of more stuff!
3. Donate. Another great way to liquidate your excesses is to give your stuff to people who can really use it. Here are a few of the many great places you can donate: Jubilee women’s center, National council of Jewish women Seattle, section shalom bayit, Share house, and Dress for success.
4. Throw it out. If you can’t donate or sell your stuff, you will have to recycle it. But be responsible about what you are throwing away. Make sure you recycle computer equipment with the right specialty stores. Old, stained furniture that has no hope of reupholstering can go. Take anything that is beyond repair to the dump and get it out of your new house! To be sure you are disposing of it properly, visit the Web site:
http://www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/wdidw/index.asp
5. Pack it up. If you are still packing and have yet to move in, keep sorting and paring down to the bitter end. Remember: Less is more. As you pack, make sure you and your new housemate agree about where each item is going. This is a really important step, because you may be bringing duplicate dishes, pots or pans into your new home. If you both decide to keep your dishes and discard the ones already in the house, make sure you label your boxes by content and intended destination. Try to pack likes with likes as much as possible.
6. Communicate. Make sure your partner makes room for you. Already living in the house doesn’t exempt him or her from paring down belongings as well. Remember, the more space your partner makes for you in your new home, the easier the transition will be. I cannot stress enough the importance of communicating
what you are bringing into the home. This is as true with a house that is new to both of you as it is if one of you moves in with the other.
7. Measure. As you decide what to keep, measure it to make sure it will fit in the new cabinets. This goes for everything, even dishes. This might seem over the top, but if the new kitchen cabinets are too shallow for your dishes, that’s one less box to pack. Below is a list of other items to measure:
• doorways
• furniture
• cabinets
• closets
8. Storage. Once you move everything in, reexamine your storage solutions. For example, you may suddenly have two sets of dishes, one you can use for dinner parties, and the other for everyday use. You’ll need a shelf separator to maximize the pace in your kitchen cabinets. There also may be more holiday decorations or tools to store properly in the garage. You may need another shelving unit. After unpacking, take stock of what still has no home or doesn’t have an ideal storage spot and figure out a solution like the examples above.
9. Closet design. After you move your clothes into the bedroom, consider the design of the closet. You may need to reconfigure it, especially if there is no system, just a wooden bar that’s sagging in the middle. Look at your clothing and determine what kind of closet would work best for you and your partner. For example, do you both fold clothes, or hang them? Does one of you hang more than fold? If so, fill one half of the closet with shelves and double-up the hanging bars on the other half. Just make sure that all your clothes fit into whatever design you choose! However, if your clothes don’t fit the closet before you redesign it, I would suggest
two things: Toss out more clothes, and get a dresser.
10. Pre-plan. Before you move in, plan the layout of each room with your partner. There will be fewer discrepancies later. This will also help you feel less overwhelmed by the whole process. Create a realistic to-do list to make yourself feel like you are in control of the situation. If possible, give yourself at least a month so you aren’t rushing around frantically. Delegate some tasks, such as the actual moving in, packing and setting up of stuff. Finally and most importantly, remember that at the end of the day, it’s all just stuff!
1. Sort it. Regardless of whether you sort before moving or afterward, this is a much-needed process. You should always pare down your items when moving in with another person. One of you will probably be coming from a larger home filled with too many things. Perhaps there is a storage unit as well. Start by tackling one room at a time. If you start in your bedroom, the closet is a logical first target. This is a great time to go through your clothes, get rid of what you don’t wear anymore and start packing the items you’ll keep. If you realize that you are packing up numerous boxes of shoes, handbags, suits and so on, you may need to take a second pass. If you are sorting after the move, you probably have at least 20 boxes of clothes. This is still a great opportunity for paring down—plus, you’ll already have the boxes for the cast-offs! With every room you finish, even the closet, make it a point to get rid of five boxes immediately. Otherwise, they may mix in with other items in the room, accidentally get unpacked, or stay behind in the garage. (Be sure to re-label your discard boxes so this doesn’t happen.) You won’t believe how good it feels to let go of all that stuff!
2. Sell it. Some of your discards may be worth something. For example, designer clothes, purses, briefcases and wallets. Do you have any rare books? What about figurines, or electronic equipment?
Check out http://www.i-soldit.com/your_store.asp a site that will sell your items for you on eBay for a minimum percentage. Making money is always a great incentive to let go of more stuff!
3. Donate. Another great way to liquidate your excesses is to give your stuff to people who can really use it. Here are a few of the many great places you can donate: Jubilee women’s center, National council of Jewish women Seattle, section shalom bayit, Share house, and Dress for success.
4. Throw it out. If you can’t donate or sell your stuff, you will have to recycle it. But be responsible about what you are throwing away. Make sure you recycle computer equipment with the right specialty stores. Old, stained furniture that has no hope of reupholstering can go. Take anything that is beyond repair to the dump and get it out of your new house! To be sure you are disposing of it properly, visit the Web site:
http://www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/wdidw/index.asp
5. Pack it up. If you are still packing and have yet to move in, keep sorting and paring down to the bitter end. Remember: Less is more. As you pack, make sure you and your new housemate agree about where each item is going. This is a really important step, because you may be bringing duplicate dishes, pots or pans into your new home. If you both decide to keep your dishes and discard the ones already in the house, make sure you label your boxes by content and intended destination. Try to pack likes with likes as much as possible.
6. Communicate. Make sure your partner makes room for you. Already living in the house doesn’t exempt him or her from paring down belongings as well. Remember, the more space your partner makes for you in your new home, the easier the transition will be. I cannot stress enough the importance of communicating
what you are bringing into the home. This is as true with a house that is new to both of you as it is if one of you moves in with the other.
7. Measure. As you decide what to keep, measure it to make sure it will fit in the new cabinets. This goes for everything, even dishes. This might seem over the top, but if the new kitchen cabinets are too shallow for your dishes, that’s one less box to pack. Below is a list of other items to measure:
• doorways
• furniture
• cabinets
• closets
8. Storage. Once you move everything in, reexamine your storage solutions. For example, you may suddenly have two sets of dishes, one you can use for dinner parties, and the other for everyday use. You’ll need a shelf separator to maximize the pace in your kitchen cabinets. There also may be more holiday decorations or tools to store properly in the garage. You may need another shelving unit. After unpacking, take stock of what still has no home or doesn’t have an ideal storage spot and figure out a solution like the examples above.
9. Closet design. After you move your clothes into the bedroom, consider the design of the closet. You may need to reconfigure it, especially if there is no system, just a wooden bar that’s sagging in the middle. Look at your clothing and determine what kind of closet would work best for you and your partner. For example, do you both fold clothes, or hang them? Does one of you hang more than fold? If so, fill one half of the closet with shelves and double-up the hanging bars on the other half. Just make sure that all your clothes fit into whatever design you choose! However, if your clothes don’t fit the closet before you redesign it, I would suggest
two things: Toss out more clothes, and get a dresser.
10. Pre-plan. Before you move in, plan the layout of each room with your partner. There will be fewer discrepancies later. This will also help you feel less overwhelmed by the whole process. Create a realistic to-do list to make yourself feel like you are in control of the situation. If possible, give yourself at least a month so you aren’t rushing around frantically. Delegate some tasks, such as the actual moving in, packing and setting up of stuff. Finally and most importantly, remember that at the end of the day, it’s all just stuff!
PACKING UP MOM’S HOUSE
My mom recently sold our family home. As a gift to her, I went home for a weekend and packed up her entire house. Being an organizer, I wanted to get as much accomplished as possible in a short time. So before we started packing her belongings, I had to know the following:
•what she was going to take with her to her new home
•what she was going to give to her kids and grand kids now versus later
•what she wanted to donate
We started by walking through the house and choosing what she would donate. I made sure we focused on one room at a time so she wouldn’t feel overwhelmed or get confused by the process. Instead of marking boxes for donation and leaving them for later, we moved all the donations to one room. With the giveaways in a separate, designated area, mom was able to easily evaluate the leftovers. (She was also able to point out just how much all of us kids had left at her house! I would like to note that I missed only one box of belongings when I officially moved to Washington.) After seeing how much was left, my mom was willing to get rid of more. We set aside a large space for items she wanted the family to have, even though she wasn’t sure who would want what. So that evening, we invited my two sisters and brother, plus three nephews, two nieces and a sister-in-law to come and sort through the items over take-out. With so much to divvy up among so many people, I set a time limit. If my siblings didn’t take their stuff home by the end of my stay, our mom would donate or sell the remainder to an antique shop. Without this deadline, I fear my mother would have had to drag the items to her new home.
Finally, when we had separated the family belongings and the donations from everything else, we packed up all of mom’s possessions with ease.
•what she was going to take with her to her new home
•what she was going to give to her kids and grand kids now versus later
•what she wanted to donate
We started by walking through the house and choosing what she would donate. I made sure we focused on one room at a time so she wouldn’t feel overwhelmed or get confused by the process. Instead of marking boxes for donation and leaving them for later, we moved all the donations to one room. With the giveaways in a separate, designated area, mom was able to easily evaluate the leftovers. (She was also able to point out just how much all of us kids had left at her house! I would like to note that I missed only one box of belongings when I officially moved to Washington.) After seeing how much was left, my mom was willing to get rid of more. We set aside a large space for items she wanted the family to have, even though she wasn’t sure who would want what. So that evening, we invited my two sisters and brother, plus three nephews, two nieces and a sister-in-law to come and sort through the items over take-out. With so much to divvy up among so many people, I set a time limit. If my siblings didn’t take their stuff home by the end of my stay, our mom would donate or sell the remainder to an antique shop. Without this deadline, I fear my mother would have had to drag the items to her new home.
Finally, when we had separated the family belongings and the donations from everything else, we packed up all of mom’s possessions with ease.
ARE YOU A HOARDER? WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS?
My clients often ask me, fearfully, if they are hoarders. Most are not. When I describe a hoarder’s tendencies, they cringe. People who hoard are unjustly judged and misunderstood. “Hoarding” has become a dirty word. To say it is a misunderstood symptom of deeper disorders is an understatement. Before I try to simplify the varying degrees of hoarding performed by different personality types, I ask that you not judge these brilliant and sensitive individuals. Hoarding is a psychological problem that cannot be cured; it can, however, benefit from love, nurturing, medication, support and therapy.
There are many reasons people hoard, so I will provide just a brief list:
✦Their parents were hoarders
✦Their parents didn’t allow them to keep or become sentimentally attached to anything
✦They suffer from severe depression
✦They suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder
✦They suffer from obsessive compulsive personality disorder
✦They suffer from ADD/ADHD
✦They have filled their lives with so many things, there is no room for household upkeep
✦They don’t want to allow anyone into their home, so they create a home that is not welcoming to strangers
✦The hoarding starts slowly, but then creeps up, takes control and becomes so overwhelming that they don’t know where to begin. As a result, they can’t see the mess anymore. Only after something disastrous occurs—or they tire of not having a “normal” healthy life—do they make a change.
✦They were once organized but became ill, and to comfort themselves, they buy things. The hoarding becomes a compulsive act they cannot control.
To further study the psychological reasons for hoarding, read the following books: "Messy No More", by Sandra Felton, or "Conquering Chronic Disorganization" by one of my personal heroes, Judith
Kolberg, founder of the national study group on chronic disorganization.
The characteristics of a hoarder are the following:
✦They have extreme difficulty throwing anything away
✦Piles are strewn everywhere, making it difficult to move through the space
✦Rooms are so full of “stuff” that they are sometimes uninhabitable or hard to enter
✦Hoarders have favorites, such as newspapers,
magazines, clothes, books, tin foil, shoes, trash (such as soda cans, wine bottles, unopened mail), intact parcels, an overabundance of crafting supplies, sporting goods, food, etc.
✦Sometimes hoarders have more than five animals in their homes
✦Sometimes they arrange items obsessively in rows and other times, they pile everything pell-mell so there is no way of knowing what is there.
✦They haven’t had anyone over in years for fear of being judged. Hoarding is also a way to withdraw from society. I compare it to creating a protective cocoon from the outside world.
✦Burnt-out light bulbs have not been changed
✦Unwashed dishes remain in the sink for weeks at a time
✦Clutter has amassed at the entrance to the home.
(Often there are plenty of bins and tools leftover from past organizational attempts)
✦Boxes piled to the ceiling haven’t been touched in years.
Remember this list the next time you wonder if you are a hoarder. If more than five items apply to you, seek help from a professional organizer who works with hoarders. And please, if hoarding is not your issue, have compassion for those who suffer from it.
There are many reasons people hoard, so I will provide just a brief list:
✦Their parents were hoarders
✦Their parents didn’t allow them to keep or become sentimentally attached to anything
✦They suffer from severe depression
✦They suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder
✦They suffer from obsessive compulsive personality disorder
✦They suffer from ADD/ADHD
✦They have filled their lives with so many things, there is no room for household upkeep
✦They don’t want to allow anyone into their home, so they create a home that is not welcoming to strangers
✦The hoarding starts slowly, but then creeps up, takes control and becomes so overwhelming that they don’t know where to begin. As a result, they can’t see the mess anymore. Only after something disastrous occurs—or they tire of not having a “normal” healthy life—do they make a change.
✦They were once organized but became ill, and to comfort themselves, they buy things. The hoarding becomes a compulsive act they cannot control.
To further study the psychological reasons for hoarding, read the following books: "Messy No More", by Sandra Felton, or "Conquering Chronic Disorganization" by one of my personal heroes, Judith
Kolberg, founder of the national study group on chronic disorganization.
The characteristics of a hoarder are the following:
✦They have extreme difficulty throwing anything away
✦Piles are strewn everywhere, making it difficult to move through the space
✦Rooms are so full of “stuff” that they are sometimes uninhabitable or hard to enter
✦Hoarders have favorites, such as newspapers,
magazines, clothes, books, tin foil, shoes, trash (such as soda cans, wine bottles, unopened mail), intact parcels, an overabundance of crafting supplies, sporting goods, food, etc.
✦Sometimes hoarders have more than five animals in their homes
✦Sometimes they arrange items obsessively in rows and other times, they pile everything pell-mell so there is no way of knowing what is there.
✦They haven’t had anyone over in years for fear of being judged. Hoarding is also a way to withdraw from society. I compare it to creating a protective cocoon from the outside world.
✦Burnt-out light bulbs have not been changed
✦Unwashed dishes remain in the sink for weeks at a time
✦Clutter has amassed at the entrance to the home.
(Often there are plenty of bins and tools leftover from past organizational attempts)
✦Boxes piled to the ceiling haven’t been touched in years.
Remember this list the next time you wonder if you are a hoarder. If more than five items apply to you, seek help from a professional organizer who works with hoarders. And please, if hoarding is not your issue, have compassion for those who suffer from it.
HARD CHOICES WHEN GRIEVING A LOVED ONE
I have worked with many clients who have gained bewildering belongings when they lost a loved one. This can be a great hardship; not only do they have to sift through items that remind them of their loved one, but they also may feel guilty if they don’t keep everything. If the grief-stricken don’t have the heart to dispose of what they don’t really want or need, those items end up abandoned in a storage unit. At my grandmother’s memorial service, we had to sort through several items that had not been bequeathed. Some were silly; others, quite valuable—an engagement ring, old lamps, a wicker bag from a Mexico trip,
a broken pocket watch, a liquor set and framed photos of some unknown relative. It was hard to see remnants of our grandmother’s time on earth, but it was also fun to experience what a rich life she led. But as I pawed through the last of her belongings, I started to feel like a vulture. I thought of her other grandchildren. I wanted to make sure that they got first “dibs.”
So I decided that whatever they didn’t want, I would take—and it worked out quite well. Sometimes, senior loved ones will take the time to sort through objects with their families before they go,
leaving only mementos behind. Here are some more suggestions that can save you additional grief after your loved ones are gone:
• Speak to friends or family members about their intentions for their stuff. As uncomfortable as this is, it’s also realistic. You can politely hint that you don’t need anything else in your small home, or that you really love the setup you have. If you are left with something that you don’t want or need, perform a good-bye ceremony with the furniture, and then sell it or give it to someone you love. Storing it in your basement does the giver a disservice. Sometimes people give their belongings away in their will because they don’t know what else to do with them. That passes on their clutter and guilt, too. Remember this when you receive an item you know you don’t want and can’t store.
• If you really like a certain piece of furniture that also has meaning to others in the family, make sure they know how much that item means to you.
• My good friend’s grandmother photographed and catalogued all of her belongings. She numbered them and put the numbers into a hat. Her two grandchildren took turns picking until all the numbers were gone. As a result, no one argued about what went to whom. This method left a difficult task to chance, rather than to the grandmother or her survivors. All she had to do was diligently write down every single item in her house! *
• Go through items together as a family and write down who will get which item. This should help neutralize any fighting. I cannot tell you how many families have broken up over money and material objects. By planning ahead, you can trim this drama from your grieving process.
*This is a great thing to do for homeowner’s insurance
a broken pocket watch, a liquor set and framed photos of some unknown relative. It was hard to see remnants of our grandmother’s time on earth, but it was also fun to experience what a rich life she led. But as I pawed through the last of her belongings, I started to feel like a vulture. I thought of her other grandchildren. I wanted to make sure that they got first “dibs.”
So I decided that whatever they didn’t want, I would take—and it worked out quite well. Sometimes, senior loved ones will take the time to sort through objects with their families before they go,
leaving only mementos behind. Here are some more suggestions that can save you additional grief after your loved ones are gone:
• Speak to friends or family members about their intentions for their stuff. As uncomfortable as this is, it’s also realistic. You can politely hint that you don’t need anything else in your small home, or that you really love the setup you have. If you are left with something that you don’t want or need, perform a good-bye ceremony with the furniture, and then sell it or give it to someone you love. Storing it in your basement does the giver a disservice. Sometimes people give their belongings away in their will because they don’t know what else to do with them. That passes on their clutter and guilt, too. Remember this when you receive an item you know you don’t want and can’t store.
• If you really like a certain piece of furniture that also has meaning to others in the family, make sure they know how much that item means to you.
• My good friend’s grandmother photographed and catalogued all of her belongings. She numbered them and put the numbers into a hat. Her two grandchildren took turns picking until all the numbers were gone. As a result, no one argued about what went to whom. This method left a difficult task to chance, rather than to the grandmother or her survivors. All she had to do was diligently write down every single item in her house! *
• Go through items together as a family and write down who will get which item. This should help neutralize any fighting. I cannot tell you how many families have broken up over money and material objects. By planning ahead, you can trim this drama from your grieving process.
*This is a great thing to do for homeowner’s insurance
PLANNING FOR ILLNESSES
Unfortunately, we can all get critically ill, like it or not.
Planning ahead for dire emergencies can really help. Below are some tips for keeping track of details, even when your head is woozy and you just don’t have the energy.
• Have a copy of your insurance card with you at all times— one should stay in your wallet, and another should be on file (If your insurance provider did not send extras, you can request additional cards).
• Keep a list of your medications on a recipe card in your wallet for emergency trips to the ER.
• If you suffer from migraines, keep an eye cover in your purse/jacket/briefcase to cover up your eyes during the road trip.
• Keep a small emergency kit in your car or another handy place, just in case. It should include the following:
• Aspirin or other pain killers
• Tylenol
• anti-nausea pills
• Advil/Motrin or other anti-inflammatory drugs with Ibuprofen*
• bandages*
• migraine medicine*
• ointment
• Benedryl*
• tampons and pads
• eye drops
• burn cream
• an inhaler*
• any other necessary medicine (such as heart pills, high-blood-pressure pills or other medications for life-threatening emergencies)*
• An Epi pen (epinephrine) for allergic reactions to bee stings or certain foods (a medical alert bracelet is also a must!)
• Hand sanitizer*
Whether you are at a friend’s house or on the way to the hospital, carrying these items with you will ease any emergency situation that arises.
*These will fit in your purse or briefcase and are a must!
Planning ahead for dire emergencies can really help. Below are some tips for keeping track of details, even when your head is woozy and you just don’t have the energy.
• Have a copy of your insurance card with you at all times— one should stay in your wallet, and another should be on file (If your insurance provider did not send extras, you can request additional cards).
• Keep a list of your medications on a recipe card in your wallet for emergency trips to the ER.
• If you suffer from migraines, keep an eye cover in your purse/jacket/briefcase to cover up your eyes during the road trip.
• Keep a small emergency kit in your car or another handy place, just in case. It should include the following:
• Aspirin or other pain killers
• Tylenol
• anti-nausea pills
• Advil/Motrin or other anti-inflammatory drugs with Ibuprofen*
• bandages*
• migraine medicine*
• ointment
• Benedryl*
• tampons and pads
• eye drops
• burn cream
• an inhaler*
• any other necessary medicine (such as heart pills, high-blood-pressure pills or other medications for life-threatening emergencies)*
• An Epi pen (epinephrine) for allergic reactions to bee stings or certain foods (a medical alert bracelet is also a must!)
• Hand sanitizer*
Whether you are at a friend’s house or on the way to the hospital, carrying these items with you will ease any emergency situation that arises.
*These will fit in your purse or briefcase and are a must!
CREATING A SCRAPBOOK FOR SOMEONE ELSE
Making a scrapbook for someone else is more challenging than compiling your own. If possible, you’ll need some help from the person you are honoring.
First, ask the person to write everything they can remember on the back of each image you plan to include. To fill in the gaps, you’ll need to think like a detective. Start with these questions:
1. Do the photos contain recognizable buildings or famous landscapes, such as a well-known mountain or hill?
2. What does the weather look like in the picture? Was it stormy, sunny, and overcast?
3. What is the subject wearing in the photos? If the same outfits appear in several photos, look at other people in the photos. What are they wearing?
4. Do you have a summary of your friend’s travels and adventures? Did he or she visit multiple destinations, or stay in one city? Guided tours usually have pamphlets with plenty of clues. If you know which cities your friend visited, you can more easily determine famous architecture or landscapes.
5. Did the person keep a journal of the trip? Can you find information on the Web about each destination— perhaps even notes from another traveler from the same trip?
6. Finally, how do you want to organize the scrapbook?
Do you want to set it up by days, starting with Day 1 and continuing through the final day? Or would you prefer a less-traditional grouping, such as by subject matter? Perhaps you could bunch all of the landscape and architecture photos together. Unless this is a gift, you can also ask for input from the person who will receive the scrapbook. Your generous offer to make a scrapbook may seem like a lot more work than you first anticipated, but your friend will appreciate every ounce of your efforts. You’ll be rewarded, too: As you sift through your friend’s cherished memories, you will feel closer. Just remember to have fun and take it one day at a time.
First, ask the person to write everything they can remember on the back of each image you plan to include. To fill in the gaps, you’ll need to think like a detective. Start with these questions:
1. Do the photos contain recognizable buildings or famous landscapes, such as a well-known mountain or hill?
2. What does the weather look like in the picture? Was it stormy, sunny, and overcast?
3. What is the subject wearing in the photos? If the same outfits appear in several photos, look at other people in the photos. What are they wearing?
4. Do you have a summary of your friend’s travels and adventures? Did he or she visit multiple destinations, or stay in one city? Guided tours usually have pamphlets with plenty of clues. If you know which cities your friend visited, you can more easily determine famous architecture or landscapes.
5. Did the person keep a journal of the trip? Can you find information on the Web about each destination— perhaps even notes from another traveler from the same trip?
6. Finally, how do you want to organize the scrapbook?
Do you want to set it up by days, starting with Day 1 and continuing through the final day? Or would you prefer a less-traditional grouping, such as by subject matter? Perhaps you could bunch all of the landscape and architecture photos together. Unless this is a gift, you can also ask for input from the person who will receive the scrapbook. Your generous offer to make a scrapbook may seem like a lot more work than you first anticipated, but your friend will appreciate every ounce of your efforts. You’ll be rewarded, too: As you sift through your friend’s cherished memories, you will feel closer. Just remember to have fun and take it one day at a time.
THE MIRACLE OF AN INVENTORY
Recently, I was working with a client and saw she had created an inventory of everything she owned. That way she wouldn’t have to go out and purchase those things again. The list included clothes, linens, shoes, and other materialistic objects. She found that before she created the inventory lists, she didn’t know what she had. The inventory of all of her household objects helped her to discover what she had too much of and what she had that she didn’t need to buy. By the time she was finished completing her inventory lists, she realized she didn’t need to buy anything except the bare necessities for at least ten years! Can you imagine not having to go shopping for anything for 10 years? Another client I was working with loved to purchase presents for friends and family. As we organized the numerous gifts she had bought in advance of events, we sorted them into piles by occasion: Chanukah, Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, bar mitzvahs, baptisms, and first communions. We also sorted them by gift receiver: friend, coworker, or family member. After sorting and organizing the gifts we determined that she never had to purchase another gift for her grandchildren again!. She didn’t have as many for her friends and coworkers, but I made a deal with her to hold off from buying anyone a gift for at least one year. She said she would try not to. Consider making an inventory list for one of the following:
• Files
• Wardrobes
• Book collections
• CD collections
• Packed boxes
• Antiques
• Groceries that are stored in kitchen (you can also use this list as a guideline for your next shopping trip!)
• Wine – a friend of mine (well, more than one) has an amazing wine cellar. Each wine lover will have a different way of inventorying their wine. The most impressive one I saw was wine that had tags on it with a number.
The number on the inventory list was attributed to that wine. On the list, he provided additional information about the wine.
• Food – this will save you time when you go to write up your grocery list. You can use your inventory not only as a guideline of what you have, but what you need. It should also have the brand names on the inventory.
That way when it does need replacing you know whether it is Betty Crocker, or Sara Lee.
• Wood – some woodworkers like my husband have a TON of lumber. This is a great tool to use to keep track of what you have, especially if you are making a new wood project. You can also use the list as a guideline when thinking of what pieces to sell to other wood lovers.
• Art – a recent client of mine recently lost her father. She had to have her father’s art shipped across country. When she received it, she sensed some of it was missing, but didn’t have the inventory to check the contents in the box with.
• Packing boxes – so you know what is in each box and where it is. It may take a bit of time to get the inventory, but I guarantee it will save you time and money. There’s one final great reason to inventory. If something terrible should happen and some of your things are lost, the only way to get them properly replaced by the insurance company is to have a good inventory! For this reason, consider keeping a copy of your inventory lists out of the house, for example at the office.
• Files
• Wardrobes
• Book collections
• CD collections
• Packed boxes
• Antiques
• Groceries that are stored in kitchen (you can also use this list as a guideline for your next shopping trip!)
• Wine – a friend of mine (well, more than one) has an amazing wine cellar. Each wine lover will have a different way of inventorying their wine. The most impressive one I saw was wine that had tags on it with a number.
The number on the inventory list was attributed to that wine. On the list, he provided additional information about the wine.
• Food – this will save you time when you go to write up your grocery list. You can use your inventory not only as a guideline of what you have, but what you need. It should also have the brand names on the inventory.
That way when it does need replacing you know whether it is Betty Crocker, or Sara Lee.
• Wood – some woodworkers like my husband have a TON of lumber. This is a great tool to use to keep track of what you have, especially if you are making a new wood project. You can also use the list as a guideline when thinking of what pieces to sell to other wood lovers.
• Art – a recent client of mine recently lost her father. She had to have her father’s art shipped across country. When she received it, she sensed some of it was missing, but didn’t have the inventory to check the contents in the box with.
• Packing boxes – so you know what is in each box and where it is. It may take a bit of time to get the inventory, but I guarantee it will save you time and money. There’s one final great reason to inventory. If something terrible should happen and some of your things are lost, the only way to get them properly replaced by the insurance company is to have a good inventory! For this reason, consider keeping a copy of your inventory lists out of the house, for example at the office.
MANAGING PAPER FOR SOMEONE YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF IN THIS ISSUE, WE WILL
Many of my clients are helping their older parents. Here are some tips to avoid common problems.
Have a list of their medications – if your parent or loved one has begun to show signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s be sure to have directions for their medications affixed in a prominent place, like the bathroom mirror. It should describe medicine, how to take it, when to take it, and when not to take it. For example, it may be a medicine to take as needed, not a daily dosage. You can also create a check list for each day of the week for them so that they do not take a dose twice.
Have their medical records handy – this should include the following:
History of prescriptions – A history documenting your loved one’s prescriptions is really important. It will help any new specialist you take them to understand their patient better, plus make the doctors appointment go smoother. It will also give them an understanding of what methods of medications you have tried, what combination of medicines you have taken, the side effects and what has worked, and what hasn’t.
A note book carrying key information – Include the following:
Have a list of their medications – if your parent or loved one has begun to show signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s be sure to have directions for their medications affixed in a prominent place, like the bathroom mirror. It should describe medicine, how to take it, when to take it, and when not to take it. For example, it may be a medicine to take as needed, not a daily dosage. You can also create a check list for each day of the week for them so that they do not take a dose twice.
Have their medical records handy – this should include the following:
- Surgeries
- Medical diagnosis’s
- Emergency room diagnosis’s
- List of allergies to medicines
- Prior care instructions
- Current care instructions
- Blood tests
- Doctor’s notes
- Minor medical procedures
History of prescriptions – A history documenting your loved one’s prescriptions is really important. It will help any new specialist you take them to understand their patient better, plus make the doctors appointment go smoother. It will also give them an understanding of what methods of medications you have tried, what combination of medicines you have taken, the side effects and what has worked, and what hasn’t.
A note book carrying key information – Include the following:
- Notes on doctor visits.
- Doctors comments after minor procedures, or emergency room visit.
- A printed off copy of what medicines your loved one is one, so that you can either fill out the informational sheet they require you to fill out with every visit, or you can give them a copy that you have already typed out. It depends on the doctors’ office and what their policies are.
- Dental records.
- Psychological/Psychiatric test results if applicable – this would be preferable if they are being treated with an SSRI (http://neuroland.com/psy/ssri.htm) medications such as depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental diseases.Test results for mental diagnoses such as Alzheimer's, and dementia.
PUT YOUR OWN HEALTH INFORMATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Recently I threw my back out and was put on a pain management system. Unfortunately, I had a bizarre reaction. I hallucinated and couldn’t see or stand up straight. It was late in the evening, so my husband decided to call the nurse hot line. The nurse asked him what medications I was taking. Luckily, after he coaxed and cajoled me for a few minutes, we figured out what I was taking.
Be sure to keep your current medical information easily at hand. Keep all your prescription drugs in one place, so someone else can figure out what you’re taking. Better yet, keep a written list of them in the medicine cabinet. Vaccinations are another place where it’s easy to lose track of what has happened. Do you know if you had the tetanus vaccine 5, 8, or 10 years ago? It’s the difference between a severe case of lockjaw, needing a shot, or being fine. Keep these records somewhere safe, like your medicine cabinet or a file in your filing system. Allergies are a final, critical piece of information to have handy. Keep a note card with your allergies in your wallet or purse. If the reactions are severe, consider a medical alert bracelet:
http://www.medicalert.org/home/Homegradient.aspx
http://tinyurl.com/byffa
3x5 note card
Be sure to keep your current medical information easily at hand. Keep all your prescription drugs in one place, so someone else can figure out what you’re taking. Better yet, keep a written list of them in the medicine cabinet. Vaccinations are another place where it’s easy to lose track of what has happened. Do you know if you had the tetanus vaccine 5, 8, or 10 years ago? It’s the difference between a severe case of lockjaw, needing a shot, or being fine. Keep these records somewhere safe, like your medicine cabinet or a file in your filing system. Allergies are a final, critical piece of information to have handy. Keep a note card with your allergies in your wallet or purse. If the reactions are severe, consider a medical alert bracelet:
http://www.medicalert.org/home/Homegradient.aspx
http://tinyurl.com/byffa
3x5 note card
THE TOP 10 RECORDS TO KEEP FOR YOUR KIDS
Legal and financial:
1. Birth certificate
If this goes missing, it’s very hard to replace. You’ll also need this for major life events, like enrolling them in school. It’s also a wonderful piece of history that you will want to make sure never gets lost. This document alone is a good reason to invest in a safety deposit box.
2. Social security card
Keep the card safe, because they’ll need it for their first job, their driver’s license, and other interactions with the government throughout their life. At some point they’ll need it themselves. Be sure to educate them on the importance of this number! Social security numbers are the key element to identity theft. No one except the government, financial agency, or an employer should know or need to know their social security number. The card itself is also a good candidate for the safety deposit box.
3. Passport
If there’s no hurry, getting a passport is simple and inexpensive. If you’re in a sudden rush, it’s a nightmare. And did you know that a passport may soon be required to enter Canada? Get your kids’ passport early and keep it safe—the third thing to go in the safety deposit box. Even if it expires, it is saves a lot of money and time to have the old copy when it is needed for them to be renewed:
They will charge your child extra if it’s lost and they have to do a completely new one:
You know you are going to end up paying the excess fees, so this will save you from a “I need money phone call” – or at least one of them!
4. Financial documents
This is really important for you child when they are applying for college, a car, or even an apartment. Keep on record their recent bank accounts, trusts, stocks and any other financial records that you may have accrued in their lifetime.
Academic:
5. Homework Files
This isn’t one you should organize for them, but one you should help them organize for themselves. This skill will carry through to college and throughout their lives. Learning to organize homework papers will get them the right start on their school career and eventually their career. Of course this also means you need to stay organized – remember your positive example is the
biggest influence on them in their formative years!
6. Grades & transcripts from high school
This is crucial for college applications and in some cases housing. You don’t need to keep every single report card throughout their life, just their transcripts from high school. A summation of their four years of high school is plenty.
7. Awards, honors, & scholarships
Don’t go as far as Gaylord Focker’s shrine in Meet the Fockers but it is a good idea to hang onto some sort of documentation, such as keeping a photo, a note card or the actual awards and trophies in an archival box. I suggest just keeping paper records, if your child is ok with letting go of the trophies. They are a nice thing to mention on a college application.
Medical:
8. Health records
Over the years, your child may have several doctors. It’s funny how records get lost or misplaced over the years, but it’s very
serious for your child’s long-term health to have good records. Make sure you keep your own copy of these records in a safe place. I recently changed my allergist – I had been seeing the same one since I was two. He was 2,000 miles away, so I guess it was time. I needed these documents for this introductory appointment with my new allergist. I again faxed, called and mailed the records department 2 months ago and still have not received them. I will let you know if I ever do!
9. Allergies, shots, & immunizations
Allergies, shots, & immunizations - Keep these close at hand for school enrollment or the first time your child cuts themselves on something rusty. There's nothing more frustrating than having to take you child in for a tetanus shot because you're not sure when the last one was, or helping your child recover from an allergic reaction that could have been avoided if the school knew. When I needed my immunization record, my Mom couldn't find them. I attempted to have them mailed to me and never received them. As a result, I did a walk-in to my doctor's office while I was on a vacation home, and sat around for ages until they could find the records and make a copy. Make sure to not do this to your child, especially if they are like me and decide to go to school 2,000 miles away!
10. X-rays
Just the doctor notes are fine, if you don't have anywhere to store these large documents. It may cost a few bucks to get a spare copy, but it is money well spent. The notes can go in the safety deposit box, and the original films can be stashed in a closet standing up-right. You know you are going to end up paying the excess fees, so this will save you from a “I need money phone call” – or at least one of them!
1. Birth certificate
If this goes missing, it’s very hard to replace. You’ll also need this for major life events, like enrolling them in school. It’s also a wonderful piece of history that you will want to make sure never gets lost. This document alone is a good reason to invest in a safety deposit box.
2. Social security card
Keep the card safe, because they’ll need it for their first job, their driver’s license, and other interactions with the government throughout their life. At some point they’ll need it themselves. Be sure to educate them on the importance of this number! Social security numbers are the key element to identity theft. No one except the government, financial agency, or an employer should know or need to know their social security number. The card itself is also a good candidate for the safety deposit box.
3. Passport
If there’s no hurry, getting a passport is simple and inexpensive. If you’re in a sudden rush, it’s a nightmare. And did you know that a passport may soon be required to enter Canada? Get your kids’ passport early and keep it safe—the third thing to go in the safety deposit box. Even if it expires, it is saves a lot of money and time to have the old copy when it is needed for them to be renewed:
They will charge your child extra if it’s lost and they have to do a completely new one:
You know you are going to end up paying the excess fees, so this will save you from a “I need money phone call” – or at least one of them!
4. Financial documents
This is really important for you child when they are applying for college, a car, or even an apartment. Keep on record their recent bank accounts, trusts, stocks and any other financial records that you may have accrued in their lifetime.
Academic:
5. Homework Files
This isn’t one you should organize for them, but one you should help them organize for themselves. This skill will carry through to college and throughout their lives. Learning to organize homework papers will get them the right start on their school career and eventually their career. Of course this also means you need to stay organized – remember your positive example is the
biggest influence on them in their formative years!
6. Grades & transcripts from high school
This is crucial for college applications and in some cases housing. You don’t need to keep every single report card throughout their life, just their transcripts from high school. A summation of their four years of high school is plenty.
7. Awards, honors, & scholarships
Don’t go as far as Gaylord Focker’s shrine in Meet the Fockers but it is a good idea to hang onto some sort of documentation, such as keeping a photo, a note card or the actual awards and trophies in an archival box. I suggest just keeping paper records, if your child is ok with letting go of the trophies. They are a nice thing to mention on a college application.
Medical:
8. Health records
Over the years, your child may have several doctors. It’s funny how records get lost or misplaced over the years, but it’s very
serious for your child’s long-term health to have good records. Make sure you keep your own copy of these records in a safe place. I recently changed my allergist – I had been seeing the same one since I was two. He was 2,000 miles away, so I guess it was time. I needed these documents for this introductory appointment with my new allergist. I again faxed, called and mailed the records department 2 months ago and still have not received them. I will let you know if I ever do!
9. Allergies, shots, & immunizations
Allergies, shots, & immunizations - Keep these close at hand for school enrollment or the first time your child cuts themselves on something rusty. There's nothing more frustrating than having to take you child in for a tetanus shot because you're not sure when the last one was, or helping your child recover from an allergic reaction that could have been avoided if the school knew. When I needed my immunization record, my Mom couldn't find them. I attempted to have them mailed to me and never received them. As a result, I did a walk-in to my doctor's office while I was on a vacation home, and sat around for ages until they could find the records and make a copy. Make sure to not do this to your child, especially if they are like me and decide to go to school 2,000 miles away!
10. X-rays
Just the doctor notes are fine, if you don't have anywhere to store these large documents. It may cost a few bucks to get a spare copy, but it is money well spent. The notes can go in the safety deposit box, and the original films can be stashed in a closet standing up-right. You know you are going to end up paying the excess fees, so this will save you from a “I need money phone call” – or at least one of them!
5 TIPS FOR PAPER SECURITY
- Replace your mailbox with one that locks. As I went to pick up my mail today, I noticed that my new credit card had come. I knew because on the back of the envelope two of the numbers were rubbed and as a result were etched onto the envelope. I took the base of my car key and rubbed and sure enough the whole number rubbed onto the envelope. When I took it to the mirror it reflected my personal credit card number back at me. The bottom line: get a Post Office-approved mailbox with a lock!
- Always read the fine print. I opened my mail today and received an "explanation of benefits" from my insurance company. On the back side it said, "this is the only copy you will receive, please keep this copy for tax purposes." The bottom line: read the fine print and back side of documents before shredding or throwing away them away; they may be tax related. You may have a hard time getting another copy.
- Keep critical papers somewhere safe. A safety deposit box is good for precious papers that don’t need to be used often, like your passport. A fireproof safe is good for less critical papers, like confidential papers from work. You can also use it for temporary storage of important documents, like your social security card when you’re applying for several jobs. Finally, if it’s large enough, you can store current tax records there over the course of the year.
- Make sure your family knows where all of the important papers are. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have your personal papers in order. Unfortunately, life likes to give us unexpected events that are not always so pleasant. Therefore it is crucial that we can keep one thing in order for sure – our personal papers. Make sure that you have a sheet that lists where all of these important papers are. Again, you may want to keep the originals or a notarized copy in your safety deposit box.
- Make a will, or update your old one. I don’t mean to be a downer, but without a will, you’re going to put your family through a lot of turmoil. Even the do-it-yourself kits are ten times better than nothing. And remember, if you get married or have a child, any existing will is as good as worthless. The will can go in the safety deposit box. If you have a lawyer, keep a copy with him or her too.
ACKNOWLEDGE WHEN YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL
Recently my husband and I had issues with our plumbing and garbage disposal. As you might expect, it happened when the sink was seeing its heaviest use: our wedding, Dan’s surprise birthday party, and our seder, for example. We have gone to Home Depot and other stores numerous times and patched together the plumbing system again and again. In the short term it has worked out fine. However, if I added up all the money we spent buying parts, we could have hired a plumber and purchased a new garbage disposal! Why did we do it ourselves? Well, we thought we could tackle it on our own. It worked for awhile didn’t
it? We are the typical type A personalities we thrive on stress and love to have multiple projects, plus we love to do everything ourselves. Today, as I was cleaning out the refrigerator, I dumped something down the drain. In a normal garbage disposal it would have been fine. Instead, we have our “special” disposal. Can you guess what happened? Remember the Exorcist when the little girl “spit up” split pea soup? It was something like that.
The lessons learned are simple:
1. Specialized tasks require special knowledge. It’s OK to try and learn new things, but don’t do it yourself if you need it done right the first time.
2. Sometimes it’s cheaper to hire someone and get it right the first time.
3. If at first you don’t succeed, don’t get stubborn—get help!
it? We are the typical type A personalities we thrive on stress and love to have multiple projects, plus we love to do everything ourselves. Today, as I was cleaning out the refrigerator, I dumped something down the drain. In a normal garbage disposal it would have been fine. Instead, we have our “special” disposal. Can you guess what happened? Remember the Exorcist when the little girl “spit up” split pea soup? It was something like that.
The lessons learned are simple:
1. Specialized tasks require special knowledge. It’s OK to try and learn new things, but don’t do it yourself if you need it done right the first time.
2. Sometimes it’s cheaper to hire someone and get it right the first time.
3. If at first you don’t succeed, don’t get stubborn—get help!
ONE THING
I admit it. I can be morbid sometimes. When the flight attendant says, “In case of an emergency you are to leave all items behind”, I start worrying. “What about my medications? What about people who have diabetes or some other disease that require prompt medical attention at all times?” Then, I start to think rationally and realize that these things can be replaced.
When my brain goes to that dark morbid place, it reinforced for me how things become so precious to us. They kindle memories, give us comfort, and make us feel less lonely. If, heaven forbid, something like this ever happened to my home, what thing would be the most important to me? I am aggressive about getting rid of my old things, but I too save some memorabilia. I have a special box with things like old letters from my Mom, photographs, and small trinkets from childhood. I look upon these items at least three times a year and am filled with a warm glow inside. So, what are the things I would risk my life for in a moment of disaster? When I think about it honestly, my memories are what I hold most sacred as a “thing”--no object can compare. When the time came to evacuate to save yourself and
your loved ones; you would grab your family and make a run for it. You wouldn’t say, “Oh, my wedding photographs, I have to got get them!” The bottom line is when the time came to rescue yourself and family you would choose your life over your things. So why then is it so hard for us on a day to day basis to let go of things? We are a sentimental race that hangs onto our child’s first clipped hair, the love letter from a first love or an empty bottle we discovered on the beach. Why are we collectors of things? Are we so materialistic that we need stuff to feel fulfilled? I think not. I think some things are a comfort and are needed. True, not when disasters occur, but when we are feeling melancholy and need a bit of reassurance through a memory. Is it that wrong to hold onto things? This is a hard question. I don’t believe so, and I don’t want people to feel bad for wanting to. But it is terribly important to keep perspective. Ultimately, the things are just a support for what matters—they are not what matter themselves. So how do you know if you’re going overboard? When do things begin to take on a life of their own? When have you crossed the line from keeping cherished memories to drowning in your possessions? Here are some warning signs that you may be going overboard with regard to your material objects:
• You don’t take the time to look at some your things purely for the sake of enjoying them—you only see them when they get in the way
• You are tripping over collections of things that cover every space of your home
• Buying things makes you feel better, but you find after a day or two the good feeling is gone and you need to buy another thing
• You buy things with a purpose in mind, like a project, but when the purpose is gone the things stay behind
• You buy things on sale that you wouldn’t have bought otherwise
• You have a collection that you constantly increase, without regards to budget, space, or size
• You have multiple items that do the same thing, and you only use one of them
• Your things make you feel comfortable and enclosed like a safety guard against the outside world, so much that to remove anything would remove the border between you and the world
In the most extreme case, people will feel like they can’t let go of anything they own. They may have years of magazine back-issues, bills from decades before, or piles of things they haven’t seen the bottom of for years. These extreme cases really need the help of a professional— usually a professional organizer like myself, sometimes in partnership with a great therapist. If any of this sounds familiar, check out one of these websites where you can learn more about “hoarding”.
When my brain goes to that dark morbid place, it reinforced for me how things become so precious to us. They kindle memories, give us comfort, and make us feel less lonely. If, heaven forbid, something like this ever happened to my home, what thing would be the most important to me? I am aggressive about getting rid of my old things, but I too save some memorabilia. I have a special box with things like old letters from my Mom, photographs, and small trinkets from childhood. I look upon these items at least three times a year and am filled with a warm glow inside. So, what are the things I would risk my life for in a moment of disaster? When I think about it honestly, my memories are what I hold most sacred as a “thing”--no object can compare. When the time came to evacuate to save yourself and
your loved ones; you would grab your family and make a run for it. You wouldn’t say, “Oh, my wedding photographs, I have to got get them!” The bottom line is when the time came to rescue yourself and family you would choose your life over your things. So why then is it so hard for us on a day to day basis to let go of things? We are a sentimental race that hangs onto our child’s first clipped hair, the love letter from a first love or an empty bottle we discovered on the beach. Why are we collectors of things? Are we so materialistic that we need stuff to feel fulfilled? I think not. I think some things are a comfort and are needed. True, not when disasters occur, but when we are feeling melancholy and need a bit of reassurance through a memory. Is it that wrong to hold onto things? This is a hard question. I don’t believe so, and I don’t want people to feel bad for wanting to. But it is terribly important to keep perspective. Ultimately, the things are just a support for what matters—they are not what matter themselves. So how do you know if you’re going overboard? When do things begin to take on a life of their own? When have you crossed the line from keeping cherished memories to drowning in your possessions? Here are some warning signs that you may be going overboard with regard to your material objects:
• You don’t take the time to look at some your things purely for the sake of enjoying them—you only see them when they get in the way
• You are tripping over collections of things that cover every space of your home
• Buying things makes you feel better, but you find after a day or two the good feeling is gone and you need to buy another thing
• You buy things with a purpose in mind, like a project, but when the purpose is gone the things stay behind
• You buy things on sale that you wouldn’t have bought otherwise
• You have a collection that you constantly increase, without regards to budget, space, or size
• You have multiple items that do the same thing, and you only use one of them
• Your things make you feel comfortable and enclosed like a safety guard against the outside world, so much that to remove anything would remove the border between you and the world
In the most extreme case, people will feel like they can’t let go of anything they own. They may have years of magazine back-issues, bills from decades before, or piles of things they haven’t seen the bottom of for years. These extreme cases really need the help of a professional— usually a professional organizer like myself, sometimes in partnership with a great therapist. If any of this sounds familiar, check out one of these websites where you can learn more about “hoarding”.
FOR THE LOVE OF OBJECTS
When my friend was little she grew up very poor. Every gift given to her was cherished. Every object had a special memory. This could be a pair of socks, or an old alarm clock. It didn’t matter what it was, it was the memory associated with it. As she got older, getting rid of anything became very difficult. She truly believed she was hurting the person that gave it to her, and thus hurting the objects “feelings” and destroying her own memories.
Sometimes I have clients who will have a similar reaction with an inanimate object like a book, where they think it may “hurt the object’s feelings” if they give it away. They associate the object with an event, or person. For example, perhaps the book was given to them by their mother that passed away, or they bought the book when they first moved to Seattle. In other words, the object holds sentiment to them, as well as a sense of guilt for letting it go. They associate this feeling they are getting with the object, thinking it will hurt the object’s feelings. I also feel guilty when it comes to gifts or cards given by family, I worry that they will be personally offended if they knew I didn’t keep a particular gift. Fortunately for me, I don’t let that stop me from getting rid of things I don’t want. A lot of my clients have a harder time doing just that. I love figuring out creative ways to help them conquer these feelings. Take my client Zelda (this is not her real name). She has several collections of goodies and has a hard time getting rid of them. Working with her, we discovered that she has kinetic sympathy to items. This means that every time she handles an object, she bonds with it and it becomes very difficult to let it go. To solve this, every time we do a sorting and purging session, I handle all of the objects. We found that when she’s not touching the objects, it’s easier for her to look at them objectively.
To prevent future problems, I helped Zelda make a rule for herself: when she goes shopping for things that aren’t necessities, she has to bring a shopping buddy. The buddy handles the objects instead of Zelda, so that she can look at the object without becoming attached to it through touch. This has helped her keep her clutter to a manageable size, instead of having it grow out of control again. Having an emotional reaction to letting something go is quite rational and reasonable. However, you may need to grow beyond it if clutter is overtaking your life.
Sometimes I have clients who will have a similar reaction with an inanimate object like a book, where they think it may “hurt the object’s feelings” if they give it away. They associate the object with an event, or person. For example, perhaps the book was given to them by their mother that passed away, or they bought the book when they first moved to Seattle. In other words, the object holds sentiment to them, as well as a sense of guilt for letting it go. They associate this feeling they are getting with the object, thinking it will hurt the object’s feelings. I also feel guilty when it comes to gifts or cards given by family, I worry that they will be personally offended if they knew I didn’t keep a particular gift. Fortunately for me, I don’t let that stop me from getting rid of things I don’t want. A lot of my clients have a harder time doing just that. I love figuring out creative ways to help them conquer these feelings. Take my client Zelda (this is not her real name). She has several collections of goodies and has a hard time getting rid of them. Working with her, we discovered that she has kinetic sympathy to items. This means that every time she handles an object, she bonds with it and it becomes very difficult to let it go. To solve this, every time we do a sorting and purging session, I handle all of the objects. We found that when she’s not touching the objects, it’s easier for her to look at them objectively.
To prevent future problems, I helped Zelda make a rule for herself: when she goes shopping for things that aren’t necessities, she has to bring a shopping buddy. The buddy handles the objects instead of Zelda, so that she can look at the object without becoming attached to it through touch. This has helped her keep her clutter to a manageable size, instead of having it grow out of control again. Having an emotional reaction to letting something go is quite rational and reasonable. However, you may need to grow beyond it if clutter is overtaking your life.
I MIGHT USE IT SOME DAY
The other day I was in Daly’s. Daly’s is a great store.
Besides selling stain and paint, they will actually take your wood sample and help you find the perfect color stain for woodworking projects by trying samples out on the actual lumber that you bring in. My husband and I were there to find the right stain for a pair of boxes for my desk (an “inbox” and an “outbox” for dealing with mail). A man standing next to me had a 2 x 2 piece of stained wood. He was asking the stain expert to match it for a project he was working on. He told the expert that the wood was left over and he hung onto to it because he might need it some day. It was all I could do not to start talking to him on the spot! I hear my clients say this all the time. It is an understandable feeling, but sometimes it is a warning sign that one is hanging onto too much. If I had the chance again I would have prompted him and asked,
“What do you think you may need this for? Are you going to actually use this short 2x2 for anything? If you are just hanging onto to it to match the stain, why not cut it down to a small size and create samples for when you are doing your next wood project?” When you find yourself hanging on to something
“because you might need it some day”, ask yourself these questions:
If the questions above don’t help, here are some more good clues that you can toss it:
If that doesn’t get you far enough, consider setting some rules for yourself. This will help force the issue, while not making you destroy your memories and possessions recklessly.
For example:
Besides selling stain and paint, they will actually take your wood sample and help you find the perfect color stain for woodworking projects by trying samples out on the actual lumber that you bring in. My husband and I were there to find the right stain for a pair of boxes for my desk (an “inbox” and an “outbox” for dealing with mail). A man standing next to me had a 2 x 2 piece of stained wood. He was asking the stain expert to match it for a project he was working on. He told the expert that the wood was left over and he hung onto to it because he might need it some day. It was all I could do not to start talking to him on the spot! I hear my clients say this all the time. It is an understandable feeling, but sometimes it is a warning sign that one is hanging onto too much. If I had the chance again I would have prompted him and asked,
“What do you think you may need this for? Are you going to actually use this short 2x2 for anything? If you are just hanging onto to it to match the stain, why not cut it down to a small size and create samples for when you are doing your next wood project?” When you find yourself hanging on to something
“because you might need it some day”, ask yourself these questions:
- Is it replaceable?
- What is the worst thing that would happen if you got rid of it?
- Is it something special that triggers a memory
- Do I have other things that trigger memories from the same time—can I just keep the smallest one?
- Can you put it into something to enjoy it more, like a scrapbook, a sample board, or a note book?
- Do you need it? If so, when is the last time you used it?
- In the words of Judith Kolhberg, “does it need you?”
- Was it a gift you didn’t like, but you feel guilty about giving it away?
- If you find a place that could really use it, would you be willing to donate it?
- Do you have room for it?
- What are you going to do with it?
If the questions above don’t help, here are some more good clues that you can toss it:
- It was packed away in a box for over 10 years when you last moved
- It was hidden away in your crawl space or basement for over 3 years
- It is covered with so many cobwebs you need to take time to clean it
- You have been wondering where it is, but you’re making do fine without it
- It smells of mold or must? ? ?
If that doesn’t get you far enough, consider setting some rules for yourself. This will help force the issue, while not making you destroy your memories and possessions recklessly.
For example:
- Every time I purchase a new book, one (or two) books get sold or donated to the library.
- If I get a gift I don’t like, I will return it, sell it on eBay, or take it to a white elephant party (make sure the gift bearer is NOT attending!)
- Every year I am going to purge my garage of anything that I haven’t used in the last 3 years
- Every time I purchase a new article of clothing, something old will go to Goodwill.
12 SUCCESS TIPS TO OVERSEEING A MOVING COMPANY
When managing a move involving a moving company, take care to do the following:
- Write letters to the incoming and outgoing neighbors saying hello and goodbye--this reduces the chances of complaints about parking (from moving trucks), noises (from movers), etc.
- Find out if there are elevators or if you’ll need to plan to go up and down stairs.
- Ensure that the estimators actually visit the new location so that they can plan and map the move more efficiently.
- If there is only one elevator be sure to have at least 4 radios, one for moving coordinator, one for the home owner, one for moving lead, and one for the regular movers. This way if there are any questions they can be answered immediately. I would also recommend asking for a quick lesson on radio protocol.
- Always have the movers pad the elevator, including the keypad, all floors, stairwells, and walls so that no damage is done.
- Do a run through of all items that are important to them and describe in detail any damage or lack thereof. Take pictures, or shoot a video of all your objects from all sides.
- Have a checklist of items to be moved and colored tape on items that are not to be moved so that there is no confusion.
- Don't allow the movers to work overtime. It costs more and they will take shortcuts to hurry things up.
- Find out where your items will be held overnight if the move takes longer than one day, and make sure that there is adequate security.
- Read the estimator’s estimate (and any other moving company paper work you’re presented) carefully and slowly before you sign.
- Be sure to check your home owners insurances for adequate coverage before purchasing their insurance. Legally the moving company should insure at least 60 cents to the pound per box, per item, at no charge--make sure this is the case.
- Tell the estimator that the movers must carry only one box at a time. They will try to talk you out of it,since they want to get done faster. This is a great way to get your things broken! Stand firm.
COLLECTIONS
I have been to many homes where there is some sort of collection. It ranges from Hummel figurines, to lions to dreidels. While some small collections are nice, they create a huge problem.
THE SOLUTION:
Spend the money on something that brings you joy like a trip, a fancy restaurant, tickets to a favorite venue, your retirement.
Take a look at your collection of red Christmas bulbs and pick out
your very favorite - this should only be half of the collection. Donate or sell the rest on eBay.
Pick up a healthy compulsive hobby like going for walks with your
significant other or if you are single by yourself.
- They encourage bad gifts, you tell someone you love frogs and the next thing you know you are being surrounded by Kermit the frog to a point that you hate the look of his face. You will receive gifts like a velvet frog painting that no one in their right minds needs or wants, but your friend or family member saw the frog and just had to get it for you.
- They over take your precious space and make your room look and feel cluttered
. - Every time you go to dust, you have to move them.
- Every time you move you have to pack them.
- How can you appreciate the collection when you have so much you can't see any of it?
- You receive some as gifts and you don't have the heart to give them away, so you stow them in your already over stuffed closet.
- Too much is never a good thing.
THE SOLUTION:
Spend the money on something that brings you joy like a trip, a fancy restaurant, tickets to a favorite venue, your retirement.
Take a look at your collection of red Christmas bulbs and pick out
your very favorite - this should only be half of the collection. Donate or sell the rest on eBay.
Pick up a healthy compulsive hobby like going for walks with your
significant other or if you are single by yourself.
LOOKING BACK ON THINGS AND LETTING THEM GO
The other day I went through a bunch of boxes that had not been unpacked due to our remodeling on our home. I had so much fun looking through each item, having a memory and then letting it go. Rekindling that memory was very special for me. It also allowed me to say goodbye, but remember. The items are now going to Children’s Hospital to children who can create new memories with them. The key to my success of letting go of the clutter was a couple of things combined:
Being Ready
I would not have been ready a year ago to let go of my childhood items. However I knew it was time, I had a serge of energy and could not wait to go through it and get rid of it. Sometimes you may go through the items a few times before you can get rid of most of it. That is ok. Gradually you will if you keep the momentum up of sorting through it and getting rid of things. Take for example your closet. Every six months, you go through your closet and get rid of ratty old sweaters, outdated shirts and pants and worn shoes. This not only gives you more space in your closet, but room to purchase a few new things. It is an ever on going process that you will be doing for the rest of your life.
Rekindling the Memory & Enjoying the Item one Last Time
This involves taking each item looking at it, and remembering what it meant to you at one time. This could by a childhood toy, a card, a random item that makes you remember your first sweetheart like a toy he/she won you at the fair. Enjoy the memory, take the time to remember, relish it and then let it go. Remember, the likelihood of you opening that box again is no very likely. Isn’t it better to rekindle and let it go?
Saying Goodbye Having a little ceremony and saying goodbye to your things is a very important final step. It readies you for letting it go, and there are no regrets. This is not a literal goodbye ceremony (of course you can have one, my friend did one for her college car when it finally went kaput), but it is a mental goodbye, a readying for letting it go.
Being Ready
I would not have been ready a year ago to let go of my childhood items. However I knew it was time, I had a serge of energy and could not wait to go through it and get rid of it. Sometimes you may go through the items a few times before you can get rid of most of it. That is ok. Gradually you will if you keep the momentum up of sorting through it and getting rid of things. Take for example your closet. Every six months, you go through your closet and get rid of ratty old sweaters, outdated shirts and pants and worn shoes. This not only gives you more space in your closet, but room to purchase a few new things. It is an ever on going process that you will be doing for the rest of your life.
Rekindling the Memory & Enjoying the Item one Last Time
This involves taking each item looking at it, and remembering what it meant to you at one time. This could by a childhood toy, a card, a random item that makes you remember your first sweetheart like a toy he/she won you at the fair. Enjoy the memory, take the time to remember, relish it and then let it go. Remember, the likelihood of you opening that box again is no very likely. Isn’t it better to rekindle and let it go?
Saying Goodbye Having a little ceremony and saying goodbye to your things is a very important final step. It readies you for letting it go, and there are no regrets. This is not a literal goodbye ceremony (of course you can have one, my friend did one for her college car when it finally went kaput), but it is a mental goodbye, a readying for letting it go.
Goodwill vs. Give
Everybody wants to know that their possessions are going to a good home, and nobody wants to throw things away. Some people hate to lose the memories associated with the object; others feel like they want to get their money’s worth. No matter what the reason, it’s just plain difficult to let your stuff go. So you decide to give it away. I like to call this the “adoption option”.
Unless it is an antique, or a known object of someone else's affection, this is a big blunder. Here’s five good reasons why:
1. You are passing on your clutter to someone else. After all, you’re getting rid of it to reduce your own clutter, right?
2. The person you intend it for might not want it. It’s a lovely thought, but you’re putting them in a pickle if they don’t want to hurt your feelings by rejecting it. And no, saying “it doesn’t bother me if you don’t like it” doesn’t solve this problem!
3. You will underestimate the hassle of getting it to them. Just think about how long it takes you to return a book that you’ve borrowed from a friend!
4. You’ll forget about it, and wind up with another pile of mess to clean later.
5. It becomes an excuse to keep you from finishing your job. You won’t feel a sense of completion until your friend picks it up, and that can take forever. So when is it OK to hang on to something, and how do you do it right? Here are the things it’s OK to save for others:
• Antiques
• Objects with strong family memories, if the recipient has expressed an interest in them
• Items that you know they have a specific use for right now—like baby clothes for your friend with a newborn
• Any object that someone has asked you for without being prompted
If you are giving something, remember to set a short deadline for when the giving occurs. If it’s still there in three weeks, it should automatically go to Goodwill! Even I make this mistake sometimes—we still have bed rails in our garage because our neighbor expressed an interest in them three weeks ago! If this is causing you too much grief, contact me and I can coach you through it. Remember that less is more!
Unless it is an antique, or a known object of someone else's affection, this is a big blunder. Here’s five good reasons why:
1. You are passing on your clutter to someone else. After all, you’re getting rid of it to reduce your own clutter, right?
2. The person you intend it for might not want it. It’s a lovely thought, but you’re putting them in a pickle if they don’t want to hurt your feelings by rejecting it. And no, saying “it doesn’t bother me if you don’t like it” doesn’t solve this problem!
3. You will underestimate the hassle of getting it to them. Just think about how long it takes you to return a book that you’ve borrowed from a friend!
4. You’ll forget about it, and wind up with another pile of mess to clean later.
5. It becomes an excuse to keep you from finishing your job. You won’t feel a sense of completion until your friend picks it up, and that can take forever. So when is it OK to hang on to something, and how do you do it right? Here are the things it’s OK to save for others:
• Antiques
• Objects with strong family memories, if the recipient has expressed an interest in them
• Items that you know they have a specific use for right now—like baby clothes for your friend with a newborn
• Any object that someone has asked you for without being prompted
If you are giving something, remember to set a short deadline for when the giving occurs. If it’s still there in three weeks, it should automatically go to Goodwill! Even I make this mistake sometimes—we still have bed rails in our garage because our neighbor expressed an interest in them three weeks ago! If this is causing you too much grief, contact me and I can coach you through it. Remember that less is more!
MAKING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR MOVE – HOW TO PACK LESS AND USE MORE TIPS AND TOOLS ON WHAT TO GET RID OF AND WHAT TO KEEP
You have bought your dream house, be it your first or third. You have a ton of items that you haven’t looked at
in years. What should you get rid of?
KITCHEN
CUPBOARDS
There are always a ton of mismatched glasses and plates in cupboards. Keep the sets of glassware and donate the rest. If you have plastic cups that you never use, get rid of the bulk, but keep two for small guests. If this leaves you without enough glasses, then pick up an inexpensive matched set from Ikea, Costco, or Fred Meyer after the move is complete. They have great inexpensive glassware, so it is not a huge financial burden to replace. Be sure to get rid of Tupperware-type containers that have no lid. I suggest keeping ten pieces of Tupperware. (Keep this as a general rule: 2 tiny pieces for condiments, 2 small for side dishes, 4 medium, 2
large for leftovers)
THE JUNK DRAWER
This is the place where you need to be diligent about donating and or throwing things away. Every time I pack a home, I have to sort through things with my clients. Remember, you don’t want to pack your junk! Throw away souvenirs from take out like chop sticks, plastic forks, and condiments. They are easily replaced, and chances are you will never use or need them. If you have a time where you are packing a lunch that requires such items, pick up a bulk pack of chopsticks form Costco and keep them contained for later use. The papers you will find will range from throw-away items like old receipts to important documents like the warranties on appliances that the new renter or buyer will need for the house. Be sure not to pack these! I usually leave them in the top kitchen drawer along with the garage door openers and extra sets of keys.
UTENSIL DRAWER
If you have multiple sets of silverware, keep your favorite set and donate the rest. You can always purchase a new set at http://www.amazon.com or at Ikea. I guarantee you will find great deals at both places. I always seem to find multiple copies of the following items:
• Spatulas
• Wooden spoons
• Plastic server spoons
• Ladles
• Soup spoons
Keep three of each at most donate the rest. They are taking up precious space in your drawers and counter tops! You really don’t need nine of each.
PANTRY
A lot of the people I pack feel guilty not packing all of their food. If you are moving to a home in the same state this is ok. If not, either donate the excess food to a food bank or toss it. There is probably some outdated cans and frozen food in the mix that should be tossed. (Check the expiration dates on all before donating.) As a general rule, don’t pack open items. An open bag of flour or sugar is a nightmare when you are unpacking and it decides to explode on your new clean kitchen floor!
GARAGE
RECREATIONAL
Chances are you will have way more outdoor gear then it is possible to use. Take an inventory of how many hiking boots, skis, snow boards, snowshoes, kayaks, ski boots, back packs, and camping gear you really have. If there are only two of you in the home keep items at most to two sets per person. For example, if you are an avid skier and have a pair of regular skis and snow blades (shorter skis for tree weaving) it is ok to keep both, if you DO USE both during the ski season. If you have five sleeping bags and there are only two of you, donate the rest to a donation station of your choice. Keep in mind you can sell your skis in a variety of places. Why
clutter your garage space with things you don’t need?
SEASONAL
Be sure to sort through your boxes of Christmas and other holiday decorations. A lot of times you will find old dusty items you no longer care for. Put all of the items you intend to keep in some kind of plastic bin for safekeeping. I also suggest using color coded bins, such as these from Ikea: http://tinyurl.com/2mxgb
They come in different colors, such as green for Christmas or Chanukah. Be sure to be consistent with the color and type of bin you purchase for each holiday. If you run out of room, this may mean you need to get rid of a few things. Keep in mind the sorting task every year you go to decorate. You will find you have way more that you will every use or need.
BOXES YOU HAVE NEVER OPENED FROM THE LAST MOVE
If you have never opened these boxes, there is absolutely no reason to keep them. If you haven’t needed anything in them by now, chances are you won’t again.
CLOSETS
LINENS
Often people have more towels than they need. However, these are a great padding device for breakables. I like to use these for padding in larger boxes or for items like TVs and stereos. You can put a note on the box saying, “TV and old rags” that way when you are done unpacking you can get rid of them. This can also be done with old sheets you will no longer have the bed for, or you just don’t care for anymore. If you have a pet, keep at most 10 old rags for wiping his/her feet at door. I wouldn’t recommend using old towels to dry the car, as they may scratch.
SHOES
Be sure to do an inventory of your shoes. A lot of times there are many pairs of shoes you haven’t seen or thought of in years. Keep in mind, most of us only wear 20% of what is in our closets. This is because we can’t get to or see the rest. While taking inventory of your shoes, take an inventory of your clothes and see what shoes best fit most outfits. Get rid of the ones that don’t go with a thing, like the dyed pumps or uncomfortable tuxedo loafers from that dear friend’s wedding.
COATS
I am personally a coat junkie. I love and wear all of my coats, I really do! I do however get rid of a few each year. The ones that are on their last legs, or I know I won’t wear again. Don’t ever keep “the just in case I lose the weight” coat. The truth is by the time you lose the weight they will probably be out of style. When you do lose the weight, think of how fun it will be to get the new wardrobe!
BEDROOMS
KNICKKNACKS
A lot of people are collectors. They love their stuff. They keep things like a sticker from their first date with their hubby, or the collection of hinged Pooh boxes. Take a look around your room and look at it through a stranger’s point of view. Ask yourself the following questions:
Is it cluttered? What is overtaking my bookshelves? Which of these items would I be o.k. with getting rid of? After taking the inventory, I suggest getting rid of half of the knickknacks in your bedroom. They are cluttering up the space and your mind. Keep the items that hold real sentimental value for you. The odds and ends that were gifts from a friend can be donated. You don’t have to keep everything. These kinds of items come into your life continually, and if you don’t clear them out continuously, you’ll be overwhelmed by them.
JEWELRY
I love my jewelry. I have a few pieces I wear and that is it. I have quite a few clients who have a ton of jewelry and love to wear a great deal of it. However, even they have managed to get rid of quite a bit that they don’t wear regularly. It is impossible to wear hundreds of pieces of jewelry in anyone’s lifetime. Keep what you love, not what you think you may wear, or that which was given to you. You will enjoy what you do have all the more. First of all because you will be able to find it, and second of all because you won’t feel the guilt of not wearing the other stuff you don’t care for. Use the money from the sale of the jewelry you’re getting rid of to buy yourself
a massage and you won’t feel a moment’s regret!
BOOKS
Books weigh a ton! First off, get rid of the paperbacks. You think you will read or re-read them, but with all of the other books you have on you to be read list, when will you really find the time? If you love the book, toss it, and if you miss it later buy a hardcover. Think hard about the following before you decide to pack them:
• Book sets
• Hard back classics
• First editions
Try to channel future-you who is lugging around heavy boxes and buying new bookshelves, and ask yourself:
“Am I really going to be that upset if this book doesn’t make it to my new home?”
FAMILY ROOM/DEN
MAGAZINES
Magazine weigh a ton to move and the likelihood of you looking through them again is not high. Either keep your favorites in magazine organizers, but to a minimum of one bookshelf (That is all you should allow yourself!); or tear out the things you will refer back to. Once you’ve done that, either file them or use Scanalog, http://www.scanalog.com
VHS TAPES
Unless you have a VCR you regularly use, get rid of these tapes!
CASSETTE TAPES
Unless you have a tape player you regularly use get rid of these tapes!
If you can’t bear to part with them, consider converting them to CD or DVD. They take up less room and you can listen to them with your current audio/video equipment. Just remember: keep what you own down to a minimum. You will not only save money on the move (including
boxes, packing materials and tape) but you will enjoy the items, and use them more.
in years. What should you get rid of?
KITCHEN
CUPBOARDS
There are always a ton of mismatched glasses and plates in cupboards. Keep the sets of glassware and donate the rest. If you have plastic cups that you never use, get rid of the bulk, but keep two for small guests. If this leaves you without enough glasses, then pick up an inexpensive matched set from Ikea, Costco, or Fred Meyer after the move is complete. They have great inexpensive glassware, so it is not a huge financial burden to replace. Be sure to get rid of Tupperware-type containers that have no lid. I suggest keeping ten pieces of Tupperware. (Keep this as a general rule: 2 tiny pieces for condiments, 2 small for side dishes, 4 medium, 2
large for leftovers)
THE JUNK DRAWER
This is the place where you need to be diligent about donating and or throwing things away. Every time I pack a home, I have to sort through things with my clients. Remember, you don’t want to pack your junk! Throw away souvenirs from take out like chop sticks, plastic forks, and condiments. They are easily replaced, and chances are you will never use or need them. If you have a time where you are packing a lunch that requires such items, pick up a bulk pack of chopsticks form Costco and keep them contained for later use. The papers you will find will range from throw-away items like old receipts to important documents like the warranties on appliances that the new renter or buyer will need for the house. Be sure not to pack these! I usually leave them in the top kitchen drawer along with the garage door openers and extra sets of keys.
UTENSIL DRAWER
If you have multiple sets of silverware, keep your favorite set and donate the rest. You can always purchase a new set at http://www.amazon.com or at Ikea. I guarantee you will find great deals at both places. I always seem to find multiple copies of the following items:
• Spatulas
• Wooden spoons
• Plastic server spoons
• Ladles
• Soup spoons
Keep three of each at most donate the rest. They are taking up precious space in your drawers and counter tops! You really don’t need nine of each.
PANTRY
A lot of the people I pack feel guilty not packing all of their food. If you are moving to a home in the same state this is ok. If not, either donate the excess food to a food bank or toss it. There is probably some outdated cans and frozen food in the mix that should be tossed. (Check the expiration dates on all before donating.) As a general rule, don’t pack open items. An open bag of flour or sugar is a nightmare when you are unpacking and it decides to explode on your new clean kitchen floor!
GARAGE
RECREATIONAL
Chances are you will have way more outdoor gear then it is possible to use. Take an inventory of how many hiking boots, skis, snow boards, snowshoes, kayaks, ski boots, back packs, and camping gear you really have. If there are only two of you in the home keep items at most to two sets per person. For example, if you are an avid skier and have a pair of regular skis and snow blades (shorter skis for tree weaving) it is ok to keep both, if you DO USE both during the ski season. If you have five sleeping bags and there are only two of you, donate the rest to a donation station of your choice. Keep in mind you can sell your skis in a variety of places. Why
clutter your garage space with things you don’t need?
SEASONAL
Be sure to sort through your boxes of Christmas and other holiday decorations. A lot of times you will find old dusty items you no longer care for. Put all of the items you intend to keep in some kind of plastic bin for safekeeping. I also suggest using color coded bins, such as these from Ikea: http://tinyurl.com/2mxgb
They come in different colors, such as green for Christmas or Chanukah. Be sure to be consistent with the color and type of bin you purchase for each holiday. If you run out of room, this may mean you need to get rid of a few things. Keep in mind the sorting task every year you go to decorate. You will find you have way more that you will every use or need.
BOXES YOU HAVE NEVER OPENED FROM THE LAST MOVE
If you have never opened these boxes, there is absolutely no reason to keep them. If you haven’t needed anything in them by now, chances are you won’t again.
CLOSETS
LINENS
Often people have more towels than they need. However, these are a great padding device for breakables. I like to use these for padding in larger boxes or for items like TVs and stereos. You can put a note on the box saying, “TV and old rags” that way when you are done unpacking you can get rid of them. This can also be done with old sheets you will no longer have the bed for, or you just don’t care for anymore. If you have a pet, keep at most 10 old rags for wiping his/her feet at door. I wouldn’t recommend using old towels to dry the car, as they may scratch.
SHOES
Be sure to do an inventory of your shoes. A lot of times there are many pairs of shoes you haven’t seen or thought of in years. Keep in mind, most of us only wear 20% of what is in our closets. This is because we can’t get to or see the rest. While taking inventory of your shoes, take an inventory of your clothes and see what shoes best fit most outfits. Get rid of the ones that don’t go with a thing, like the dyed pumps or uncomfortable tuxedo loafers from that dear friend’s wedding.
COATS
I am personally a coat junkie. I love and wear all of my coats, I really do! I do however get rid of a few each year. The ones that are on their last legs, or I know I won’t wear again. Don’t ever keep “the just in case I lose the weight” coat. The truth is by the time you lose the weight they will probably be out of style. When you do lose the weight, think of how fun it will be to get the new wardrobe!
BEDROOMS
KNICKKNACKS
A lot of people are collectors. They love their stuff. They keep things like a sticker from their first date with their hubby, or the collection of hinged Pooh boxes. Take a look around your room and look at it through a stranger’s point of view. Ask yourself the following questions:
Is it cluttered? What is overtaking my bookshelves? Which of these items would I be o.k. with getting rid of? After taking the inventory, I suggest getting rid of half of the knickknacks in your bedroom. They are cluttering up the space and your mind. Keep the items that hold real sentimental value for you. The odds and ends that were gifts from a friend can be donated. You don’t have to keep everything. These kinds of items come into your life continually, and if you don’t clear them out continuously, you’ll be overwhelmed by them.
JEWELRY
I love my jewelry. I have a few pieces I wear and that is it. I have quite a few clients who have a ton of jewelry and love to wear a great deal of it. However, even they have managed to get rid of quite a bit that they don’t wear regularly. It is impossible to wear hundreds of pieces of jewelry in anyone’s lifetime. Keep what you love, not what you think you may wear, or that which was given to you. You will enjoy what you do have all the more. First of all because you will be able to find it, and second of all because you won’t feel the guilt of not wearing the other stuff you don’t care for. Use the money from the sale of the jewelry you’re getting rid of to buy yourself
a massage and you won’t feel a moment’s regret!
BOOKS
Books weigh a ton! First off, get rid of the paperbacks. You think you will read or re-read them, but with all of the other books you have on you to be read list, when will you really find the time? If you love the book, toss it, and if you miss it later buy a hardcover. Think hard about the following before you decide to pack them:
• Book sets
• Hard back classics
• First editions
Try to channel future-you who is lugging around heavy boxes and buying new bookshelves, and ask yourself:
“Am I really going to be that upset if this book doesn’t make it to my new home?”
FAMILY ROOM/DEN
MAGAZINES
Magazine weigh a ton to move and the likelihood of you looking through them again is not high. Either keep your favorites in magazine organizers, but to a minimum of one bookshelf (That is all you should allow yourself!); or tear out the things you will refer back to. Once you’ve done that, either file them or use Scanalog, http://www.scanalog.com
VHS TAPES
Unless you have a VCR you regularly use, get rid of these tapes!
CASSETTE TAPES
Unless you have a tape player you regularly use get rid of these tapes!
If you can’t bear to part with them, consider converting them to CD or DVD. They take up less room and you can listen to them with your current audio/video equipment. Just remember: keep what you own down to a minimum. You will not only save money on the move (including
boxes, packing materials and tape) but you will enjoy the items, and use them more.
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