Thinking about moving out of your home and downsizing to a smaller home? Out of the Box Moves is a company that specializes in moving and downsizing and has a few tips that will make this process flow smoother. The first step you will have to make is to decide what you want to take with you and what to do with the rest of your stuff! The best way is to focus on one room at a time, do not try to do the whole house at once; you will get overwhelmed. Work your way around the room clockwise, or if you insist, counter-clockwise. Ask yourself the following questions: Do I use it? When did I use it last? Do I need it? You may want to use sticky notes and label things accordingly. Some suggestions we have are to label items: keep, donate, sell, or give to family or friends. Other items may just go right into the trash bag or recycle bin. Once your decision is made, place items in a bin or box that is labeled appropriately. When organizing the master bedroom, go through your clothes in your closet and bureau, and ask yourself the following questions… When did I wear it last? Does it still fit? Be sure to have a trash bag ready because it is okay to throw out old socks, nylons, or pilled sweaters. When an item can be appreciated and worn by someone else, it can be donated. Throw out old hangers and give back the metal ones to the dry cleaners. Look down at all of those shoes on the floor or hiding in boxes. Old sneakers, which are worn down and actually not good for your posture, can go in the trash, and dress shoes that you will never wear again, can be donated. And do you really need four pairs of bedroom slippers and those chic expensive boots that hurt your feet? It is time to donate those! I bet there are a lot of things you can throw out in your bathroom! First, gather all those expired medications and dispose of them according to your community’s guidelines. Toss the little soaps and shampoos you have collected from hotels and those ragged washcloths and stained towels. There is probably an old hairdryer that always shorted out and a curling iron or an electric shaver that has not been used in years. Those can all be thrown out as well. A great way of getting rid of your old sheets, towels, and blankets is to donate them to your local animal shelter to help pets in need. Now in the living room, you may have shelves full of books or maybe even some textbooks from college collecting dust. Fill grocery bags with these books and donate them to the local library. If you have a very large amount of books, contact More Than Words, a worthy nonprofit organization in Waltham. They will come and pick up the books from your home. You may also have some decorative items in your living room that may be valuable. Have an antique dealer or auctioneer visit your home to provide you with an estimate of what they are worth. It all depends on the condition of the piece and if it is in demand. Now onto tackling the office…what about those piles of papers, warranties, cancelled checks, and tax returns that you are determined to sort through some day? If you have a good filing system, that’s great. If not, buy folders and sort through the papers, and then label each folder accordingly. To make this process easier, listen to music or do it while watching T.V. Create a minimal amount of files and at the same time fill the recycle bin with all the unnecessary papers. Confidential papers should always be shredded. If you do not have a shredder, you can take your papers to Staples, which only charges a small fee for shredding. You do not have to keep things for years and years anymore because so much is electronically stored today. Photographs are an essential part of our lives and a lot of our memories live within them. So choose a few of your favorite framed photos to bring with you to your new home. The rest of the photos can be removed from the frames and put into photo albums. You can also go through and sort your collection of family photos and distribute them to the appropriate family members. I am sure they would love to have them! Another option is to scan your photos to make them digital, which would enable you to share fond memories online with family and friends and preserve your memories. And now for the real challenge—the kitchen! When was the last time you used that George Foreman grill or the waffle iron or the electric percolator? If the small appliances are clean and in good working condition, they can be donated. If any of your mugs, plates or glasses are stained or chipped, it is time to toss them into the trash. Start using your nicer dinnerware, why wait? If you have a collection of vases, keep just a few, recycle the chipped one, and donate the rest. As far as your garage and attic are concerned, you may need to recruit some family members or a service to help you. Especially, if you have accumulated quite a lot of gardening equipment, paint cans, and old sports equipment over the years. Another helpful hint is to create a schedule, put it on the fridge, and give yourself a deadline so that this whole process doesn’t drag on and drag you down. By taking this first step of de-cluttering your home, you will be able to envision your new life in your next home surrounded by the things that you chose and that make you happy!