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| "25/365 - Organization" by Becky Wetherington is licensed under CC BY 2.0 |
No, we don’t want to turn you into a hoarder, but when downsizing or moving, there are certain things you should keep. Some of these things contain personal information and some are sentimental, and you may not need to keep these items forever, unless they share special value to you. House Beautiful provides us with a list of the essentials:
1. Family heirlooms. “Sterling silver candlesticks from your great, great grandmother should make the cut,” says Professional Organizer, Barbara Reich. “Evaluate these and again, which ones are truly meaningful to you and your family currently?” advises Watson. “Which ones do you truly love and value? These are the ones to keep and take with you to your new home.”
2. Electronics of any sort. At least until you've completely wiped out all your personal information. “I can't tell you the number of people who go on massive de-cluttering binges and don't take the time to clear all their personal information,” warns professional organizer and owner of Metropolitan Organizing, Geralin Thomas, who also worked on A&E’s Hoarders.
3. Photographs. “You may need to digitize these, but you don’t want to lose them,” says Reich.
4. Important Papers. “It’s important to let go of as much paper that you have accumulated as possible,” says organizing expert and owner of Supreme Organization, Jodie Watson. “However, you will need to keep the following documents so don’t purge these: Birth & Death Records, Marriage Licenses, Divorce Decrees, SS Cards, Pension Plan Documents, Medical Records, Insurance Policies, Passports, Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorney Documents, Property Deeds, Investment Records, Education Records, Diplomas, Military Service Records and Vehicle Titles.“
5. Landline phones. You never know when you’ll run out of battery or service. “Keep at least one,” says Thomas.
6. Collections. “You have obviously enjoyed collecting these items, so select your favorite few (3-5) that you love and value above all the rest,” says Watson. Whether it be dolls or vintage cars, it better to display and enjoy a few than to have them boxed away in storage.
7. Fine Jewelry AND the boxes they came in. “Having a piece of jewelry, in it's original box adds value when/if reselling it and keeps the piece of jewelry in mint condition,” says Thomas.
8. Basic kitchen and bathroom supplies. BUT only what you need—Pots and pans, a good quality chef’s knife, spatula, wooden spoon, blender, sheets and towels. “You have duplicates you can leave behind, but make sure you have the basics with you,” says Reich. And for the bathroom? “You should bring two sets of sheets per bed (one on the bed, one to change) and 4 towels per person.”
9. Unique, decorative items and sentimental items that bring back precious memories. “A lock of hair from your child’s first haircut, the medal you won for running a marathon, etc.” says Reich. “These are items that you would not be able to replace and that hold a high sentimental value for you,” says Watson.
10. Emergency supplies. “Radio, landline phone, batteries, flashlight, first aid kit,” should all be on hand advises Reich. “And if you don’t have emergency supplies, now is the time to get them!”
11. Tags from expensive handbags. “When or if you are consigning this will help prove authenticity and brings a much better price,” explains Thomas.
12. Medication and toiletries that haven’t yet expired. These can be expensive! Most importantly, “medication taken daily should be kept with you during the move,” says Reich
How do you tell what is TRULY meaningful? Watson shares her favorite trick. “In any given category, let’s say artwork that you have hung on the wall, ask this question, ‘If I could only take 3 pieces with me, which 3 would they be?’ With books, the question might be, ‘If I can only take 20 with me, which 20 would they be?’ This will help you discover the ones that are more meaningful than the others. These are the ones to take with you, the rest are negotiable.
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