Impending Move - YIKES

[venturous]

Dear intrepid Unclutterers:

I am facing an impending move, end of October!
I downsized radically two years ago, so there is much less to deal with. But I am also a bit less mobile due to knee pain. I cant power through like I used to .

Planning is required. Here's where I could really benefit from suggestions.

The way I used to approach it:

• clipboard + sharpie
• 1 page per room or closet
• pitch/give away/keep

This time, I'm actually starting with a minimum basic list of KEEP. I'm hoping to pare it down even further. that means a lot of what came with me will need to be released.

STORAGE ugh
I know what happens with storage - I have friends who have struggled to pay for storage for years and never done anything with their stuff. or worse. but.....

ART STUDIO That is the part of life its always been a struggle to afford, and is dearest to my heart. I have several big peices (the flat file is the most precious, followed by an enamel top table, then a sturdy canvas storage shelf built of plywood, and a tall metal cabinet - things useful and expensive to replace)


all ideas and encouragement accepted!
BOOKS I reduced my library by 70% last move, and still have 16 liquor boxes (the best for books - small & sturdy!) of art books.

Comments

[semielliptical]

One question that might be helpful in planning: what are your specific reasons for uncluttering before the move? I mean, I understand that having fewer things to move is generally helpful, but do you have any particular motivations?

For example, are you uncluttering because your new space is smaller than your current space? If so, can you roughly calculate how much stuff you need to get rid of in each area of your home, and use that as a guideline for your uncluttering?

Or, if you are trying to reduce your moving costs, you could figure out how much stuff you can afford to move, and then evaluate possessions based on how important they are to keep vs. how costly they will be to move.

Good luck with your uncluttering! Hopefully you have enough time that you can do it in lots of short sessions, and avoid too much knee pain.

[venturous]

aye, theres' the rub. I dont know where I'm going, yet. I assume that having less stuff will be easier all around. I want a small one-person apartment, so no need for lots of dishes, etc, but I'm still a cook, so the pots and things are important.

Definitely tryng to keep costs low. I have a minivan, and I am hoping a trailer or ryder truck can do the rest.

I am getting started tomorrow!