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

[fred_mouse]

I've found that decluttering books is more successful when done with other people around. Even if they are other people who are invested in me keeping the books (such as my kids and our excessive selection of picture books). It gives me some buffer against the emotional exhaustion that I get when having to make *so many* choices close together.

The other thing that helps for me is to move the contents of a delineated area (a shelf, a drawer) or group of objects (t-shirts) to a clear space (say, kitchen table, or the floor, depending on how the restricted mobility manifests. For me, I can keep going for longer if I'm sitting and stay sitting, so I use the floor, because I can surround myself with the mess). Then, when I've moved the selection there, I sort into three piles, which are 'really can't give it up', 'come back to this one', and 'nah, it can go'. The last one goes straight into a box to be taken to charity. Then I take a break. Items in the first group get put away - sometimes they get moved to the second or third category at the time. And then I deal with splitting the second category between the other two. Because the charity box is close, and the spot for putting away is further, I find I'm more likely to choose to gift than to put away.

My final thing is that I don't get rid of the charity box right away. This is partly a time/energy thing, but it also gives me the chance to wake up at three in the morning going 'no, can't get rid of ..., will never replace it and it is more precious than I realised'.

[venturous]

this is really helpful. just dig in. but make a big enough work area to do it in.

[fred_mouse]

the work area really makes a difference. I think for me it is that there is a clear end to the task - I can see *exactly* how much I'm signing myself up for at the beginning. Which helps with fatigue management, and decisions on whether I'm up to doing another round - if I can't move *pile o' things* to the work space, then I'm not up to sorting it either!