Decluttering Your Life

By Mike Doan

What are we going to do with all of that junk in our houses? Some members of Dumbarton’s Retirement Group have lived in the same home for 40 years or more. How do we know what to toss out and what to keep? And how do we get motivated to sort it out?

Victoria Robinson, who runs Clutterbucks, a professional organizing company, had an exercise for people to set their priorities at the Doan/Craddock house on Oct. 30.

She said to imagine what they would remove if they knew a bomb was to go off in their houses in eight minutes and their families and essential records were already offsite. Among priorities the 19 participants set: Family portraits, photos, memorabilia, computers, medications, jewelry and valuable silverware.

Robinson said people may want to keep things of sentimental value especially. She noted that many things we use daily can be replaced. In deciding what to keep, she said, ask yourself: 1. Do I like it? 2 Does it have personal meaning? 3. Does it have specific immediate use? 4. Can someone else benefit from it? 5. Can I find the same thing online or in a library if I decide I need it later? 5. Can I replace it? 6. What does it cost to keep it? 7. Have I used it in the last year? 8. Are there legal reasons to keep it? 9. What is the worst that could happen if I don’t keep it?

In throwing out old stuff, she told us to remember the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of the time, you probably use only 20% of clothes, paperwork, etc. She suggested taking each piece of paperwork and using Stephanie Winston’s TRAF rule: Toss it, Refer it on, Act on it or File it.

Robinson said some grieving may come with discarding old stuff. To make things
easier, she suggests playing music, having a water bottle nearby and eating
dinner out.

Why worry about it now? "Start early. It's easier to do this work when you're not in a health crisis or financial meltdown. Putting off decisions and leaving behind a too-full house also makes things tougher for your heirs," she said.

For people thinking of downsizing to an apartment or retirement community, she suggested making a list of what you would require if you lived in a small space. One person’s list she provided was very specific, down to the number of towels a person would want. She suggested creating a move-planning calendar, with sub-steps starting from a move-in date and working backward to the present.

For those wanting to pursue these ideas further, Robinson can be reached at clutterbucksvar@cox.net.