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Writer's pictureMarla Ottenstein

Downsizing Made Simple

Five tips for clearing out sentimental clutter and moving on

down.size \'daun-,sīz\ : “to make something smaller.”


Downsizing, especially when it comes to family heirlooms, can be complicated. How do you get rid of great-grandmother Mary’s chipped porcelain soup tureen without causing a rift amongst family members? I think it’s easier to dispose of stuff if you have a plan. If you decide to sell things you think are valuable, remember: “half of something is better than half of nothing.”


To help make getting rid of stuff a little less daunting and perhaps more spiritually or economically rewarding, here are a few practical ideas:


Fur coat: As the great-great-granddaughter of A. Hollander, the man credited with inventing Hollanderizing, a sawdust-based method for cleaning fur coats, I once owned a magnificent full-length coyote and white fox coat. After ten years of paying $80 per year for cold storage (do the math), I sold it for $450, which in my book was a great deal. If you can’t bear to part with your fur, have it made into a snuggly teddy bear, throw, or pillow.


Silver flatware: Years ago, when trying to unload my grandmother’s silver, which I’d only used twice in 20 years, I called all of my nieces and nephews, none of whom wanted it. If it’s not disposable, millennials aren’t interested. I ended up selling the silver for scrap and started a “travel fund” where I bank the proceeds from things I sell or consign that I no longer want, use, or need.


China dishes and serving pieces: Sell, consign, or give away. Founded in 1981, Replacements, Ltd. is a great place to try and sell your china, as well as your un-engraved silver flatware and serving pieces. They are very selective.


Gold and silver: When the market is up, gold and silver prices are down; when the market is down, gold and silver prices are up. Shop around – commissions can be high and some companies charge to remove stones and/or enamel. Don’t forget your grandmother’s gold bridge – it’s worth a pretty penny!


Furniture: My dad salvaged a brass bed from a junkyard for $7 and lovingly restored it. I ended up with it and lugged it around for 30 years. I gave up and “begged” my brothers, sister, nieces and nephews to take it. Of course, no one took me up on my offer. After I sold it, my sister called to say, “How could you? That’s the bed I was conceived in.”


Downsizing is not easy, especially when we have things we think we can’t live without, either for sentimental reasons or because we think they may (or may not) be valuable. Either way, it’s important to remember that everything we own possesses a piece of us. So maybe now is the time to free yourself of the past and embrace the next stage of your life.


As you begin to get organized, it’s important to remember: what you own does not define who you are. Above all else, you are stronger than all the “stuff” in your life.



 

Marla Ottenstein, owner

Professional Organizer Florida

239.860.7847

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