Oh, the freedom of getting rid of stuff!
But what about the comfort of knowing that you purposely chose to keep the stuff you still have.
What a wonderful concept, propagated by my guest this week, Jaime Verazin of Reflecting Spaces, who does this stuff for a living.
Jamie and her team help people, seniors in particular, to sort through their things as they head towards downsizing, ostensibly to simply be able to go from say, a 5-bedroom house to a small condo, but really it's about the much deeper process of letting go.
Clothing, books, furniture and sentimental items are the main focus, since those are the things we both have the most of and in turn are most attached to. The process involves guiding people to consider each item, separate them into categories and physical spaces that are different from where you're used to seeing them, and then making a conscious choice about what you want to do with it.
It's an important legacy project to do, and even a gift to your kids and extended family, who are otherwise left wondering what these things are, and if there's some sentimental value there that they might not know about.
And, with Jaime and her team it's a joyful process too! Downsizing can be a fun and freeing experience if approached with positivity and excitement. How many times has Jaime been working with someone and heard, "Oh, that's where that thing ended up!" or, "Wow, I haven't seen that in years!" Or in turn, "I remember how I got this thing, and why it's important to keep it for my family."
If you're in the greater New York area, you can work with Jaime herself, or if you live further afield you can still reach out to her and see if you can tap into her network of contacts. Either way, a downsizing expert is a great and worthwhile investment.
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