Liz Weston: 3 steps to downsize in a hurry
Despite our plans, life sometimes throws a curveball
Ideally, you’d spend months or even years carefully purging excess belongings — but life may have other plans. Maybe you or someone you love has a health crisis and needs to move into assisted living. Or someone has died and their home has to be cleared before next month’s rent is due. Maybe you’re just moving soon and want to significantly lighten your load.
If you need to downsize in a hurry, here’s how to go about it while minimizing stress — and avoiding sending something valuable to the dump.
1. GATHER PAPERWORK, PHOTOS, PRESCRIPTIONS, PERISHABLES
Dealing with paperwork and photos takes time you may not have, says professional organizer Katherine Lawrence of Ashland, Virginia. Consider boxing unsorted documents and photos for temporary storage in a climate-controlled area, Lawrence suggests.
