My parents moved out of their home of 30 years this winter. We’ve been a family of movers since the 1940s, so you might think this would be a cut-and-dried process for us. We’d know just how to do this. I’ve even written copy for our website on downsizing, and edited blog entries on how to do it. As it turned out, there was nothing cut-and-dried about it, and for all of us the move seemed endless.

While they were looking for the perfect new residence each of my parents urged the other to start getting rid of things and make decisions about what to move. The discussion over storage was brief: “No more storage. It moves or we get rid of it.” Good advice, but more about that later.

When the new home was chosen piles began to appear — piles for donation, for the dumpster, for sale, and for moving. Just like those HG-TV shows. My father filled the trunk, the backseat and the passenger seat of his car time and time again, and I think he got to know the folks at the donation site pretty well.

Every weekend as my parents prepared for the move and we all helped, I went home and cleaned out something – books I wasn’t going to read again for the Library book sale, old photographs that I never look at and shoes I shouldn’t wear anymore, clothes that are “perfectly good” but that I don’t wear, and so on. The throw-away pile, the donation pile, the bags marked “Check on eBay.” My good intentions were endless. As I write this, the trunk still contains four bags of books, the clothes are hanging on the closet door, and I haven’t looked at eBay. I did throw away the shoes.

There was no pile of “everything else” because you aren’t supposed to have a pile of “everything else,” according to those organizing shows. But, “everything else” at my parents’ house was stuffed into crawl spaces, the laundry room, metal shelving, cabinets, closets, drawers, and the garage. And it never seemed to diminish. According to my father, it was multiplying and dividing. When the movers came, they took everything marked for the new house, and when they left, there was still what looked like half a houseful of belongings. Some days I came into my office to find a grocery bag or a box on my chair – filled with something that my father just couldn’t decide about. I realized that my role was to say, “Sure, I’ll take care of that.”

Before the realtor listed the house, there was the fix-up period, which left the garage looking its best ever but still filled with “stuff,” and the interior spiffed up — and still full of more “stuff.” And, so it came to pass that a truck arrived one day and took away what couldn’t be used for staging and put all of it into, yes, storage. Oops.

So, now finally we’re down to a little furniture that the realtor is using, and a pile of 20-year-old firewood that my brother-in-law is coming to pick up this week. It ought to burn nicely. The new place seems like home, it’s true – because that’s where the people we love are living. And, the memories went with them – along with 10 cartons of photographs I promised I would help my mother organize. Will we ever learn?

Recently, I moved a customer, who as an 82-year-old woman, was extremely worried about packing up all her memories and leaving the home that she had lived in for the past 55 years. I told her that I would be there to make the process as easy as possible for her. She and I talked on the phone for over 45 minutes discussing how to declutter the items that she hasn’t seen or touched in the past ten years. This helped her downsize by almost ten cartons, two old couches and a closet full of old cleaning supplies! She told me that is also helped her feel like she was starting over and it was a good feeling to her! Moving as a senior is difficult in itself, but there is help out there and people who want to make the process easier for you. For questions or advice, feel free to call a Barrett Moving & Storage coordinator — we love to listen!

Regardless of your age, everyone, and I stress, everyone has items that carry a great deal of sentimental value. This items do not discrimate based on age!! Make no mistake, I have a tote in my own basement that is filled with “treasures” from junior high, high school, weddings, birthdays, etc. I have been told many times, “oh, just get rid of that stuff,” but to me it is far more than just “stuff.”

Now do not mistake these items for things such as grandma’s old coffee pot or tea kettle. I am talking about things that would be difficult to replace–monetarily and senitmentally. Things that could not be repaired if damaged. Things that you would be at a total loss without.

The first thing that comes to mind is photos, particularly old photos. Today, most people have photos stored on their computers, on their digital cameras, on CDs. But, some photos – family heirlooms, for example — don’t have that 21st century back-up and can’t be replaced. When it comes to moving, you also have to think about the weather – that again! In the summer it’s hot in the moving van, in the winter it’s cold. Most things are just fine but there may be items you want to pack and take with you in your suitcase – like that anniversary picture of your great-grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary.

When you do ship items of high intrinsic or sentimental value, please make sure to make your coordinator and your driver are aware of these items to insure they are handled corrctly. We want you to feel comfortable moving your most prized possesions!! If you have questions about what to ship on the van and what not to, don’t hesitate to ask your coordinator.

Your most prized items are our most prized items, and we will do what ever it takes to handle them accordingly.

Smile and Happy Moving!

When retirees are moving, nine out of ten times overall downsizing is the main reason. Space can quickly become an issue. Homes become too large to care for, lawns become too much to mow, and keeping up with normal housework can get overwhelming. The solution: a smaller space that is a lot less work overall. The problem: all those items they have saved for years and years that may not fit so well in a smaller space.

If you’re a retiree who’s downsizing, or you’re helping someone move into a smaller place, here are some tips I’ve found useful in working with my customers over the years.

Sometimes that furniture that works in your big house, doesn’t work as well in the new, smaller place. Sometimes those items can be replaced for the same or little more than it will cost to move them.

Consolidating things like photos and clothes will give you more room, and ensure that you have what you want and need, not just what you’ve accumulated. For instance, if you’re moving to a warmer climate, you can get by with a lot fewer wool coats and scarves. Purchase photo boxs or albums for pictures and take the time to go through them to keep, and display, the really important ones.

Make sure you’re moving what’s most important: cherished antiques, art — items that can not be replaced today. Those are the keepers.

A good rule of thumb for overall downsizing is to leave behind (donate, sell, get rid of) about one third of a full room. The new house may only have an eat-in kitchen, and not a huge dining room and kitchen, or two bedrooms instead of three. When you eliminate some of the larger pieces of furniture, you get more breathing room in your new home. Your new home can be be reminiscent of the happy memories in your old home with some room for making new happy memories!

Smile and Happy Moving!

I had the pleasure the past week and a half of moving a wonderful elderly couple from Arizonia back to Wisconsin. I was referred by their daughter, who was handling the move – and who lives here in Wisconsin. She had spent a great deal of time trying to explain to them that they did not need to bring every single thing they owned back to Wisconsin.

Her downsizing efforts were great, but she was having trouble. I suggested that we have someone from our agent in Arizonia go out and look at everything. They did just that, and were able to give the customers some great advice on the value of their goods versus the cost to move them. Ultimately, their daughter did a great job helping them downsize their shipment to an affordable amount of goods — and the right amount for their new home.

I was able to place a Barrett Moving & Storage driver in Arizonia to pack and load the small shipment. I knew this was a very high stress move for them because they are in their late 80’s. Our driver was able to ease their minds, and their daughter’s back here in Wisconsin. All the while I was in constant email contact with her, advising the best way to handle specific situations.

The driver delivered here in Wisconsin on Tuesday afternoon, May 6, to their apartment. I spoke with their daughter yesterday. She thanked me repeatedly for the family-oriented service that she and her parents had received. She praised the driver over and over again for his level of patience and respect for her elderly parents. Everything made it back to Wisconsin safe and sound and her parents are very pleased with the service, even though this was a very diffcult time for them. Throughout this entire move I never spoke directly with the elderly couple, and in this case it worked out great!!

Their daughter has put us on her list of ” Great people and great service.” And as she put it, “Not that I am planning to move, but if I have to you will be the first person I call.”

The moral of this moving story: Patience, respect and the proper suggestions make moving easier.

Last week, I moved a customer who was going to be 80 yrs old. His birthday was actaully on his move day. As I was gathering his information, going over details of his move with him and trying to give him good advice, he said that he had some advice to give me to pass on to other seniors moving – I’m glad he shared! He told me that he wanted to plan something special for his family as he got ready to leave, so he took his daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren on a visit to some special places in the city, where they had shared special memories. They took “farewell” pictures in the park and made a photo album for him, since he will be over 800 miles away. What a great idea, and the best part, he said he feels “at home” every time he looks at the album! What a great way to make a big transition a celebration!

Sentimental items, treasures and everything else in a home can seem very overwhelming when moving. If you have not moved in a very long time the first task at hand is to prioritize. What you need, what has sentimental meaning, what you don’t want, what you don’t need and last – but surely not least – what you didn’t even know you had!!

The last one is the biggie. I say, if you didn’t know you had it, then you really don’t need it, right? Well I have been told “wrong” many times. Items packed away for safe keeping that have personal value you should keep, but the crock pot that you thought you threw way 5 years ago, that you find on a shelf in the basement, should not be moved.

Items such as this should be given away to family, friends, shelters or resale stores. Moving is the best time to reflect on life as you sort and pack items to be moved. And it is also the best reason to clear out that back closet, you have been putting off since the fall!!

All of us at Barrett Moving and Storage want to make what can be a very streesful transition as simpl as possible. If questions regarding “what to keep and what to donate” come up, please call your move coordinator and they will be able to provide assistance.

Smile and Happy Sorting!!