CMFTO™ 3rd Annual Clutter Challenge: Kids’ Stuff
When it’s time to consider rightsizing after all the kids have flown the nest, what do we do with their belongings? More often than not, we run into this problem with our clients who are transitioning from a family home to an “empty-nester” home. Their children’s mementos are still in place, and the clients are hesitant to remove them, but the children don’t always want them. So, what do we do?
To begin with, we have to remember that an object isn’t the memory itself. It is a trigger or a stimulus that invites the memory to the forefront of our consciousness. Simply, that means removing the object doesn’t remove the memory. So, we have a two options:
The most typical items we need to work with in this category are old trophies, books (especially textbooks), and personal items such as clothing, stuffed animals and toys, or even furniture and decor. In order to work through the clutter challenge of “kids’ stuff”, we suggest addressing each child’s room and belongings in this order:
Once everything has been sorted, it’s a matter of taking the necessary steps to remove the items from the home. Selling memorabilia is difficult, but can be done. Sometimes it’s easiest to have professional assistance with this, but family can also be a great help to run errands, such as donation drop off, and trips to the recycling center or local trash collection.
It’s a big step, often overshadowed by emotion, but it’s also the perfect opportunity to remember, share, and prepare for making new memories in a new home.
All my best,
Claudia