THE KEYS TO DOWNSIZING & ORGANIZING SUCCESS IN 2021!

“If I don’t do it this next year, I’ll never do it!” sighed a friend who wonders what happened to her 2020 resolution to get organized and downsize.

We all know what happened to our 2020 intentions. A pandemic that changed the world’s and our plans, and had a huge impact on most of us for a variety of reasons.

I urged her to not be too hard on herself for tasks undone in a year that required her energy for coping, surviving, and occasional thriving! And to simply be grateful for having survived 2020. Many did not.

My friend has new resolve to ‘do great things' in the first three months of 2021 while we shelter-in-place, waiting for a vaccine that could help us move towards some normalcy.

She asked for some ideas that could help her accomplish some of her organizing and downsizing goals.

I learned awhile ago that one-size-does-not-fit-all when it comes to organizing and downsizing! Personality, motivations and circumstances all impact how we best start and keep downsizing resolutions.

What method or key is going to unlock consistent organizing and downsizing possibilities for you?

For some, successful organizing happens in incremental steps. For others, the giant step of a larger effort using bursts of energy works better.

For those who feel generally organized but have too much stuff, the key may be to let go of one item per day to equal 365 items a year. Or shedding for twenty-one (think 2021) minutes a day 4-5 days a week may be the key that opens the door for you. Set a timer, and think under-the-sink; the glassware shelf; mitts, hats & scarves. What can you organize/downsize in 21 minutes?

For others who feel as though they have way too much clutter or are facing a move, a more sweeping or wide-ranging approach may be the answer. One of the methods below may be the key to kick-start your resolution.

Start by taking everything out of a closet or cupboard, and return only what you need or want to keep. Check out Where to Begin Downsizing: Boxes for Many Directions.

Designate a particular time period each week to downsize — and dress for success! I have a favourite sweater and jeans that I wear to downsize — to remind me not to let anything interrupt me. Consider a maximum of two hours at a time for a physically or emotionally demanding sort. OR

Plan to tackle one room a month. On the first day of that month, write into your calendar what days this downsizing will occur. Make appointments with yourself, and wear your designated clothes!

Try the five or ten game (or choose your favourite number) where you keep only a designated number of items of a particular object (Think bowls, ball caps, or shoes). Check out The Five or Ten Game: Making Downsizing Fun.

These options invite you to consider who you are. How do you work best? What are your motivations for downsizing? What is realistic in your life right now? How can you make this fun? Who are your cheerleaders who will encourage you along?

Choose an option and try it for some time. If it works, you have found your key! If it doesn’t, what other method might work for you?

What’s the key that works for you?

Need help in figuring that out? Give me a shout! Valley Home Transitions offers customized support for your downsizing or organizing needs. We also do that remotely — by phone call, FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom.

May 2021 be a good year for you!