Partly cloudy. Low 71F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Partly cloudy. Low 71F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.

Downsize, you say? Where to even start can feel overwhelming enough to not begin at all. But it doesn’t have to be such an arduous task. Plus, there are plenty of professionals around the region to assist in this task. Here are three tips to get you going.

1. Start far in advance of when you might be moving.

If you are contemplating making a move in say, two years, start now. It isn’t too early to contact an experienced real estate professional to help guide you and to recommend downsizing consultants and any other vendors you may need as you start making your plan.

2. Break the decluttering process down into small tasks you can accomplish without feeling overwhelmed.

Simplified Organizing and Staging owner Kelly DeMaso stresses the need to start the process early and break it down “into digestible chunks.” Books today, electronics tomorrow. Are you going to read those paperbacks again? College textbooks? Lugging them to your next home will add extra weight and costs to your move. Consider donating your books to the local library instead.

Kristin Trenum, owner of Live in Luxe, echoes the same sentiment. Trenum uses what she terms the “Four Sort Method.” When it’s time for her clients to start sorting through possessions, she uses these four categories: keep, donate, sell and trash/recycle. Everything must fall into one of these four categories to streamline the process and avoid holding onto things unnecessarily.

By restricting your options, Trenum says, you can avoid spending time and money in the way of packing, moving and storing things you’re not going to need or use in the future. She stresses it’s best to focus on one room at a time, which isn’t as daunting a task. If you have a room in your current home that won't exist in your next home, such as a formal dining room, that’s a great place to start.

Trenum advises her clients to consider going digital. If you’ve been holding onto decades worth of statements and files of old papers, shred what you no longer need to keep and then scan and organize everything else into digital folders. This goes for old photos, too. There are companies that will send you a prepaid envelope or box and you simply ship them all of your photos, and they will digitize them and send them to you electronically.

3. Determine what items from your home your family members want to have and be OK with letting the rest go.

Many articles in the past few years have been written about how our kids don’t want our “stuff.” I think that’s true to a degree, but my own experience was quite different.

When I was cleaning out my dad’s house after he passed away, there were a number of things my children, nieces and nephews wanted. My son asked for my parents’ very first dining room table, a dropleaf Duncan Fife. My daughter loved the idea of having their buffet, handmade during our family tour in Hong Kong. My nephew asked for my mom’s small collection of china cups so that his two little girls could have fancy tea parties for special occasions. So, it’s important to have the conversation now and donate items that they don’t want or you can’t fit into your new home.

Even if you think your family members might change their minds about what they want from you, Trenum says loud and clear — no storage unit. Resist the temptation to rent a storage unit on the off chance your family members will want your items eventually.

Consider what your new lifestyle will be once you downsize and how nice it will be to leave the clutter behind. I’m here to help! Get in touch with me for ideas, resources and assistance in making your next move.

Martha Floyd is a licensed real estate agent in Virginia with McEnearney Associates Realtors® in McLean, VA and a Lifetime, Top Producer. If you would like more information on selling or buying in today's complex market, contact Martha at 703.408.9478 or visit her website MarthaFloyd.com.

If you would like a question answered in our weekly column or to set up an appointment with one of our Associates, please email: InsideNoVa@mcenearney.com or call 703.549.9292.

McEnearney Associates Realtors®, 109 S. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314. www.McEnearney.com Equal Housing Opportunity. #WeAreMcEnearney

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