Moving To A Condo: Motivation To Start The Clean Out

Downsizing Your House When The Kids Move Out

I have been in a downsizing mode since the last kid went off to college. But here is the kicker, my kids think our home is a place for storage while they have these cute smaller apartments in the city.
Every time I think I have straightened out the basement or the upstairs closets, a new load of stuff seems to arrive from my adult kids.

Basement Stuffed With Everyone's "Storage"

Whenever I speak about moving to a condo, my friends ask me how on earth I will manage when I have so much stuff in my basement. Besides the kids "storage" items, I have craft supplies up the kazoo and boxes filled with "antiques" and "collectibles" aka " the stuff that I am having a hard time selling".

Motivating Yourself To Clean Out The Basement

So the cycle continues...every few months I make an effort to go down to the basement and tidy it up. One season I actually declared that I was going to actually move into a condo! (I'm still in the big house) . But the idea of a condo motivated me to really do a very serious clean out of my basement.

Supervising The BIG CLEAN OUT

What exactly did I accomplish when my friend Pam came over to supervise this BIG CLEAN OUT ?
Well we got rid of a box of wrapping paper and donated some books to the Goodwill store. Now when I need a piece of wrapping paper I am at a loss...it's gone.......what was I thinking?

For some great help on estate liquidation, visit Estate Mavens on I Antique Online.com. This is a group forum that I initiated to help others cope with managing estates and downsizing parents.

Photos courtesy of http://www.etsy.com/shop/kelleystreetvintage

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.comVisit my website, CDianneZweig.comDianne is a member of:The American Society of Journalists and AuthorsThe Society of Professional Journalists