A GUIDE TO DOWNSIZING
Give Gifts to Loved Ones If you have children, they will undoubtedly want to keep a few cherished mementos and precious possessions. Deciding who will keep what can be a sensitive subject, so you’ll need to devise an equitable way to divvy up the goods. Some families engage in the process collaboratively, but there should always be some communication before anything is thrown out. Your kids may value certain items more than you ever realized. If you suspect a certain heirloom could be a source of contention, it’s best to hold on to it and make it part of your estate plan. Only Keep the Essentials After completing the first three steps, you should be left with only those items you actually use and those that have the most sentimental value to you. These are the objects worth bringing to your new home. Bonus Tip: Color Code Each Category Odds are that you’ll find junk and valuables stored right next to each other. If you don’t have time to physically separate them at the moment, use different colored Post-it notes to keep everything organized when it comes time to move.
Many homeowners reach a point in their lives when they’re ready to move from the house they raised their families in to something smaller and more manageable. While finding the right place can be a challenge, the hardest part of downsizing is often sorting through a lifetime’s worth of possessions. This process, called contents downsizing, is much easier when you follow this four- step system. Start With the Junk Beginning your downsizing with the hardest items will only lead to frustration and inaction. Instead, start by tackling areas of the house that are full of documents, knickknacks, and boxes you haven’t touched in years. These will be the easiest to part with and will put you in the right downsizing mindset. Donate Unwanted Items The next category contains items that are no longer valuable to you or your family but may be useful to others. These items can be donated to one of many worthy organizations, such as Goodwill, the Salvation Army, or St. Vincent de Paul. Donations are a way to give back to the less fortunate instead of simply giving or throwing things away. We are proud that so many of our clients came to us thanks to the kind words of those we’ve already helped. It’s a deeply rewarding feeling to know that our clients trust us enough to recommend our services to their friends and family. It has happened many times over the years and is always incredibly humbling. Of course, sometimes things slip through the cracks. Occasionally, we don’t learn that a new client was referred to us until much later. So, we’d like to hear from you! What led you to our firm? Were you recommended by a friend? If not, how did you find us? Regardless of your answer, we’d love to hear it! In fact, those who submit an answer, whether by phone or our website, will be entered for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card! As always, we will only accept one submission per person, so multiple submissions will not increase your odds of winning. We would love to have a more complete picture of how you came to find our firm and we relish any opportunity to give out fun prizes! To be entered for a chance to win the gift card, visit GetGillette.com and let us know how you found us! We’ll select the winner randomly at the end of the February, so be sure to get your submission in! Thank you for helping us better understand how you found us, and best of luck in the drawing!
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