Helping your parents to declutter won’t be a one-day event
The first thing you should do is an inventory. Make the inventory of every room in the house. That will give you an idea of what has to be organized. And doing the inventory, you will spot some pieces of furniture that must go out. Also, you will probably see stacks of dusty magazines. Or flowerpots with dried-out plants. Such thing they don’t need in their home. Such things you won’t move out on the inventory day. Decluttering of years of pilled possessions will take time. So, mark such things on your inventory list. Later on, it will help you spot and move them faster.
Explain the decluttering process to your parents
Make sure your parents understand the reasons for decluttering. They need a cleaner house. Or they need fewer things if they are moving. Also, explain to them the idea of donating and helping others. And they might be happy when you propose yard selling. They will participate, enjoy meeting many people and earning some money. Understanding decluttering as a kind of game will make them feel good.Elderly people can’t decide fast, so be patient but resolute when helping them to declutter
If your parents are just getting rid of the excess things, there is no deadline. However, if they are moving to a smaller home, you must start with decluttering early. Don’t rush them too much. However, don’t let them consider endlessly should they toss something away or not. Otherwise, they will constantly change their mind. The best is to help them declutter room by room. You can show them things and they can decide “stay” or “go”.What to do with “go” things when helping your parents declutter?
You can complete this part of the job on your own. It will be emotionally too hard for them to decide about the same things again. And they can start changing their mind. So, go through the “go” pile and decide what is good for selling or donating. The rest of the things movers Lockhart TX will haul away.
Ways to help your parents declutter their home
When helping your parents to declutter, you have to keep in mind their emotional state. Parting from many things is hard. For them, these things are related to memories. Such things may be:- Old photos
- Books
- Pieces of clothes
- Various gifts they got from people they care about
Start by decluttering the least sentimental items
Not all things have the same value for your parents. So, if starting with such items, they will get used to decluttering. Also, you will involve them in making decisions. Knowing your parents, you will surely know what is not so important to them.When decluttering your parents’ house, keep an eye on them
Decluttering is both emotionally and physically hard for seniors. During the process, keep an eye on them. If you notice they are exhausted, call for a break. Do the same if you notice signs of depression. It can easily be provoked by decluttering. Make some tea or coffee and enjoy it while chatting with them. Lead them into a conversation about plans for their future. Ask, how they are going to spend the money from the yard selling? Are they are planning to enjoy in some nice resort? That should brighten them up. Such positive thoughts will give a whole new meaning to decluttering.Discuss with your parents about putting some things in storage
There could be some things that your parents like so much. Still, they are surplus. And especially if they are moving to a smaller home. In such a case, explain to them the possibility to store things. You can even take them to see storage Texas. Some of their valuable possessions will not be all the time in the home. Still, you can go and bring them when they wish. That will make them feel even better about decluttering. And of course, the decluttering process will be less painful for them.
