I recently worked with a client who was getting her apartment ready to be photographed in preparation for it being sold. The timing on her move is uncertain — there are many steps that have to occur between now and then — but as we worked on readying her apartment to be photographed and ultimately sold, I repeatedly asked this question to help her decide whether to keep something or get rid of it: “Would you move with this?”
Moving is a great time to revisit everything you own and decide whether something still holds a place in your life. We tend to accumulate things over time, and as long as we have room for them, we keep them, even if we aren’t using them anymore. Many people get overwhelmed when they are preparing to move, so they don’t take the time to downsize. They say, “I’ll look at it all when I unpack.” They don’t realize that they will be just as stressed out at the other end, and will wish that they had made the decisions earlier. Why pay movers to move things you don’t even want?
Even if you are not moving, you can use this concept to help you get organized. Next time you are cleaning out a closet or drawer, ask yourself, “Would I move with this?” If the answer is no — if you wouldn’t pay a mover to bring it to a new home — then why are you keeping it now?
Using this question repeatedly will yield noticeable results in your closets, cabinets, and drawers. You’ll end up with just the stuff you actually use, and it will be easier to find things when you are looking for them. And if you do decide to move, you will be ready!
