The first thing to let go of is
your belief you can’t live without it all

Below is a guest post by Michelle Passoff
Author and Podcast Host of “Decluttering 55+ with Michelle Passoff”
Listen to her podcast
Read her wonderful book

I have always said, that aging in place begins with decluttering! It’s the first step to creating a safe environment where anyone growing older in their home and remain as independent as possible for as long as possible!

Before you request for a home safety assessment or any home remodeling project to make your home safer – look for the expert guidance of a specialist in decluttering and organizing. It’s the smart thing to do.

If you are not quite convinced that it is time to gather all of the excess and organize a yard sale or donate to a worthy cause, let’s point out some plusses that might make things clear:

Flexibility

If the nest has emptied and you are considering whether to stay in place, or change locations, cleaning out what you don’t want, need, use and love sooner rather than later is a best practice.

Even if your decision is a few years off, a no-clutter lifestyle puts you in an advantageous position to make a no-excuses choice when the time comes.

If there is anything that could stop you, don’t let it be the old collection of Beanie Babies, or tons of boxes of Christmas decoration.

Less Stress

Who needs to run up their blood pressure because the receipt for a purchase to be returned or the warranty for a broken kitchen appliance is nowhere to be found?

An old friend calls to say they’re in town and they want to drop by for a coffee, but you are embarrassed for them to how up with little notice.

You are racing to pack for a last-minute trip and you have no idea where you put your toiletries case.

Without clutter in the way, you can navigate your life without a sweat. More ease is the order of the day, particularly as the years go by.

Saving Time

There never seems to be enough hours in a day, so looking for things you know you have but you don’t know where they are is an inefficiency you can live without.

If you need to change the filter in your water dispenser tearing apart the kitchen or dining room to look for it, can take a while and make a mess.

It is a waste of time to have to run down to the hardware store for a second set of keys you know you already made the last time your out-of-town guest visited.

Cleaning your clutter can spare you having to repeat yourself and waste precious minutes.

Safety

Letting go of too much stuff can prevent accidents caused by tripping or having things fall on
on top of you.

Housekeeping and maintenance will be easier without clutter, so trimming your belongings to just what you need is prudent.

Navigating With Ease

As you age, you or your guests may need to use a walker or wheelchair to get from the living room, to the kitchen, to the restroom.

Without clutter in the way, there will be no question that your movement will be unrestricted in your own home and that others will not have to be turned away.

As you can see, cleaning conventional clutter has advantages that are far greater than just being neat and tidy.

Letting go can empower you to move through life with the greatest of ease.

Instead of insisting that you have to keep that dress you wore in high school for the memories or that power tool you haven’t used in years, change your mind.

Think about opening the space to invigorate your life and live free in the home you have long-loved or move without restrain of clutter the way.

You may find that going through an aging in place checklist – you may find that there are things you simply can’t do without decluttering first!

Michelle Passoff is the author of LIGHTEN UP! Free Yourself From Clutter, which addresses ‘conventional’ clutter in an unconventional way.

She is also the host of Decluttering 55+ with Michelle Passoff, a video podcast, where she speaks with authors, experts, and geeks about ‘next level’ clutter– areas of life Baby Boomers sweep under the carpet to put off another day or forever.

You can listen wherever you get your podcast or watch her on YouTube (decluttering55plus). Also, you can sign up to receive news and coming attractions at www.decluttering55plus.com.