The Move Before the Move

Chapter One: A Lifetime of Things

When people think about downsizing, they usually think about square footage.
I think about stories.

After years of helping people buy and sell homes in San Diego, I’ve learned that moving isn’t really about real estate. It’s about transition. Every move marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Somewhere between those two chapters sits a lifetime of possessions.

Some are valuable.

Most are priceless.

A box of children’s drawings. A souvenir picked up on a vacation thirty years ago. The dining room table where birthdays were celebrated. Your mother’s china. The sweater you haven’t worn in years but can’t imagine giving away because it reminds you of someone you loved.

None of these things take up much space in a moving truck.

They take up space in our hearts.

Recently, I worked with clients who were leaving San Diego for Arizona. Like so many people, they had accumulated a lifetime of memories. Instead of forcing themselves to make every decision before the house went on the market, they chose a different approach.

We packed what they weren’t ready to sort into a storage pod. We staged their home to present it at its very best. The pod traveled with them to Arizona, where they could open each box months later, after the stress of the move had passed.

Without deadlines.

Without the pressure of a moving truck waiting outside.

Without feeling that every decision had to be made in a single weekend.

It reminded me of something important.

Sometimes the greatest gift you can give yourself is time.

Over the years, I’ve discovered that people rarely struggle with letting go of things they no longer need. They struggle with letting go of the memories attached to them.

The truth is, the memories don’t live in the objects.

They live in us.

The object simply reminds us where to find them.

If you’re thinking about downsizing someday—even if that day is years away—don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed. Start with one drawer. One shelf. One closet. Tell the stories. Share them with your children or your friends. Decide what deserves a place in your next chapter and what has already fulfilled its purpose.

Downsizing isn’t about living with less.

It’s about making room for what matters most.

I’d love to leave you with one question.

If you could save just one object in your home because it tells the story of your life, what would it be—and why?

I hope you’ll share your answer. I have a feeling the stories will be far more meaningful than the things themselves.

Reflections

“I’ve never had a client tell me they wished they had kept more clutter. But I’ve had many tell me they wished they’d given themselves more time.”