Helping Those Who Can't Help Themselves

I was recently put in touch with a woman who will be moving soon.  Moves are stressful for most of us, but for those with physical challenges, it's even more so.

This woman, I'll call her Helen, has Multiple Sclerosis.  Daily tasks like getting your mail from the mailbox, are simple for us, but near impossible for her.  Her current home is a maintenance-free townhouse with two bedrooms, two baths, a den, a living room, dining room and kitchen.  It's not too big for her.  But even though it is on the first floor, it's inconvenient.

Her garage access is through two heavy doors and down a hallway.  Her mailbox is down the driveway and across the street.  Her closets were full of clothes she no longer wears, because of job and health situations. The clothes she wears are in piles on the spare bed, difficult to find.

She made the decision to move to a home in a senior community with the option of assisted living should she need it in the future.  She will have one less bedroom and one less bathroom, but the garage is attached to her house. And she is having a contractor build her a railing to help her down the one step to her car.

When she called me in to help, she was overwhelmed.  She didn't know how she would sort and get rid of the items she wouldn't be bringing to her new home.  The stress was beginning to consume her.

I assured her that not only would I be able to help sort her belongings, I could take all the donations with me to a charity.

We started on her main closet.  Her decisions were easy to make.  Most of the clothes were from her work days.  They were dressier and smaller than anything she wore now.  And the 50 boxes of shoes on her shelf? They could all go!  They were all heels she could no longer wear.  I dropped the first load off at Goodwill.

At our second session, we went through her spare closet.  Half of these clothes could go also.  And we sorted through the items on the floor.  Christmas decorations stayed.  But we parted with a painting and a briefcase.  Again, I dropped these donations off at Goodwill.  And since we don't have another session scheduled for a while, I mailed her the receipts.

Once the remodeling is close to being done at her new home, I will meet her there and look at her new space.  We will measure closets, count kitchen cabinets, and determine whether or not what is left will fit into her new space.  If not, there will be more sorting to do.   We will also talk about closet re-design, and possibly make the rods more accessible for her.  She is unsteady on her feet, so reaching up can cause her to lose her balance.

This is just one client I've helped who has the will and the time to do this all on her own, but not the physical ability.  While still overwhelmed at the thought of moving, she is relieved to know that I will be there along the way to help.

What To Do With That Extra Furniture

Moving On Mondays

As mentioned in previous posts, it is important to declutter your home when you are staging it to sell. This often means getting rid of extra furniture from rooms. "Getting rid of it" can have several meanings. Sometimes, you need a temporary home for it. Sometimes you want it to have a new home. Sometimes it's just trash.

Whether you are saving it for later, or giving it away, here are a few options to consider.

• Give It to Family--Is there anyone in your family that has a need for the item? Perhaps a college student is renting his/her first apartment. Or a young couple is furnishing a new home. Check around before donating or selling it.
• Store It--If you are sure you have room in your new home, or you really want to keep it, put it in storage. Choose a portable option that you can load at home and have stored elsewhere, or load up your items and take them to a storage facility. Review your finances before selecting this option. If you don't sell your home quickly, you will be paying that monthly fee.
• Donate It—This includes everything as big as international organizations like the Salvation Army, to small, local programs that help abused women get back on their feet in a new home. There are organizations that cater to the youth, to unmarried pregnant teens, and to the disabled. Many local churches have annual rummage sales to help raise money for various organizations. Choose one that’s near to you, or dear to your heart.
• Sell It--If you would like to try and make money on some of your items, you can take them to an auction house, or try to sell them on-line. Sites such as eBay and Craig’s List help you sell used (or new) items online. Local auction houses are more restricted in the items they accept, as well as the times of the sales.
• Exchange It—This is a program where you give your items away to someone who needs them—no money exchanges hands. Oftentimes, the person taking your items will give something to you in return, that you may need but they no longer want. The largest of these is Freecycle.org.
• Consign It—There are store fronts that do the sales for you. Bring in your items, and they sell them. They usually have a time limit of several months, and will donate anything that doesn't sell within that time frame, unless you go back to pick them up. They are often seasonal, and can be very selective.