Being in the military for 20 plus years we were use to moving and learned how to pack lightly. Now 20 years at job in one location. Amazing how stuff creeps in. Yard sale here, flea market here, shopper guide deals and all sudden you have crap. When we decided to move we started 3 years out.

Being mechanic for 45 years I had tools and toys out the yang. Some expensive brought for one job. Had pair of reserve snap ring pliers I brought in 1973 to rebuild top loader 4 speed. The only time I used them. I still have them. I still look for tools I got rid of for certain jobs around the house. Bottom line, it's got to go our you store it.

As for being gift to business? For most of us with no connections or relations in upper management thought doing good job very well would be eventually rewarded for your hard work or loyalty to the business just to see some idiots walk up the chain that don't have clue off your experience. After years in company you now become liability financial and if not connected become target for dismissal. It's just business.

Random thoughts:

1. Decluttering is a wonderfully freeing experience.
2. I used a dumpster to get rid of stuff.
3. It will cost you more to send it down here than the cost to replace it.
4. One will make themselves crazy not letting go of stuff er memories.

Happy decluttering!

FWIW - You can get of your stuff now or get rid of it after you hauled it down to TV.

We had our kids come over and put stickers on everything they wanted, then had them bring friends who might be in need of some help. Then goodwill came. Other than some dishes, tools and linens, everything was gone before we got here. Don't miss any of it.

From the movie Downsizing, all they could take with them to Leisureland had to fit in this small box! Almost like our real move to TV or so it seemed.

Five years ago I was in a similar situation. Moving to TV and had to deal with many years of "stuff". My solution was to rent the largest U-Haul truck I could get (26 feet, I think) and a 30 yard dumpster from Waste Management. I put them side-by-side in my driveway, leaving about fifteen feet between them. Then I started sorting the stuff, putting keepers in the U-Haul, junk in the dumpster, and good stuff to be discarded between them. I had family come over occasionally to see if they wanted any of the discards, and when I was done, the remaining discards went to Goodwill or other local charities. I still had more than I needed in the truck, but it was a very efficient way of sorting it all out. I enlisted an old friend to ride with me from NY to FL, and we made a road trip out of it. He helped unload, and I bought him a ticket home. I would do it again, but I would move less stuff.

Did the same thing 2 years ago. My general philosophy: if you haven't used it, looked at it, listened to it, read it, or thought about it in the last 90 days (3 months) GET RID OF IT. Got rid of tons of stuff. Digitized old photos (paid someone, yes, I was too lazy to do it), scanned in keepsake stuff from kids, etc. I have 4 hard drives full of that "stuff" if I really need to recall it or if I get sentimental. As others have said - it's a "freeing" experience!

We are here a year today! We had an estate sale and gave away the rest,Had a large home 4000 SQ FT bought a 1500 SQ FT took very little bought a turn key home.Ended up buying all new furniture during the year, keep Tvs beds and very little else. We are very happy here away from our past cold winters.ENJOY!

I wish I had brought more stuff...said no one ever!

Thank you oh wise sages of The Villages! Your ideas are terrific... will follow up with many over the next several months...Broke the news to kids (pretty sure they have NO IDEA of TOTV or that we have any computer tech skills to work this medium)... A bit of a surprise on how uninterested they are on many of the "treasures" saved... every Brat doll? All the He-Men any kid could ever wish for? Nope, no interest... The Star Wars stuff is broken and without boxes! What! Well, that will be easy: That stuff is first up on the GONE list! Beatles record collection? Gonna be a blood bath... the Fab-Four apparently transcend the generations... vinyl is, for some reason, now very collectable... go figure... Will take digital pictures and make "picture books" of the bulk of the stuff-lard (love the pix idea)... So looking forward to the clutter-less life...

It is so difficult. Our house sold quickly, the closing is Wednesday, and we have to be out by Tuesday. We are in the process of packing up, dropping off donations, cleaning out the garage and running to the dump for the last few days. And all of this during the holidays in frigid temperatures. 8 degrees this morning. Do yourself a favor and just keep chipping away at it. It's amazing how unemotional you become at the end when the clock is ticking. Good luck!

This is so true!

When we moved to The Villages it was my 26th move. My father was with the Federal Government. WHen he got notice that he was being transferred, we had 30 days to weed out, pack up and move. It was probably good training because I married a man with GE and we moved often too. However, it was more relaxed, they paid for packing, I didn't throw much away and there was no hurry. WHen we lived in the same house in Ohio for 27 years, the roots went deep. It took a house sale and 3 garage sales before we had properly (we thought) edited our belongings. Our move here was $6000 and we decided we kept the wrong things and deleted the wrong things. Little of it had anything to do with memories. No matter what we do with our "stuff", we still have our memories. We paid entirely too much to have our aging furniture transferred. If I had it to do over, I'd keep the personal things and get rid of the other stuff.

Preparing to move is one of the most difficult things that I have ever done. Physically, emotionally and financially overwhelming. I think it would have been easier to use movers than do it ourselves, but much cheaper this way. How much did it cost most of you to make the big move?

move
 

We gave everything away. We did not sell anything. The movers did all of he packing. Around $6000 and we gave more away after we moved. Family did not want many of the antiques. I moved them and got rid of them. Huge error.