[Duppa]

It's an old story. Worked 30 years for the same company, planning for more years, but the boss had other ideas (that did not include me). I'm okay with that; I've had a severance offer on the table for six years and I've come to the point where I've accepted that I'm not really "god's gift" to the business... so, yesterday I took the offer, I turned the page. Now, TV. We've been coming to TV since 2012. Watched a TV commercial on Fox's Hannity, next thing we knew we were on the all-too-familar "life-style visit"... drinking TV cool-aid. After several years of renting, bought a "starter" home in 2016; been back and forth ever since... Now, TV's no longer a back and forth destination, it's going to be home. Next step? Another old story, thinning the massive accumulation of "stuff" to a respectable and reasonable TV size that fits our new TV life. That job looks to be daunting. It seems I can face (enjoy and settle into) a sunny Florida life, but "thinning" that accumulation of a life-time of stuff seems more than daunting; it feels absolutely paralyzing... If I did anything wrong in the past, it was certainly rooted in the madness of saving everything, and I mean everything... and I heaped curses on myself even more by having a Northern home with way-too-much storage space! While things are not "hoarder" looking, but now, I feel like I need "American Pickers" to thin my heard, but fear I'll only say "Not For Sale" to every offer... While I was perfectly happy to keep the stock-plie of everything, shifting back and forth from North to South, but now? For the first time in my life, it's where-to-start that stymies... It's not really things that matter, it's the memories attached to the things... You sit down with a box and suddenly you are transported to another time and place, to your younger self, your growing family, all too many Christmas's past... and then it hits you, and hits you hard; it's all too precious, how could I possibly separate the things from the memories? How could I let go of any of it? And now to you, oh wise and sage TVers... while I think I've got a handle on what may be the other two retirement "issues" (no longer working, leaving friends and family), I could really use, and welcome, any and all wisdoms on this "stuff" transition thing.

[dsbouley]

Originally Posted by Duppa

It's an old story. Worked 30 years for the same company, planning for more years, but the boss had other ideas (that did not include me). I'm okay with that; I've had a severance offer on the table for six years and I've come to the point where I've accepted that I'm not really "god's gift" to the business... so, yesterday I took the offer, I turned the page. Now, TV. We've been coming to TV since 2012. Watched a TV commercial on Fox's Hannity, next thing we knew we were on the all-to-familar "life-style visit"... drinking TV cool-aid. After several years of renting, bought a "starter" home in 2016; been back and forth ever since... Now, TV's no longer a back and forth destination, it's going to be home. Next step? Another old story, thinning the massive accumulation of "stuff" to a respectable and reasonable TV size that fits our new TV life. That job looks to be daunting. It seems I can face (enjoy and settle into) a sunny Florida life, but "thinning" that accumulation of a life-time of stuff seems more than daunting; it feels absolutely paralyzing... If I did anything wrong in the past, it was certainly rooted in the madness of saving everything, and I mean everything... and I heaped curses on myself even more by having a Northern home with way-too-much storage space! While things are not "hoarder" looking, but now, I feel like I need "American Pickers" to thin my heard, but fear I'll only say "Not For Sale" to every offer... While I was perfectly happy to keep the stock-plie of everything, shifting back and forth from North to South, but now? For the first time in my life, it's where-to-start that stymies... It's not really things that matter, it's the memories attached to the things... You sit down with a box and suddenly you are transported to another time and place, to your younger self, your growing family, all too many Christmas's past... and then it hits you, and hits you hard; it's all too precious, how could I possibly separate the things from the memories? How could I let go of any of it? And now to you, oh wise and sage TVers... while I think I've got a handle on what may be the other two retirement "issues" (no longer working, leaving friends and family), I could really use, and welcome, any and all wisdoms on this "stuff" transition thing.

We sold our house completely furnished. I mean everything. Wife wanted all new to fit the style of house we have, not had. We only have one son, so we had him come over and go through everything we had and reminded him that he would have to deal with this when we are gone anyway. So he took what he wanted and anything else neither of us wanted and have not used in years we either donated or discarded. One of the best decisions we made for now we live in the most clutter free home we have had in years. Hope that helps in your decision.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Allegiance]

Good advice, house clutter, clutters the brain.

Start fresh.

[jnieman]

Originally Posted by Duppa

It's an old story. Worked 30 years for the same company, planning for more years, but the boss had other ideas (that did not include me). I'm okay with that; I've had a severance offer on the table for six years and I've come to the point where I've accepted that I'm not really "god's gift" to the business... so, yesterday I took the offer, I turned the page. Now, TV. We've been coming to TV since 2012. Watched a TV commercial on Fox's Hannity, next thing we knew we were on the all-to-familar "life-style visit"... drinking TV cool-aid. After several years of renting, bought a "starter" home in 2016; been back and forth ever since... Now, TV's no longer a back and forth destination, it's going to be home. Next step? Another old story, thinning the massive accumulation of "stuff" to a respectable and reasonable TV size that fits our new TV life. That job looks to be daunting. It seems I can face (enjoy and settle into) a sunny Florida life, but "thinning" that accumulation of a life-time of stuff seems more than daunting; it feels absolutely paralyzing... If I did anything wrong in the past, it was certainly rooted in the madness of saving everything, and I mean everything... and I heaped curses on myself even more by having a Northern home with way-too-much storage space! While things are not "hoarder" looking, but now, I feel like I need "American Pickers" to thin my heard, but fear I'll only say "Not For Sale" to every offer... While I was perfectly happy to keep the stock-plie of everything, shifting back and forth from North to South, but now? For the first time in my life, it's where-to-start that stymies... It's not really things that matter, it's the memories attached to the things... You sit down with a box and suddenly you are transported to another time and place, to your younger self, your growing family, all too many Christmas's past... and then it hits you, and hits you hard; it's all too precious, how could I possibly separate the things from the memories? How could I let go of any of it? And now to you, oh wise and sage TVers... while I think I've got a handle on what may be the other two retirement "issues" (no longer working, leaving friends and family), I could really use, and welcome, any and all wisdoms on this "stuff" transition thing.

We donated a ton of stuff to Goodwill. About 15 trips. The furniture we photographed and sent out a mass email to everyone we knew with the photos. We priced everything very reasonably. We sold most of the furniture this way. The rest we sold on Craig's list or through ads in the local newspaper. The less you bring down here the better. We don't have a lot of extra storage space in many of the houses here. Hauling a bunch of furniture that doesn't really go in your new house is expensive. Good luck. You'll love it here!

[ColdNoMore]

OP - Pare down to the bare minimum of what you feel you just cannot live without...then get rid of 3/4 of that.

If the memories of some of the items are so strong as to elicit gut-wrenching emotions...take a photo before getting rid of them.

It's amazing on how quickly you will adjust to having less 'stuff,' because in the final analysis...'stuff' is all it is.

And yes, it is tough at first watching the things you sell going for pennies on the dollar of what you paid, but when you're through selling/donating/throwing away all of a previous life's accumulation...you will actually feel a sense of relief.

Been there, done that...resisted buying a T-shirt to add to the 'stuff.'

And since a lifetime behavior is hard to change, you will soon find that you're buying more 'stuff'...for your new home.

The only positive of that, is the fact that your heirs...will then have to deal with it.

[BRN_RI_FL]

Originally Posted by Duppa

It's an old story. Worked 30 years for the same company, planning for more years, but the boss had other ideas (that did not include me). I'm okay with that; I've had a severance offer on the table for six years and I've come to the point where I've accepted that I'm not really "god's gift" to the business... so, yesterday I took the offer, I turned the page. Now, TV. We've been coming to TV since 2012. Watched a TV commercial on Fox's Hannity, next thing we knew we were on the all-to-familar "life-style visit"... drinking TV cool-aid. After several years of renting, bought a "starter" home in 2016; been back and forth ever since... Now, TV's no longer a back and forth destination, it's going to be home. Next step? Another old story, thinning the massive accumulation of "stuff" to a respectable and reasonable TV size that fits our new TV life. That job looks to be daunting. It seems I can face (enjoy and settle into) a sunny Florida life, but "thinning" that accumulation of a life-time of stuff seems more than daunting; it feels absolutely paralyzing... If I did anything wrong in the past, it was certainly rooted in the madness of saving everything, and I mean everything... and I heaped curses on myself even more by having a Northern home with way-too-much storage space! While things are not "hoarder" looking, but now, I feel like I need "American Pickers" to thin my heard, but fear I'll only say "Not For Sale" to every offer... While I was perfectly happy to keep the stock-plie of everything, shifting back and forth from North to South, but now? For the first time in my life, it's where-to-start that stymies... It's not really things that matter, it's the memories attached to the things... You sit down with a box and suddenly you are transported to another time and place, to your younger self, your growing family, all too many Christmas's past... and then it hits you, and hits you hard; it's all too precious, how could I possibly separate the things from the memories? How could I let go of any of it? And now to you, oh wise and sage TVers... while I think I've got a handle on what may be the other two retirement "issues" (no longer working, leaving friends and family), I could really use, and welcome, any and all wisdoms on this "stuff" transition thing.

We recently purchased in The Villages but still have a place up north. I can’t offer any advice as we have some of the exact feelings that you have. We raised three kids in the same small house we had built in 1981. There are so many memories in our house it will be hard to let go of it but I know we eventually will have to. We also have accumulated so much stuff over the years. My wife has recently gone through boxes of our kids school papers that we saved. After 31 years I took an early retirement from Hasbro as I could see they really didn’t care if I stayed or left. Good luck on your transition. I think we’ll need a bit of that luck on ours also.

[Sgroemm]

I agree with ColdNoMore, take a picture of anything that you feel extremely attached to but know you will not be able to store. I recently had to reduce a 4 bedroom home to a 10X12 storage unit for a year in preparation for my June move to TV. I have two (now grown and on their own) children so I not only had their childhood keepsakes and grade school projects, but my own accumulation of 50 some years. I took pictures of many items and then began to donate to the church, Habitat for Humanity, sell online and fill bags for the garbage. Shutterfly and other online photo retailers have this neat little bound book of photos you can order, so I began to organize my photos of my memories into categories "School Memories" "Pets We Have Loved" "Vacations" and sent the photo groups off to be bound into cute little 4X6 books. Now I have my memories and freed the clutter. Set a goal for yourself such as "a room a week" or "3 boxes a day" and chip away at this daunting task little at a time with a checklist for each day/week you accomplish your goal. Manage this giant task in little increments. When one door closes......another opens. Congratulations on your retirement and move! Its a whole new life ahead!

[JoMar]

Your dilemma is one of the reasons the storage unit business here is growing. For those things you can't part with, rent a unit so you can visit or rotate. You can keep those things until you realize (and one day you will) that all them are just stuff....the memories are in your heart and your head. The people that are those memories will all be those people, those places will always be there. What was more important to us was that it was time to keep the past in the past and begin a life generating new experiences, meeting new friends and exploring a new State. We sold everything that would remind us the northern past (all that dark furniture)....kept the stuff that was family and embarked with our faces to the wind. We have never looked back....and we spend more times with family here then we did there. To be fair, not everyone can make the transition. Some just can't let go of the past and they sell here and go back, or they sell here, go back and revert to snowbird status. You won't really know until you get here which will be best for you. Whatever it is, just realize that stuff is stuff and can and should be replaced now and then, memories are forever

[redwitch]

As a kid, we traveled A LOT. Mom always kept a camera at the ready. When it was time to move, everyone was an allotted number of boxes. Mom would double check that we had packed essentials like clothes. Any leftover room was for valuables. No one, for any reason, was allowed to go over their box number. She would then take pictures of all of the “memory” items and we would get our pictures upon arrival at our new home. I still have some of those pictures (a fire took a lot of them). I still remember what made each item precious to that family member. So, snap away. The memories won’t leave and the smiles at looking at those items will always be with you.

The other thing I would suggest is do not hold the garage sale yourself. Hire someone to do it. Hard to say no when you’re not doing the selling.

My husband was like this and it was very hard in the beginning for him but once he got into it it got easier. Stuff that has been sitting in boxes for years is not doing anyone any good. Once he understood that selling or donating it was giving it another life it was easier to accept. I kept reminding him that someone else was going to love these things and use and display them as they were intended. I think the picture idea is wonderful...all of the memories without the clutter.

[Taltarzac725]

I had to get rid of about 1000 books on my move to the Villages from Palm Harbor, Florida. Donated what public libraries would take and threw away the rest.

Gave a lot of clothes to good will places as well.

And have been losing the gun collection over various moves as well. Not much hunting available in this area of Florida as well as in Palm Harbor when compared to the high desert around Reno, Nevada where I lived from age 11 through 24 or so.

[BoatRatKat]

As everyone else has mentioned...get rid of nearly everything. I can't stress that enough. Nothing will fit in down here no matter how much you love it and you'll be kicking yourself for paying to have it moved down only to send it off to the consignment shops to get a fraction of what you would have got up north had you sold it there. If you don't believe me take a look at all the stuff sitting in the consignment shops now and you'll see much of what you're planning to bring. We've all done it. If it's memorabilia of the kids, send it off to the kids...that is if they even want it. It's just stuff and it just sits around and causes clutter. Time to make new memories. Good luck, it's a stressful time and we've all been where your at but soon enough you'll be wondering how you ever fit a work schedule into your busy life.

[TimeForChange]

Get rid of everything but the essentials. Your life full time here will be much more enjoyable. I have owned three homes here now on two and live in one. In six years I have pretty much dumped all the old things that did not matter anymore.

[skip0358]

When we moved in 2009 sold just about everything. Came here for a new start and that we did. I few items came along but not many. Those that did most are now gone. Kids got some the rest went to a big yard sale and at the end of the day it was buy one get one. Glad we did because after being here not much of what we had went anyways. If it didn't fit in the Pod it went to the curb and didn't last long there either.
Enjoy your retirement, your move and downsizing.

[thelegges]

We still have up north home. One of us in TV full time one still working. On an upside and a downside I love my job, and those who I work for do everything they can to get me to stay.

Each time I come down with about 140 lbs of items. Important things to me. When room for more become an issue we will have a company come in to sell everything but the master bedroom.

Still will come back in the summers for a cool breeze.