Kids moving out? Start boxing up, tossing out junk

By Sadie Jo Smokey
Arizona Republic

Facing an empty nest? After a child grows up and moves out, it's time to reclaim the house.

Organizing, plain and simple, is the mantra. Less stuff translates into more room to move, breathe and relax.

The memories and keepsakes of childhood need a place to go. Bite the bullet, buy some boxes, start sorting and get the job done.

"Parents keep a lot more stuff than they need to," says professional organizer Brenda Scagnetti Clement. "If the kid is there, have them help thin out the stuff. Otherwise, throw out the garbage, and box up the rest. After a few years, kids don't want half that stuff."

Organizing makes room for new luxuries — a guest room, office space, hobby area or intimate retreat.

Label boxes "dump, donate, sell or save," says professional organizer Valerie Simpson.

For satisfaction without frustration or insanity, devote 30 minutes a week to organizing until the job is done, Simpson suggests.

"Pretend you're selling the home and purge things," Simpson says. "If you don't have the time and energy to have a garage sale, donate it."

Scagnetti Clement, past president of the Arizona Professional Organizers Association, suggests starting with a room that is stripped bare. Then move the furniture, paint the walls and add stuff.

"Start in a room you use all the time and start with a drawer," Scagnetti Clement says.

At the top of organizers' "purge list":

• Water bottles, souvenir cups, mugs, and chipped, broken, stained dishes. Food-storage containers without lids. Extra sets of china.
• Clothes, shoes or accessories the owner hasn't worn in a year or won't wear in the next six months. Multiple items of the same style or colors.
• Multiple sets of bedsheets and table linens. Also, duplicate vacation photos.

People are reluctant to organize because they don't know where to start, Scagnetti Clement says.

"It helps to have an organizer or friend come over and help sift through the stuff," she says. "Not everyone is good at it. There's no shame in asking for help."

Simpson and Scagnetti Clement recommend labeling boxes, cardboard or plastic, on all sides. When storing sentimental items, put a "destroy" date on the box as a reminder to re-evaluate the contents.

"Once a year, go through it," Scagnetti Clement says. "Simplify your life. You don't want a pile sitting in the garage forever."