Dear Amy: My husband and I have two daughters, 24 and 26. One works; the other is in graduate school. They both have their own apartments.
My question concerns their stuff. I expect them to move around for the next few years, and I don’t need them to take all of their stuff now. But our garage is packed to the rafters, and I would like to make a dent in that. Plus, I want to have a plan for when I no longer will be the curator of everyone’s stuff.
I have many struggles, but getting rid of stuff is not one of them. (My husband can’t say the same.) My sense is that a project like this starts with a conversation with all four of us, where expectations are laid out, followed by mini steps and dates for these tasks to be completed.
Ideally, things like clothes would be removed from closets and the remaining items could be boxed and stored in the garage (assuming we can get some of the other stuff out of there first). I also am ready to think about how to use these rooms differently.
Do you have advice for me?
Amy says: Lay out your expectations and a timeline for dates by when tasks will be completed. And then watch as all of your expectations fall by the wayside. Why? Because this is a priority only for you.
Your husband isn’t able to tackle the overcrowded garage, and your children have a responsible curator for their possessions, so there’s little motivation for them.
Put the word out now that you’re getting antsy to deal with these things. Ask both women to come home for a few days this summer. Dive in, start sorting and plan a yard, eBay or Etsy sale. Anything that doesn’t get sold will get donated to your local Goodwill. I predict that you will be able to reduce these possessions by at least half.