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Downsizing with Care

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24.01.2022 A tip I picked up from a local antiques dealer was to use packing pellets for very fragile valuable items. We've used them for various valuables, from urns containing the ashes of loved ones to masks with feathers. Very handy if you have unusual items to pack.... To read more about our downsizing and relocation services, visit www.downsizingwithcare.com.au.

22.01.2022 Downsizing as a sustainability measure? Not sure what to make of this suggestion. Whilst it's true that it can be more energy intensive to maintain an older home, constructing new dwellings can be pretty energy intensive too. I don't think it's fair to guilt retirees into downsizing for the good of the economy/environment/younger house hunters. However, if there are health concerns and moving elsewhere is easier than maintaining your own home, then downsizing can make goo...d sense for a number of reasons. https://phys.org//2020-03-downsizing-mcmansion-gauges-sust

22.01.2022 I held my seniors week seminar online and I really think everyone got a lot out of the experience. Participants gave the kind feedback that the information really helped them with the prospect of decluttering and downsizing during this unusual time. So, this has spurred me on to want to keep running informal chats for people who are looking to downsize. These sessions are 100% free and I intend on making them as useful as possible. There will be a Q&A session during each ...session where you can pick my brain on downsizing tips and techniques which have worked for our clients. Full disclosure: I have no intention of selling anything during these sessions. I am currently writing a book on downsizing where I may repurpose some of the content I present during these sessions. Also, above all else, I think we all need an outlet and somewhere to connect with each other on topics which represent real meaning in our lives! So, with all of that in mind, I will host Live Downsizing Chats online each Saturday morning at 11:00am to approximately 11:30. I will hold the chats via Zoom. Though you can also join through a regular telephone. Topics will include: * How to downsize during COVID-19 * How to sell and donate items during this time * How to start the process and stay motivated * Decluttering and preparing your home for sale * Other aspects of the downsizing process as relevant to people attending the chats Let me know if you’re interested and I’ll send you the instructions on how to join. Feel free to send me a Facebook message or email me at [email protected] Thanks for your attention and I hope you are staying safe during this time.

22.01.2022 Sometimes working towards a lofty goal or keeping a large, itemised list of everything which needs to be done can be a source of immense stress. Read more https://lttr.ai/U7Uk

22.01.2022 Join us for our live chat this morning at 11am on selling & donating online. Message me for the link.Join us for our live chat this morning at 11am on selling & donating online. Message me for the link.

21.01.2022 What to do with computers and cables? https://lttr.ai/VATr

20.01.2022 We've been helping this lovely family. If you're in Belconnen (ACT) on Sunday, please swing by their garage sale and have a look :) https://www.gumtree.com.au//sunday-aug-30-big-/1255670532

20.01.2022 For those having finding themselves feeling anxious or depressed at the moment...

19.01.2022 With many charities now saying they don't need any more donations of goods, here is one way you can really help those who've evacuated from fire affected areas. If you have a spare bed or can house pets, you can offer to provide emergency accommodation here:

18.01.2022 Even though it might seem a little cheesy, consider keeping a done list on your fridge where you can add each task as you do it. Read the full article: Downsizing when life has changed https://lttr.ai/XuH6

18.01.2022 Downsizing when life has changed Read more https://lttr.ai/TxVQ

18.01.2022 It's difficult to recycle cables, but I learned this week that the Tech Shed DO accept cables among other computer equipment which they refurbish for concession card holders. Read more https://lttr.ai/R61x

16.01.2022 A new letter writing initiative is poised to bring meaningful connection to thousands of older Australians who are feeling lonely or isolated during COVID-19. https://www.cota.org.au//media-release-the-letterbox-proj/

15.01.2022 A lot of people put off donating their old computers until they can find a way to safely delete their data, as they are quite justifiably worried about the potential identity theft and fraud. Turns out that there is another option for avoiding having to figure out how to delete the data yourself (or pay an IT person to do it for you). See full article for more details: What to do with computers and cables?... https://lttr.ai/Q1lg See more

14.01.2022 So good to see that Lifeline is still able to operate in these "unusual times"

12.01.2022 From a psychologist: After having thirty-one sessions this week with patients where the singular focus was COVID-19 and how to cope, I decided to consolidate my... advice and make a list that I hope is helpful to all. I can't control a lot of what is going on right now, but I can contribute this. Edit: I am surprised and heartened that this has been shared so widely! People have asked me to credential myself, so to that end, I am a doctoral level Psychologist in NYS with a Psy.D. in the specialities of School and Clinical Psychology. MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS TIPS FOR QUARANTINE 1. Stick to a routine. Go to sleep and wake up at a reasonable time, write a schedule that is varied and includes time for work as well as self-care. 2. Dress for the social life you want, not the social life you have. Get showered and dressed in comfortable clothes, wash your face, brush your teeth. Take the time to do a bath or a facial. Put on some bright colors. It is amazing how our dress can impact our mood. 3. Get out at least once a day, for at least thirty minutes. If you are concerned of contact, try first thing in the morning, or later in the evening, and try less traveled streets and avenues. If you are high risk or living with those who are high risk, open the windows and blast the fan. It is amazing how much fresh air can do for spirits. 4. Find some time to move each day, again daily for at least thirty minutes. If you don’t feel comfortable going outside, there are many YouTube videos that offer free movement classes, and if all else fails, turn on the music and have a dance party! 5. Reach out to others, you guessed it, at least once daily for thirty minutes. Try to do FaceTime, Skype, phone calls, textingconnect with other people to seek and provide support. Don’t forget to do this for your children as well. Set up virtual playdates with friends daily via FaceTime, Facebook Messenger Kids, Zoom, etcyour kids miss their friends, too! 6. Stay hydrated and eat well. This one may seem obvious, but stress and eating often don’t mix well, and we find ourselves over-indulging, forgetting to eat, and avoiding food. Drink plenty of water, eat some good and nutritious foods, and challenge yourself to learn how to cook something new! 7. Develop a self-care toolkit. This can look different for everyone. A lot of successful self-care strategies involve a sensory component (seven senses: touch, taste, sight, hearing, smell, vestibular (movement) and proprioceptive (comforting pressure). An idea for each: a soft blanket or stuffed animal, a hot chocolate, photos of vacations, comforting music, lavender or eucalyptus oil, a small swing or rocking chair, a weighted blanket. A journal, an inspirational book, or a mandala coloring book is wonderful, bubbles to blow or blowing watercolor on paper through a straw are visually appealing as well as work on controlled breath. Mint gum, Listerine strips, ginger ale, frozen Starburst, ice packs, and cold are also good for anxiety regulation. For children, it is great to help them create a self-regulation comfort box (often a shoe-box or bin they can decorate) that they can use on the ready for first-aid when overwhelmed. 8. Spend extra time playing with children. Children will rarely communicate how they are feeling, but will often make a bid for attention and communication through play. Don’t be surprised to see therapeutic themes of illness, doctor visits, and isolation play through. Understand that play is cathartic and helpful for childrenit is how they process their world and problem solve, and there’s a lot they are seeing and experiencing in the now. 9. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and a wide berth. A lot of cooped up time can bring out the worst in everyone. Each person will have moments when they will not be at their best. It is important to move with grace through blowups, to not show up to every argument you are invited to, and to not hold grudges and continue disagreements. Everyone is doing the best they can to make it through this. 10. Everyone find their own retreat space. Space is at a premium, particularly with city living. It is important that people think through their own separate space for work and for relaxation. For children, help them identify a place where they can go to retreat when stressed. You can make this place cozy by using blankets, pillows, cushions, scarves, beanbags, tents, and forts. It is good to know that even when we are on top of each other, we have our own special place to go to be alone. 11. Expect behavioral issues in children, and respond gently. We are all struggling with disruption in routine, none more than children, who rely on routines constructed by others to make them feel safe and to know what comes next. Expect increased anxiety, worries and fears, nightmares, difficulty separating or sleeping, testing limits, and meltdowns. Do not introduce major behavioral plans or consequences at this timehold stable and focus on emotional connection. 12. Focus on safety and attachment. We are going to be living for a bit with the unprecedented demand of meeting all work deadlines, homeschooling children, running a sterile household, and making a whole lot of entertainment in confinement. We can get wrapped up in meeting expectations in all domains, but we must remember that these are scary and unpredictable times for children. Focus on strengthening the connection through time spent following their lead, through physical touch, through play, through therapeutic books, and via verbal reassurances that you will be there for them in this time. 13. Lower expectations and practice radical self-acceptance. This idea is connected with #12. We are doing too many things in this moment, under fear and stress. This does not make a formula for excellence. Instead, give yourself what psychologists call radical self acceptance: accepting everything about yourself, your current situation, and your life without question, blame, or pushback. You cannot fail at thisthere is no roadmap, no precedent for this, and we are all truly doing the best we can in an impossible situation. 14. Limit social media and COVID conversation, especially around children. One can find tons of information on COVID-19 to consume, and it changes minute to minute. The information is often sensationalized, negatively skewed, and alarmist. Find a few trusted sources that you can check in with consistently, limit it to a few times a day, and set a time limit for yourself on how much you consume (again 30 minutes tops, 2-3 times daily). Keep news and alarming conversations out of earshot from childrenthey see and hear everything, and can become very frightened by what they hear. 15. Notice the good in the world, the helpers. There is a lot of scary, negative, and overwhelming information to take in regarding this pandemic. There are also a ton of stories of people sacrificing, donating, and supporting one another in miraculous ways. It is important to counter-balance the heavy information with the hopeful information. 16. Help others. Find ways, big and small, to give back to others. Support restaurants, offer to grocery shop, check in with elderly neighbors, write psychological wellness tips for othershelping others gives us a sense of agency when things seem out of control. 17. Find something you can control, and control the heck out of it. In moments of big uncertainty and overwhelm, control your little corner of the world. Organize your bookshelf, purge your closet, put together that furniture, group your toys. It helps to anchor and ground us when the bigger things are chaotic. 18. Find a long-term project to dive into. Now is the time to learn how to play the keyboard, put together a huge jigsaw puzzle, start a 15 hour game of Risk, paint a picture, read the Harry Potter series, binge watch an 8-season show, crochet a blanket, solve a Rubix cube, or develop a new town in Animal Crossing. Find something that will keep you busy, distracted, and engaged to take breaks from what is going on in the outside world. 19. Engage in repetitive movements and left-right movements. Research has shown that repetitive movement (knitting, coloring, painting, clay sculpting, jump roping etc) especially left-right movement (running, drumming, skating, hopping) can be effective at self-soothing and maintaining self-regulation in moments of distress. 20. Find an expressive art and go for it. Our emotional brain is very receptive to the creative arts, and it is a direct portal for release of feeling. Find something that is creative (sculpting, drawing, dancing, music, singing, playing) and give it your all. See how relieved you can feel. It is a very effective way of helping kids to emote and communicate as well! 21. Find lightness and humor in each day. There is a lot to be worried about, and with good reason. Counterbalance this heaviness with something funny each day: cat videos on YouTube, a stand-up show on Netflix, a funny moviewe all need a little comedic relief in our day, every day. 22. Reach out for helpyour team is there for you. If you have a therapist or psychiatrist, they are available to you, even at a distance. Keep up your medications and your therapy sessions the best you can. If you are having difficulty coping, seek out help for the first time. There are mental health people on the ready to help you through this crisis. Your children’s teachers and related service providers will do anything within their power to help, especially for those parents tasked with the difficult task of being a whole treatment team to their child with special challenges. Seek support groups of fellow home-schoolers, parents, and neighbors to feel connected. There is help and support out there, any time of the dayalthough we are physically distant, we can always connect virtually. 23. Chunk your quarantine, take it moment by moment. We have no road map for this. We don’t know what this will look like in 1 day, 1 week, or 1 month from now. Often, when I work with patients who have anxiety around overwhelming issues, I suggest that they engage in a strategy called chunkingfocusing on whatever bite-sized piece of a challenge that feels manageable. Whether that be 5 minutes, a day, or a week at a timefind what feels doable for you, and set a time stamp for how far ahead in the future you will let yourself worry. Take each chunk one at a time, and move through stress in pieces. 24. Remind yourself daily that this is temporary. It seems in the midst of this quarantine that it will never end. It is terrifying to think of the road stretching ahead of us. Please take time to remind yourself that although this is very scary and difficult, and will go on for an undetermined amount of time, it is a season of life and it will pass. We will return to feeing free, safe, busy, and connected in the days ahead. 25. Find the lesson. This whole crisis can seem sad, senseless, and at times, avoidable. When psychologists work with trauma, a key feature to helping someone work through said trauma is to help them find their agency, the potential positive outcomes they can effect, the meaning and construction that can come out of destruction. What can each of us learn here, in big and small ways, from this crisis? What needs to change in ourselves, our homes, our communities, our nation, and our world?

08.01.2022 Here is somewhere you can post bread tags to. Apparently Baker's Delight also recycle them!

07.01.2022 Most people are pretty happy to let go of an item once they have found a good home for it, but need time to find a way in which they feel comfortable to say goodbye to items which represent precious memories and moments in their lives. Read the full article: Downsizing when life has changed https://lttr.ai/UWwV

06.01.2022 I still find the term "death cleaning" a little strong - I suppose it has more impact than "retirement decluttering and estate planning"! This article from someone who began the "death cleaning" process earlier in life than most has some good tips in it.

04.01.2022 Gearing up for our final zoom chat in our free zoom chat on downsizing and decluttering in COVID-19. To continue the conversation and get helpful information for your downsizing project, join https://www.facebook.com/groups/downsizinganddeclutteringtips/ Really have been enjoying these chats and am sad to see them come to an end.

03.01.2022 #Downsizing can be therapeutic

03.01.2022 Are you downsizing...or thinking about decluttering and downsizing? To celebrate our new Facebook community for people downsizing during "these unusual times" we're running a special giveaway for all Australian residents who join the group before August 31. https://www.facebook.com/groups/downsizinganddeclutteringtips/... We will give away 5 copies of the book "Don't throw my memories in the trash" by Vickie Dellaquila" - a gentle, thorough guide to downsizing or helping someone downsize. Join our new Facebook group to enter! Results will be announced on August 31. https://www.facebook.com/groups/downsizinganddeclutteringtips/