Did you decide that 2016 will be the year you buy a Central California home, sell your Central California home, or both? As your Central California real estate agent, I am here to help you! This is shaping up to be an excellent year for buying and selling, so contact me as soon as you’re ready to get started!

Whether buying or selling, you’ll have to move and pack, which means decluttering and only packing what you need and want to keep. If you’re selling, you’ll have to declutter as soon as you list, so the clutter is gone when buyers come to see your place.

There are many articles available on how to deal with clutter, but what about the sentimental clutter, such as boxes of unsorted photos, shelves full of photo albums, and crafts and drawings created by kids? These are a bit harder to separate from. Here are some great tips from Real Simple:

• Box it up. Throw away the obvious trash and then box up the items that have sentimental value, which you’re not yet ready to part with. If you have time, give yourself a few months to let the boxes sit untouched. Then go back through them and see if you still feel the same connection to them. If you don’t have time, give yourself a few days and then reopen them.

• Find support. Find a family member or friend who is willing to help you with the process. Choose someone who will suit your personality, whether an empathetic and soothing, or tech-savvy and ready to help you sell items online. Any project is easier with help and support, and someone to enjoy the memories and stories with as you go through photos and memorabilia.

• Work in intervals. It can feel emotionally and mentally depleting to go through nostalgic items, so limit each session to a few hours. This will allow you to make smart decisions and not end up with Purger’s Regret. When not sure whether to keep an item, as yourself why you are connected to it, if you’ll ever use it or if it’ll sit in a box, and if someone else could value from having it.

• Take a picture. One great tip for saving the memory of sentimental items, without actually saving the item itself, is to take a picture of it. Take pictures of children’s artwork or trinkets from deceased parents, or letters from friends or family, and then get rid of the item. The picture will most likely preserve longer than the item would have anyway!

For more tips and ideas on how to deal with sentimental clutter, check out the Real Simple article in its entirety. This isn’t an easy task for anyone, so cut yourself some slack if you’re finding it to be difficult.

When ready to accomplish your 2016 goals in the Central California real estate market, contact me! I am your Central California real estate agent, standing by, ready to help.

Grace Borzini
Your Local Lake Nacimiento Real Estate Expert
Oak Shores Realty

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Oak Shores Realty specializes in Oak Shores at Lake Nacimiento properties. Please contact us today to get more information on Lake Nacimiento lake homes. Oak Shores Realty can also provide you an insiders “Lake Nacimiento Buying Guide” with great information including maps and market information.