Some of the more powerful quotes from the article:

The Self Storage Association, a nonprofit trade group, estimates that since the onset of the recession, occupancies at storage facilities nationwide are down, on average, about 2 or 3 percent. It’s not a cataclysmic drop but enough to disorient an industry that has always considered itself recession-resistant, if not outright recession-proof…

“Human laziness has always been a big friend of self-storage operators,” Derek Naylor, president of the consultant group Storage Marketing Solutions, told me. “Because once they’re in, nobody likes to spend all day moving their stuff out of storage. As long as they can afford it, and feel psychologically that they can afford it, they’ll leave that stuff in there forever.”

After a monumental building boom, the United States now has 2.3 billion square feet of self-storage space. (The Self Storage Association notes that, with more than seven square feet for every man, woman and child, it’s now “physically possible that every American could stand — all at the same time — under the total canopy of self-storage roofing.”)

A Self Storage Association study showed that, by 2007, the once-quintessential client — the family in the middle of a move, using storage to solve a short-term, logistical problem — had lost its majority. Fifty percent of renters were now simply storing what wouldn’t fit in their homes — even though the size of the average American house had almost doubled in the previous 50 years, to 2,300 square feet.

Maybe the recession really is making American consumers serious about scaling back, about decluttering and de-leveraging. But there are upward of 51,000 storage facilities across this country — more than seven times the number of Starbucks. Storage is part of our national infrastructure now. And all it is, is empty space: something Americans have always colonized and capitalized on in good times, and retreated into to regroup when things soured. It’s tough to imagine a product more malleable to whatever turns our individual life stories take, wherever we’re collectively heading.

Be sure to check out the article, which tells a fascinating story.

Moving can be stressful, but it’s nothing to fear. These tips will help to make your transition less stressful, more organized, and an enjoyable new adventure for your family.

Before You Leave Your Old Home:

1. If you have children, make sure each child has his own bag packed with any toys, blankets, or books that he will need to go to bed at night. These will help him feel comfortable during the transition.
2. Purchase an expandable file folder and start gathering documents such as birth certificates, passports, and currency. These items should not be shipped with your household goods.
3. Call your doctors to obtain written copies of the family’s medical records. Offices sometimes charge for these documents, so have a form of payment ready. Also, see if your doctor can refer you to a new doctor in your new location. If applicable, ask for copies of prescriptions in case you cannot see a doctor quickly in your new location. If you have remaining refills at a local pharmacy, call to see if they can transfer them to a new pharmacy where you are moving.
4. Arrange for the home to be cleaned after all your furniture has been moved. Stay one night in a hotel and return to the home to clean, or hire a cleaning service to do the job for you while you are traveling to your new location. Keep in mind that many real estate contracts state that the home must be left in “broom clean condition.” Failure to do so could result in a fee or difficulty at closing.
5. Call your utility companies to arrange for final readings. Give them your new address to have any remaining bills forwarded.
6. If you are using a professional moving company, ask about insurance for your items while in transit. You should also contact your homeowner’s insurance company to inquire about the same.
7. Send out change of address cards to friends and family.
8. Fill out a change of address and mail forwarding forms with the Post Office. These forms can be filled out online as well.
9. Pack irreplaceable or valuable items such as cameras, jewelry, wedding photos/videos, or family treasures to travel with your family. Also, keep in mind that most van lines are not climate controlled. Consider this when deciding to pack items like candles in with your other possessions.
10. If you are packing yourself, color-code your boxes. (Blue for the kitchen, red for the bedroom, etc).
11. Pack a kit of the following items for use while you are in transit, and for your first night in your new home:
    • Toilet paper
    • Shower curtain
    • Snacks and bottled water
    • Clean clothes
    • Cleaning products
    • Flashlight and/or night lights
    • First-aid kit and medicines needed by your family
    • Air Mattresses and sleeping bags (if you decide to spend your first night in your new home).

When You Arrive At your New Home:

1. Start by sorting your boxes and bringing them to their appropriate rooms. (Red to the kitchen, etc).
2. Evaluate if you will need to purchase any organizational supplies such as shelves, pot racks, closet systems, etc. Purchase these before you start to unpack. Not doing so will make unpacking more complicated.
3. If you need assistance in getting unpacked, contact a professional organizer. She will help you determine the best organizational systems for your new home, have them installed, and unpack your possessions using the systems.
4. Use labels and/or sticky notes to help everyone locate items in the kitchen cabinets or pantry. This will alleviate questions and frustration when trying to find items in their new locations.
5. Allow kids to help unpack their rooms. If possible, allow them to decide where their bed will go, where they want their play area to be located, etc. This allows them to make the new room their own.
6. Have a sleepover your first night in your new home. Set up air mattresses, play cards, or if you have the capability, watch a movie on a laptop or portable DVD player. Bring flashlights and snacks for the family. Spending your first night all together in one room helps kids with the new creaks and noises associated with a new home.
7. Unpack every box. Even if you are not using everything in your new home, you should unpack everything to look for any missing or damaged items. Insurance often limits the amount of time you have to file a claim for missing or damaged items.
8. Lay each piece of newspaper or bubble wrap flat after unwrapping an item to make sure that you completely unpacked everything from its wrapping.
9. Call the newcomer services in your area. They will often provide you with a basket or package of coupons and offers for your new area. You will probably be eating out for a little while, so you might as well save some money!
10. If you do eat out a few times be sure to ask for menus, coupons, and business cards. Create a three ring binder with the menus of the places you like, and make sure to circle the items your family enjoyed. This will come in handy on those busy nights when you just aren’t sure what to eat.
11. After you have been in your new home for about a month, re-evaluate your organizational systems. What is working for your family and what is not? Are you still missing items? Are the items you use in your daily routine hard to find or use? If you did not hire a professional organizer when you first moved in, now is a great time to do so.

From the Daily Record article:

Deciding to sell the family home and downsize, the pair snapped up a two bedroom home in Bonnyrigg early last year.

But instead of waiting for their move in day to arrive, the canny couple set about making their first move in over 30 years as stress-free as possible.

They chucked out anything they didn’t need – including old furniture and toys.

And when the big day arrived, Alison and Bill moved in with just a bed, a washing machine and a microwave.

Although their circumstances are different than the one my wife and I faced a year ago, their preparation for the downsizing process was very similar. Getting rid of things you don’t need before you move is preferable to moving loads of things you won’t ever use. You likely will want to keep more than three belongings — like we did — but this story does sound very liberating.

Donating, selling, or recycling items that you do not need anymore can make the moving process much more manageable. We opted for a yard sale while relying on Craigslist to sell off larger pieces of furniture.

If you have recently downsized or plan on downsizing, please share your experience with us in the comments.

I thought of all the clutter that we had to inventory when I read this article in the Ireland edition of The Independent. The author forced himself to declutter during his fifth move in as many years. Moving is a great motivational event that should lead to getting rid of tons of clutter. From the article:

I’m discovering that, despite all that to-ing and fro-ing between places over the past half-decade, I’ve never properly culled my mountain of possessions. Instead, I’ve just created a lot of work for myself and the unlucky slave labour I recruited for each move by hauling all this stuff around with me each time …

My guiding rule this time out is: if I haven’t worn it since I moved last time, then it’s getting tossed. I’ve been surprisingly faithful to that guiding maxim, ignoring that little voice in my head that says: “Hey, those X-Works jeans and boot runners could be considered vintage next week, hang onto them!”

Everyone moves, but some of us don’t take advantage of this situation and needlessly transport clutter from one location to another. Make sure you take stock of everything you have, and ask the question, “Do I really need this in my new home?”

A pocketful of cash, a clutter-free home, and a lot of interaction between your stuff and passers-by all make yard sales hard to resist. Who hasn’t driven by a yard sale and wondered if there’s a too-good-to-be-true bargain hiding behind a used sewing machine, or if the perfect whatcha-ma-call-it at a to-die-for price is amidst all the other treasures?

Why have a yard sale?
We all want our homes to be clean and neat and to reflect who we are. A truly great home balances organization with comfort and style. Hosting a yard sale provides incentive to edit things from your house that no longer fit, work, come in handy, or relate to your lifestyle. Oh yes, and yard sales generate extra income. So, why not have a yard sale?

Choose the right day

1. Not every day is right for a yard sale. For example, don’t schedule your sale on a holiday weekend unless you live in a tourist town.
2. The best months for sales are April, May, June and September.
3. If possible, try to schedule your sale near the 1st or the 15th of the month because those are paydays for a lot of shoppers.
4. Saturdays are best.
5. Earlier in the day is better than later.

Spread the word

1. Contact local authorities and inquire about restrictions, regulations, permits, etc. for posting signs and hosting sales.
2. Let your neighbors know about your sale; if they don’t want strangers parking in front of their homes, place “no parking” signs where appropriate.
3. Inquire about placing ads with various local newspapers. Ask how many words, how much it is going to cost, and how far in advance you need to submit the information.
4. List a rain date or have an indoor back-up plan.
5. Post signs at local grocery stores.
6. Place ads on electronic bulletin boards.
7. Distribute flyers in community centers.
8. Use foam board rather than poster board for posting signs around the neighborhood.

Advertise clearly

1. Who is involved in the sale: single family, neighbors, community?
2. What type of sale is it: yard, community, garage, moving, fire?
3. When is your sale: date(s) and day of the week, time from xx am –xx pm
4. Where is the sale: give clear directions from a major intersection
5. Why should people come? Make your ad stand out. Be creative with your wording and list a few “big ticket” items to draw interest.

Sample ad: Multi-family yard sale; designer-name maternity clothes, educational preschool toys, upscale infant gear, and much more. NO Checks. Saturday & Sunday April 3 -4; 8:30am –1pm. Rain date: Sat. April 10. EARLY BIRDS PAY DOUBLE! 555 Main Street across the boulevard from the community pool.

Sample ad: Retirement Sale; 60 years accumulation of antiques, furniture, power tools, appliances, gardening tools, house ware. Cash Only. Saturday; September 10; 7am – 3pm ONLY (Rain date: Sat. Sept. 17); 555 Main Street, 3 miles West of Rest Assured Retirement Center. NO early birds.

Gather the following supplies

1. Tables for displaying items
2. Assortment of bags for people to take their items home: plastic store or grocery bags, gift bags, paper grocery bags, lunch bags
3. Packing boxes; store them under the display tables until needed
4. Bubble wrap and newspapers for fragile items or breakables
5. Tape to secure lids or keep stray pieces together
6. Permanent markers to change price signs throughout the day
7. Rubber bands to bundle silverware, spools of ribbon, etc.
8. Tape measure and yard stick
9. Calculators for adding up sales
10. Extension cords to plug in electrical items to show that they work
11. Spare light bulbs if selling lamps
12. Batteries for testing toys and small appliances
13. BONUS TIP: If you want to earn extra income buy extra batteries and sell them!

Details to remember

1. Have a trash can so people can dispose of their bottles and snack wrappers.
2. Keep a large bottle of hand-sanitizing gel or wet naps to clean your hands.
3. Leave enough room between tables for shoppers with strollers to browse.
4. Don’t forget a roll of paper towels for spills and a box of tissues for sneezes.
5. Lock the doors and windows of your home.

Price it right

1. Do not price every single item for sale. It is time-consuming and everyone is going to ‘bargain down’ the asking price anyway.
2. Group similar items together on a table and price them all the same.
3. Make categories and label them: Exercise and Fitness, Bed & Bath, Camping, Books & Media, etc.
4. Label the tables: $5.00-$10.00, $1.00 or less, or Best Offer — minimum $20.00, etc.
5. Price in 50 cent increments (easier to add).
6. Face the facts, everyone comes to a yard sale looking for a bargain – so give the people what they want and, remember, the main idea is to unload all your unwanted things – making money is almost secondary.

Hang it up!

1. Make sure all clothes are pressed, clean, and hanging on hangers.
2. Do not try to sell clothes that need mending, ironing, or stains removed.
3. Group clothing according to sizes.
4. Have a full-length mirror stationed somewhere convenient.

Money matters

1. Before the sale day, go to the bank so you’ll have plenty of small bills on hand – between $50.00 and $75.00 in cash.
2. If you really want to generate a buzz, ask the bank for $2.00 bills and silver dollars. Younger shoppers love “funny money”.
3. Hip packs are a must for carrying cash. Do not leave a cash box unattended.
4. Do not accept checks from strangers. A Cash Only rule is a good one – and take collected money inside your house periodically.

Snacks

1. A great way for an older child or teen to make a little extra cash is to sell coffee and donuts during the sale.
2. Stock up at a warehouse-type store: sell mini-bottles of water, juice boxes, small packs of goldfish crackers and other parent-approved snacks for children in tow. Food and drinks will keep shoppers shopping longer.

Leftovers
Do NOT bring the items that didn’t sell back into your home or garage. There are 3 options for leftovers that you must take care of immediately after your yard sale:

1. Put them into your car or van and drive them to the nearest donation center and obtain a tax credit for your donation.
2. Place them curbside with a sign that says, “FREE—Help Yourself!” Anything that remains after 2 days should be trashed.
3. Conduct a “Leftover Raffle.” Sell raffle tickets for $ 3.00. Draw names out of a hat. The winner gets anything and everything they want, and you make $3.00 per person on your leftovers!

Now your attic, garage, and home are clutter-free! You’ve gotten rid of your “trash” and some lucky person has discovered a “treasure”! Best of all, you now have some extra cash to treat your family to something special!