I'm sorry, but nobody wants that, mama.

Have you begged your parents to get rid of "stuff"? Are they saving the old china, memaw's rocker and the Looney Tunes glasses you collected in first grade because "these are valuable" or "I want to pass them to my grandchildren one day" ?

Who is is going to tell her? WHO is going to TELL her? "Mama, we don't your stuff!" As a matter of fact, we don't want OUR stuff. This is a conversation that some find easy and some find difficult. Regardless of your comfort level, the end result is often the same. More often than not they often shrug and agree, without actually eliminating the contents collected over the last 5 decades. But parents and grandparents, I am here to tell you - your kids are BEGGING you to start shedding your clutter.

I am here, being the bad guy, and giving you permission to start this process. Siblings unite and have the conversation! Now granted, my business is rooted in helping eliminate this issue. But, when you can do it yourselves, or with their assistance, it's a blessing! It will make your family ultimately feel better and lighter as you free yourselves of that crushing task. If your parents are unable to assist, then this is even more reason to start eliminating the excess. It is not a betrayal. It is not underhanded or disrespectful. This is the harsh reality of helping aging parents manage their possessions while making your life easier down the road. Ultimately they will thank you, And parents, if you are reading this - eliminating years of clutter and unnecessary items is one of the BIGGEST GIFTS you can give your children.

1 - Have the conversation. Be kind, but firm, Stress the burden this is causing and that you want this clean up for them, not just for you.

2 - Tackle one room, or even one closet, at a time. You don't need to do it all at once, but getting started is key. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! Use this philosophy and just get started.

3 - Make 3 piles. Keep. Donate. Throw away. Sometimes it's easier to part with items if you think someone else may benefit.

4 - Stress that this is NOT a time to purchase new items. We are in the eliminating phase, not the replacement phase.

5 - Express gratitude and praise for allowing items to be culled. We appreciate them allowing us to shed these unwanted and unneeded items.

This will be a process, but doing a little every time you find an opportunity will eventually add up. If you can dedicate a family weekend, even better! Don't stress if it is over time. It took 50 years to accumulate 5 sets of unmatched silverware, 4 gas cans, power cords to your old boom box and the remote control to the TV when you only had 3 channels. If you need help, (or perhaps a little prayer) call us. We are happy to assist!