Downsizing Amps Up The Pressure

Over the past few months, my husband and I have casually discussed the idea of selling our house and downsizing. Since making the decision almost a year ago that we were going to remain a family of 4 (we count our dog) we looked at our living space and felt like it was more house than we really needed. And after finding that gynormous spider in my backyard a few months ago, I started thinking about this equation; big house + big spider = time to downsize to a house with no shrubbery.

So two weeks ago, we set the wheels in motion and called our agent. With the threat of a cooling market and even colder weather on the horizon, we decided now was the time to get our house in shape and put it on the market.

Making the decision to sell was the easy part. Cleaning and de-cluttering my house in less than two weeks felt as paralyzing to me as wearing a pair of heels for more than seven minutes. But I understood that unless we planned to sell this house to someone who is visually impaired, we needed to get busy. And get busy fast.

So how did I get past my feelings of panic and procrastination?

The first thing I did (after I put on more deodorant) was look at everything I had to do and break it down into smaller steps. I started with the most unruly and disorganized place my unfinished basement a.k.a storage for all the stuff we don't want to deal with. The state of this room made the aftermath of the G20 riots look tame! There were boxes of old clothes, books, baby apparatus, old photo albums and tons of other junk that we've had since the Reagan Administration. Not to mention all the paint, brushes, and canvases strewed all over the floor. (My husband uses our unfinished basement as an art studio. Shameless plug alert! http://www.marccooperart.com).

The next thing we did was set a tight but realistic deadline by deciding what day we wanted to list the house. We gave ourselves enough time to get this place in order without creating heart palpitations but not enough time to waste a single minute procrastinating about it. My husband and I divided and conquered and we got to work.

As hesitant as I was in the beginning to throw anything away, once I got going I was ruthless. Whatever wasn't bolted down or breathing was fair game. I cleaned and decluttered so thoroughly you'd think I was removing evidence. Twenty-five bags later of used toys, clothing, garbage and recycling, we made our house shine like the top of the Chrysler Building!

One of the most important things that got me through this exhausting period was staying focused and thinking only about the outcome I wanted. And boy, did it ever pay off. We listed our house last Thursday, got an offer 5 hours later and sold our house that night! Not bad for a little positive thinking, huh?

Now it's your turn. If you find yourself procrastinating about something, I have a little homework assignment for you. (And don't put this off!)

1. Make a list of all the things you've been procrastinating about.
2. Number them in order of priority.
3. Pick one thing that you're going to commit to working on and do until completion.
4. Break it down into smaller steps.
5. Set a tight but realistic deadline.
6. Start.
7. Only focus on the end result that you want.
8. Celebrate your successes big or small every day.

Our next order of business is to find a new house before the New Year. But I'm not worried. I've already placed my order with the Universe and expect the good news any day now.

Carly Cooper
		About the author:
		Carly Cooper is a certified Life Coach for 'Moms'. She gets motherhood because she is a mother. She understands the struggles with guilt and finding a work/life balance as she herself is a working mother. For more information about Carly, her services and to request a complimentary coaching consultation visit her website at www.balance-the-mother-load.com.
	Read More >>