01940_Spring_2020 V3--web

SPRING 2020 | 17
SIMPLIFY, continued from page 15
will not work, deciding what to keep and
what to let go.
"People put value on stuff,
sentimental, financial and what-if-weneed-this-in-the-future
value."
Her tips to get started simplifying
your life:
Take small bites. Don't hijack an
entire weekend going through and
emptying your closet. Twenty minutes
on Saturday morning deciding which
shoes to keep, donate or throw out. Then
on Sunday afternoon spend 20 minutes
going through pants. "Once you have
success, you'll want to keep going."
Do as much as you can online. Don't
wait for investment reports, statements
and bills to arrive in the mail; create
online accounts. "Go paperless. Pay as
many bills as you can online."
Her clients are as young as 30, but the
majority are seniors or families who are
downsizing.
Do it now! "It's the greatest gift
you can give your family. You make the
decisions on what is important to keep.
Don't leave a herculean cleanup and
those emotional decisions to grieving
family members.
Labeled folders keep Reed's office well-organized
and clutter-free.
"It's also hard on children to help
elderly parents downsize. It's a tough
dynamic, a child telling a parent what to
do."
One client, a grown daughter in her
50s, had to help her mom prepare to
move to a nursing home after some five
decades in the family home.
"The basement was a black hole, filled
with plastic. 'That's a damn good clothes
hanger,' the mom would say. 'Somebody
can use that. When my neighbor has to
downsize, she might need a good hanger.' "
Another client lived in a giant home
in Concord, and was moving to a twobedroom
condo. "Too much of her old
home came with her. She was a retired
school teacher who loved stuff. She felt
stifled, overwhelmed and suffocated with
stuff.
"We spent about a year working
together in small bites. Now her space is
clean and comfortable. She fostered two
little black cats, is going to yoga again,
and invited her book club to her place.
Her life opened up; she's happy again."
Once Reed's work is done, she
recommends clients use her 5/10/20
method to avoid having things pile up
again, resulting in a big, overwhelming
project.
Take 5 seconds when handling
something to think “Where does this
belong?” and then put it in its place.
Pick a time every day and spend 10
minutes tidying up the space. Promise
yourself you'll pick up things and put
them where they belong.
"If you do “5” and “10”, you’ll only
need 20 minutes every weekend to do a
quick clean-up and tidying. It will make
everything so much easier."
For more information, go to
simplifywitheileen.com.
For appointments
please call
978-774-2555
(evening hours available)
147 South Main Street, Middleton, MA
978-774-2555
www.familymedicinemiddleton.com
We provide dedicated and focused care to patients of all ages.