Let it Go by Peter Walsh is a valuable resource for anyone who needs to downsize. Whether you are moving to a smaller home or trying to declutter your current home, Walsh offers a step-by-step plan that frames downsizing as a positive change rather than a difficult chore. He also gives helpful advice for those who are downsizing their parents’ home.
You may remember Peter Walsh as the professional organizer on the TLC show, Clean Sweep. In his charming Australian accent, he challenged homeowners to empty a room onto the front lawn, separating their belongings into piles labeled KEEP, SELL, and TOSS. Since then, he has written several books on organization and decluttering.
In Let it Go, Walsh specifically focuses on helping people who are making a major life change by downsizing. The book is geared toward seniors (and their adult children), but his system could certainly work for anyone who is planning a move or downsizing project. He says, “You now have the greatest opportunity that you will ever get to create the life you want.” He encourages us to think about who we want to be and keep the possessions that support our identity.
Walsh’s approach to downsizing involves a lot of mental preparation before the physical purge. He acknowledges that the events leading someone to downsize are often very challenging. He deals with emotions and other barriers that hold us back: fear, procrastination, resentment, overwhelm. The goal is to replace them with joy, motivation, focus, and relaxation. The book also includes six worksheets that aid in deciding what to keep and what to let go. When it’s time to purge, the decisions have already been made, enabling a smooth downsizing process.
Books that offer instruction on decluttering often teach that we should leave sentimental items for last because they tend to be the most difficult and time consuming. Walsh does quite the opposite. He tells us to start by identifying our “treasures.” These are items that “mark the highlights of your life or your family’s life and deserve to be remembered.” Instead of focusing on what needs to go, we can delight in what’s going to stay.
Walsh has a brilliant strategy for the common downsizing objection, “But what if I need these things someday? I better keep them just in case.” He encourages us to keep only “worthy items” (in addition to the “treasures” mentioned above). He defines worthy items with three criteria:
- They help you create the home and life you want.
- They are items you’ll use regularly and enjoy.
- They fit into the space you’ve allocated.
If it doesn’t fulfill all three of these requirements, let it go.
Next, Walsh guides us through the obvious (but often overlooked) process of assessing a space to make sure our treasures and worthy items will actually fit in it. This is especially helpful for anyone planning a move. Walsh reminds us that the amount of stuff we own is flexible, while the physical space in a house is fixed. “You never have too little space!” he says. “If you ever feel this way, the problem is actually that you have too much stuff.”
Two chapters of this book are devoted to those downsizing a parent’s home due to a death or a move to assisted living/long-term care. Walsh draws from his own experience as one of several siblings who worked together to distribute his mother’s belongings after her death. He discusses how to navigate the downsizing process when it requires the cooperation of family members. With a degree in psychology, Walsh is attuned to the relationships that can complicate these situations. He offers practical advice for managing conflicts.
Let it Go encourages us to release our material goods so we’ll have more room in our lives for love, relationships, and experiences. Walsh says, “It’s amazing what happens when you empty a space of physical stuff. With the clutter gone, the vacant area is ready to be filled with an air of peace and calm, a sense of purpose and motivation, and an environment that’s welcoming and nurturing.” Well, if that doesn’t describe the home I want for my family, I don’t know what does!
