Downsizing the Family Home

February 15, 2016

Citing her experience helping her parents move and dispose of excess possessions, home and lifestyle columnist Jameson (The House Always Wins) shares her pragmatic approach to getting rid of unwanted items in 21 short, succinct chapters with pithy main-point summaries. Acknowledging that the handling of personal papers and belongings, household furnishings, and the home itself can trigger feelings of guilt and sadness, Jameson encourages readers to push beyond the emotions to sort objects, determine the best disposal methods, and price the potential sale pieces. Disposal options discussed include selling the house; storage; working with bulk buyers; navigating online sales; selling goods at flea markets, secondhand, pawn, and consignment shops; rehoming and donating goods; and holding estate sales. Websites listed in the bibliography are current as of this review. VERDICT The common-sense advice and practical information here will be of interest to persons facing downsizing or needing to get rid of stuff they no longer use. A nice addition to Fran Scoville and Holley Ulbrich's Re-creating Home: Downsizing and Decluttering After 50 and Linda Hetzer and Janet Hulstrand's Moving On: A Practical Guide to Downsizing the Family Home.--Laurie Selwyn, formerly with Grayson Cty. Law Lib., Sherman, TX

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