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Weekly UpdatesFrom those moving from the homestead to the city, to seniors leaving larger homes, Americans use moving as an opportunity to downsize their belongings. The average weight of a household move has decreased over the past four years, indicating that Americans are increasingly downsizing their personal belongings, according to a recent Mayflower Transit study.
Mayflower has tracked shipping weights since 1994, and the study is based on data as reported to the American Moving and Storage Association. The average move for Mayflower weighed in at 6751 pounds in 2008, a decrease of 2% from 6830 pounds in 2007. Mayflower's average moving weight has decreased by nearly 10% since the study began in 1997.
"Average moving weights have been trending down for the past four years, which is a strong indicator of broader changes in our society. We're watching Americans shift their lifestyles to accommodate the current economic environment, emerging sustainability trends, and the green movement," said Jennifer Bonham, Director of Marketing Communications at Mayflower Transit.
Downsizing Tips
Mayflower Transit agents have established a list of best practices for downsizing personal belongings:
Rate Your Space--Assessing a new space to understand its physical limitations will make tough packing decisions easier. Measure each room in advance to determine what furniture will fit and what will have to go. Taking photos of each room and sketching a layout to remember the space more precisely will help determine what to move.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind--Small spaces are like valuable real estate where every square foot counts. A great May flower trick to remember: "If you don't touch it daily, don't take it." Excuses like "I never know when I may need it" or "I've always had it" are not practical reasons to hang on to an unused item.
Learn to Let Go--After identifying essential items, sort the remaining items into categories such as gifts, long-term storage, trash, and donations. Sorting belongings will prevent carrying over the clutter into a new space. And a clutter-free home also "shows" better to prospective buyers.
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow--Once tough decisions have been made, it's time to get rid of everything else. Host a "reverse housewarming" party--list everything that needs to go and invite friends, family, and neighbors over to choose what they want. It's a great way to ensure that prized possessions find a good home.
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