So often during the course of a downsizing session, we will hear our clients say

“I am leaving this to my son”

“My grand daughter is getting this when I die”

They believe that because they consider them valuable items, are family heirlooms or just precious to them, that their children or grandchildren will value them too. All too often this is not the case. All too often these items just become a burden, overvalued and unwanted. Lifestyles have changed, décor styles are very different with trends and seasons dictating, daily lives in general have become faster and busier. As a result, our children and grandchildren no longer covert our precious silver cutlery or crystal glasses that need careful handwashing. And the same applies to many other heirlooms we want to pass on.

Here are 7 items that are no longer as popular as they were a generation ago:

1. Antique Furniture

The value of antique furniture has dropped dramatically in the last decade. Young people are living in smaller homes, buying furniture with simple lines or perhaps repurposing cheap antique finds. Large, heavily carved dark antique furniture is not as sought after as it used to be.

2. Silver

This applies to silver as well. Tea sets, silver cutlery sets, trays and ornamental items are no longer in vogue. People don’t want to spend time cleaning and shining silver, brass and copper. Displaying these items is no longer in fashion, and most often display cabinets are a thing of the past.

3. China and crystal

You don't see the type of formal dinners people used to host. For the most part, people want dinnerware and glassware that can be stacked in a dishwasher. The market has changed, the demand has waned and so the value of china and crystal has dropped significantly and don’t fetch the prices people think they will.

4. Dolls

One of the few things that I kept well into adulthood was an original 1959 Barbie doll. It was my link to a happy and contented childhood. Neither of my girls wanted it and I was told it was “quite valuable”. Not any more! Barbie dolls, porcelain dolls and doll collections aren't as valuable as they were 25 years ago. And so, my “collectable” 1959 Barbie was donated, along with my daughters’ dolls and soft toys after they moved out of home.

5. Coin and stamp collections

Millennials aren't really interested in collecting coins or stamps and so those collections will land up in a box or cupboard somewhere. Most collections are not as valuable as they are sentimental.

6. Rugs

In the past, everyone wanted to own an Oriental rug. We loved Persians and kilims and hand stitched woven masterpieces bought on our travels. Today decorators follow the trends and we buy rugs that can be replaced when our tastes and styles change.

7. Ornamentals

Our children don’t have an emotional connection to our Beatrix Potter figurines, ornate ornamental items, and collections of owls, frogs or other creatures acquired over decades and lovingly housed in display cabinets, printers’ trays and mantlepieces.

It is wonderfully generous to want to leave your most precious and valued things to your family. But it is kinder still to consider asking them if they want them. Think practically about their lifestyles. When saving items for family members, think: Will they want this? Do they have room for it? Is the item valuable only to me?

The answers will help you with decisions to save for them or to let go now before a household full of heirlooms becomes a burden.

We are heading towards the end of the year at a rapid rate. And in South Africa, that means the end of the school year too! My children are grown up, but I remember the end of a school year clearly. Along with all the activities and parties, gifts and farewells, came the school books, projects, stationery and any artwork that had not already been sent home. It was all dumped in a corner of my daughters’ bedrooms as the excitement of the holidays took over.

But before they could settle in to the holidays, we gathered all the artwork and pottery, projects and work done during the year, and spent a few hours going through it together. They chose the artwork they wanted to keep, and we then donated, recycled and tossed the rest! A few pieces were framed for our home and grandparents! I also took some photos.

Children’s artwork can accumulate very quickly. Here are 4 tips to keep it all under control:

• You should be putting their names and dates on the artwork as it comes in during the year.
• Have a space to display or store all current work, and then another to pack items away.
• At the end of each year (NOW), go through all artwork with the child concerned and decide what to keep and what to let go.
• Choose pieces to frame for your home, for grandparents and family. Choose some to store, some to be used as wrapping paper or cards, and then let the rest go. If you like, you could take photos of some of the artwork for a memory box before you let it go.
• DO NOT do this without involving your children. It is so important that they are part of the process and are involved in the decisions. It might take longer but it is worth it in the years ahead!

Happy holidays!

So often when working with clients decluttering and downsizing, I hear the words “I can’t let that go, I am keeping it for my children/ grandchildren one day”. And so the pile grows and grows…

Recently I had the opportunity of working with an elderly client whose daughter popped in periodically to see how we were getting on. Each time I would ask her to look at the piles her mom had put on one side for her. At the end of the decluttering exercise, the daughter had taken only a handful of really personal items, and we delivered boxes and boxes of the unwanted ‘treasures’ to charity.

The lesson: It’s really important to think about why you are keeping things for your children.

We are currently in the process of organizing a client’s home from top to toe. This week we tackled the children’s rooms and as we worked I thought about the ongoing problem of keeping children’s rooms organised. Here are some hints and tips that I have found helpful when organizing kid’s spaces:

Always get your children involved

The first mistake mom’s make is to clear, sort, toss and organise a child’s room when they are not there. It’s important that children are involved in the process, help to make decisions regarding what goes and what stays, and are introduced to the systems that are put in place to keep it organised. With their input see what is currently working, what isn’t, what’s causing the problem and what is important to the child. This way your children feel included, they are not afraid that their treasures will disappear and they will be more likely to maintain a system they have been involved in!

Look at the space from their point of view