Downsizing and moving your aging parents is one of the hardest tasks of all time. Or maybe your loved one has already passed and you are tasked with selling a home and going through a lifetime of belongings. It’s. Brutal. Seriously, it’s the definition of overwhelm. Where do you begin? In this episode, we welcome guest Alli Rubin who is a professional moving manager and a true ‘easy button’ when it comes to tackling this enormous task. Alli shares actionable tips on how to approach going through all of the stuff along with a thoughtful conversation about how our objects do hold meaning and the way we can honor the past while finding closure and moving on. It’s a good one, welcome to The Sandwich Generation Pod!

Takeaways

• The difference between a Hoarder and a Saver - we all think our parents are hoarders, but are they really?
• It’s a gift to move your parents while they are still alive - start the conversations and process early!
• Our objects, our things and our stuff hold meaning. They tell stories. Let's honor that while also downsizing and guest Alli Rubin provides actionable tips to dealing with all of the ‘stuff’. 
• How to make the new place feel like home.
• How to keep objects for future generations and remember our loved ones.
• The difference between hiring a professional mover vs junk removal - and the realistic costs. 
• How our objects can live on and give meaning to others!
• Working with Siblings and creating boundaries and deadlines around the moving process!

Links and Resources

Get in touch with Alli Rubin: [email protected]

**The Following resources are based in Minnesota**

Estate Sales Minnesota

PRISM MPLS - Donate to the Shop for Change Thrift Shop and Marketplace Food Shelf.

SAVERS - Declutter Responsibly.

STEP - Accepts donations for food and clothing.

Bridging - Accepts Furniture, housewares, linens, small appliances, electronics, mirrors, artwork and pictures. 

JFCS Hag Sameach Program -  provides personalized holiday gifts, ritual items, and household necessities to families and individuals who are in need.

Astound Video - Converting VHS, Photographs, CD's, and Video Tape transfers to digital format. 

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guests
01:12 Meet Alli Rubin
04:39 When is the right time to call a mover?
14:19 Hoarder vs Saver
19:06 Helping families downsize
30:52 Our objects hold meaning
34:42 The energy our objects hold and passing that along
38:30 The difference between hiring a mover and junk removal
43:15 Estate Sales and Resellers
46:45 Setting Boundaries and Timelines
51:55 Start the moving conversation early, make the calls and plan
56:12 Outro
56:53 Real Talk