Don't Toss My Memories in the Trash: A Step-By-Step Guide to Helping Seniors Downsize, Organize, and Move

by Vickie Dellaquila and Dellaquila, Vickie

Book Overview

Vickie Dellaquila draws on her experience as a professional organizer and senior move manager to share her most valuable tips on downsizing and moving. Here is a book that will help you downsize,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0978818938
• ISBN13: 9780978818937
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Mountain Publishing
• Length: 153 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Good resource for sandwich generation!

As someone who has aging parents I am starting to think about the time when they will need my assistance in downsizing. Having no idea where to begin I was very pleased to find this book. There were so many helpful tips to moving things that might seem useless to me in caring and sensitive ways. I really liked the personal stories that were scattered through out the book. I will also use the checklists in the back of the book so I will remember all there is to remember! A very well written, easy to understand guide. Thanks so much for addressing a delicate subject!

Make time for this book!

Daddy was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and Mother could no longer care for him alone. It was time for them to move onto the next stage in their life and move in with us. Selling their house and life-long collection of memories was more traumatic for my sister and me than for Mother. What were we to do? Vickie Dellaquila has the answers in her book "Don't Toss My Memories in the Trash". This is a wonderful book to assist you with cleaning out the clutter but hanging onto the memories. For example: Keep a teacup and saucer and sell the rest of the china set or use one crystal goblet for a pencil holder. "Don't Toss My Memories in the Trash" is written in an easy to read format with check lists, references, and resources. If not for yourself, buy this book for someone who is moving or downsizing. It will make an excellent gift.

A Must for Those in Elder Care

This book is great for those of us working with the Senior population. The first of the book has great reminders about the possiblity of physicial limitations and the progression as well as things to consider when determining if a move is right. Also in the book, many case studies are used which give us greater insight into the population and the emotional aspects which go into downsizing. The resources in the back were a great addition and very helpful. I plan to provide this book as a door prize when speaking to groups about elder care issues.

Downsizing possessions is a battleground or at least a minefield

This amazing book fills a specific void in the decluttering realm- that of providing practical downsizing advice and solutions for seniors (or anyone, for that matter) moving into smaller quarters. The first part of the book focuses on reaching an agreement that someone, most likely an elder parent, has to move, and this is usually after a lifetime of accumulating possessions. Dellaquila emphasizes, whenever possible, involving those who are moving. Participation in decision-making is the most important part, emotionally and psychologically. The stage is set for control dramas and unpleasant confrontations between generations even in the best of circumstances. The middle of the book details many of the nuts and bolts of moving, such as how to decrease possessions, categorizing what to keep and ways to part with things that once generated memories of life in the past. This section addresses such topics as what to keep and how to dispose of different items (which arguably are unique to each family). The last part of the book is a set of resources and checklists for moving, valuable to anyone relocating their household. This book gives an excellent overview of what to expect as a member of the sandwich generation, those responsible for their parents' quality of life in their later years. It will also be an eye-opener for those who, as they live longer and longer, have to plan for this latter stage of their lives.

Great Guide

I found this book to be extremely helpful. The numerous case studies gave me additional insight into the specific nuances of senior-downsizing. The appendices checklists, which offer point-by-point guides, are a wonderful resource for both professional organizers and for people doing their own downsizing. I recommend this book to all my senior relocation clients.