If you’re thinking about downsizing but have a few roadblocks in the way, such as decluttering and tidying up the spare room, the garage, the hallway cupboard, (or all of those) … now’s the season to get into the Spring time tidy up.

It’s also a perfect time to discover more about the how-to’s to downsizing and decluttering your home. Ingenia Lifestyle asks Australia’s first certified KonMari™ Consultant and an Evaluator for KonMari™ Media, Inc., Gemma Quinn, a few Q&A’s on the Spring time tidy up.

IL: Is it possible for a couple to let go of 40 years of stuff?
GQ: Yes, absolutely. It shouldn’t be about ‘letting go’. It’s about choosing what you love and finding other ways your items could be of value to someone else and change their life for the better. Sentimental items are hard, put it to one side and deal with it last. By doing this it’s liberating and you can get on with living your ideal life.

IL: What do you think is the biggest hurdle for Baby Boomers?
GQ: You can’t live an ideal life if you’re living in the past. Having Baby Boomers understand if they can stop buying, it saves them a lot of money. Money that can be used going on a cruise etc.

IL: What advice do you have for their downsizing journey?
GQ: Downsizers know what life is about and what makes them happy. They know life is hard, short and things can change. Embrace the now and the joy, don’t let the past, any obligations or the ‘what if’ hold you back or stop you from living your best life.

IL: How can you unlock other areas of life after a tidy up?
GQ: It naturally happens. It operates in a parallel system. After a tidy up, you question why you have wasted time and money on buying an item that doesn’t ‘Spark Joy’. This mentality crosses over to all aspects and you learn a certain structure that helps you live a life of joy. You begin to change and that can help with your money, health, relationships and mentally; it infuses into every aspect of your life.

Many Ingenia Lifestyle residents find decluttering and downsizing their home has allowed them to live a life where they can lock up to leave and travel rather than cleaning and maintaining a large house.