Becoming a packrat is almost a rite of passage in middle age. An American survey found that after 50, people become increasingly less likely to give away or sell things they don’t need. And yet at least half of them admit they own too much.
“We tend to hang onto things longer as we age,” says Colette Robicheau, a professional organizer and coach in Halifax. “It’s all those memories.” But there are consequences. At minimum, it means more stuff to sort through when you downsize. If your house clutter reaches an embarrassing level, you may be reluctant to let repairmen inside or host family gatherings. There are even safety considerations: one of Robicheau’s senior clients experienced a special little epiphany when she tripped and fell over the junk in her house. She lay on the floor, waiting for help – and staring at the book of organizing tips she’d bought long ago.
Want to pare back possessions before it’s too late? “It’s really a change in mindset,” says Robicheau.
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