National best-selling author and Betty Brigade founder Sharon McRill offers tips on how to leverage spring cleaning in preparation for moving season. An excerpt from McRill's book, "Downsizing the Silver Tsunami: Who to call and where does all the stuff go?" can be found below.

Spring is a pivotal time to prepare a house for a move, and over 76 million U.S. baby boomers and their children are feeling pressure to organize decades worth of “stuff.”

An average of more than 40 million people are moving each year in the United States, and it is estimated that 80 percent of those moves occur between April and September according to Moving Labor. National best-selling author and organizing expert Sharon McRill helps baby boomers through this delicate process by offering tips for moving preparation and downsizing from start to finish:

• Use spring cleaning as motivation: The two most requested things to get a home sold quickly are to have the home clean, and free of repairs. A clutter-free home will win over a buyer more quickly almost every time.
• Recoup moving expenses:  Consignment stores and dealers can be  great assets to help offset the cost of moving. When packing up, it’s a great time to empty the home of items that could be sold to help earn back some cash.
• Don’t be upset if your kids don’t want your things: As collectors of knowledge and experiences, Generation X and millennial-aged children aren’t as interested in collecting the “stuff” that baby boomers may value. It’s important for both sides to be understanding and then actively find new places for the stuff to go.
• Ask the buyer if they want some stuff: If asked, a buyer may be excited to inherit a long ladder, a wheelbarrow, or patio furniture. They may even be willing to buy it off of you. But don’t assume. Make sure to ask before leaving anything behind.

“Downsizing your belongings can be overwhelming. Most Baby Boomers have been in their homes for decades,” shared McRill, when discussing those who are ready to downsize. “It’s typical to hear that someone has been in the same home for 30+ years and their parents may have lived in the same house for 50+ years. It’s a long process of acknowledging all the joys and sorrows of the time they lived there, and then recognizing they’re moving on to a new adventure.”

The following is an excerpt from Downsizing the Silver Tsunami: Who to call and where does all the stuff go?:

When you downsize, it’s time to decide how important the stuff really is? What does that mean? I mean, what would you grab if your house were on fire? Most people wouldn’t grab the dining room table, the couch or the TV. They’d get the pets out, and then maybe photographs or jewelry, and possibly the “good silver.” What I’m trying to say is, when you are considering downsizing, it is natural to think your stuff is really important. And it is, to a degree. Certain things help make you comfortable in your own home. But what items are really important? Have you thought about the things you would rescue in a crisis? Probably not. So, let’s talk about your stuff from a different perspective.

Jane and Bill were moving to their “dream house.” It was near a lake, and it was beautiful. Their new home was 30% smaller than the home where they were currently living. Jane was an only child and had inherited her mother’s and her aunt’s things when they died. In addition, Jane was a collector herself and, well… there was a lot of stuff in her house. Especially in the basement, which was one of the main storage areas.

Bill was ready to move but wasn’t willing to have the tough conversations with Jane to help her get rid of the many years of accumulation. He had, however, considered divorcing Jane because of her unwillingness to see the real necessity of limiting what they would move with them. For example, Jane thought the three sets of Christmas dishes were important, but she was willing to keep just one set. Bill was ready to get rid of all of the Christmas dishes and only keep what they needed for daily use. Can you see why this might have put them on different sides of the decision?

Jane was also acting like a victim. She blamed Bill for “making her decide” and for “forcing her to get rid of the things she loved.” She didn’t consider that the thing she loved most (Bill) was ready to walk away because he wasn’t on her list of priorities. OK, OK, OK, Bill wasn’t fully taking Jane’s feelings into consideration. For him, the inherited items were just “stuff.” For Jane, the items were a piece of her family history. Thank goodness they agreed on the decision to look for professional help. Jane was already in therapy for some anxiety issues. That made it a little easier for her when The Betty Brigade team came in to help her decide how to prioritize her idea of what to keep and what to release.

About Sharon McRill

Sharon McRill is founder and president of Betty Brigade, a relocation and organization service launched in 2003 with the purpose of bringing peace and ease to the moving process. For 15+ years McRill and her team of Betties have helped families navigate the physically and emotionally challenging experience of moving. Now, with the massive baby boomer population facing the need to downsize over the next decade, McRill shares expert insight through her book, Downsizing the Silver Tsunami. Readers will find a step-by-step plan to sort through decades of accumulated stuff and face the next phase of life with preparation and bravery. To order a copy of the book visit http://bit.ly/Downsizing-SilverTsunami, or to inquire about moving and organization support visit BettyBrigade.com.