I need some advice. We just moved into a house after living in our motor home for three years. Everything was in storage for that time and was just delivered a week ago. I've gone through many boxes with more to do. I now have many duplicates and boxes of things I really don't need. We want to seriously downsize and need to. We are retired. The quote, "If you haven't used it in 6 months, get rid of it." What if it's been in storage for 3 years and you've got enough gathered from where you've been living?
Should I put it all away, then go through it later or try to sort now and have a yard sale?
Any suggestions???

I would make 3 "piles"..l
things I can use
things I might use
things for yard sale
Then I would get rid of the yard sale items and review the "might" items next yr. & possibly have another yard sale.

If you have room, I would go through the boxes to see what is there and then stack them out of the way. After a year or six months, if you have not taken it out of the box and used it, sell it, trash it or give it away.

Grammy, since we travel extensively I can relate to your situation well. You have all the necessities in your motorhome, but you don't have all the things that make your life in a house more comfortable or enjoyable. To me, that's the big difference. Keep the things that really mean something to you or that make life more enjoyable, and then donate or sell the rest of them.

When I married for the second time and moved 320 miles away, I packed everything (widowed so had 100% of what 1st DH and I had accumulated). The garage was full of boxes and extra furniture. After 14 months of running back and forth to the garage, shuffling boxes, finding what I wanted, relegating some of 2nd DHs stuff to the garage...we finally had a garage sale. Two of them - 3 months apart. Made 2-3 thousand dollars, donated unsold items to Salvation Army.

"twoboysgranny," Well, what I am about to say probable contradicts every "experts" opinion BUT so be it!

Yes, you can live quite well in an RV and have every necessity you need at hand for everyday living so that old "if you don't use it in X matter of time" would say to get rid of it. BUT, I'm thinking that doesn't apply to you - I KNOW it doesn't apply to me. By the way, I think that saying comes from some younger people who have yet to grow old enough to appreciate their past.

My guidelines: If it is an item that can be replaced by a quick shopping trip to a nearby mall with a newer and better version? Yes, put it in a box to take to your charity of choice - it's easier if you break the sorting down into sections. It it is something not valuable - broken or whatever that you thought, hmmm, I MIGHT use this someday, put it in the box either for the landfill or the charity depending on the state of the item...

Do the same until you have consolidated 10 boxes into five and so on...

Now, see what is left that can't be replaced and decide if you really want to keep "it" - old things you liked at the time but would never display in your home today for example. Take them to the charity you have selected and keep all the rest - take them out six months from now and go through the same process which will leave you with the "gems" of your life.

I like what Ga Karen said. surely there are some things in those boxes that you just like and want to keep.

Maybe there are things you can toss. Otherwise have a yard sale this summer and treat someone else to some finds and get yourself some cash.

I don't find 6 month rules very helpful. There are many things I never use that I do not want to part with. But that is me. Maybe you only have turkey on thanksgiving but do you really want to get rid of your roasting pan?

Good luck with your decisions. I would go through the boxes now though as otherwise they will nag at you and summertime is the time to have a yard sale.