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If, like me, you've been a lifetime saver, you probably have items that fall into the category of "ephemera," items that were expected to have only short-term use. But someone may want these AND be willing to pay you.

While downsizing, we may go through emotional states that parallel Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

Here are a few tips for finding, hiring, and getting the most from a professional organizer/downsizer to help you in your downsizing journey.

Although we had the time and were making progress, we found that taking advantage of a local decluttering/downsizing support group and hiring a professional organizer were game changers for us.

After more than eight years in slow downsizing mode, we have given ourselves a deadline of a year from now to clear. We pose questions to keep us focused on the big task ahead of us.

Like one in 10 Americans, I am the not-so-proud renter of an external storage unit. After 20 years, I am finally conquering that space and have advice to offer others.

Downsizing the Family Home by Marni Jameson (Sterling/AARP, 2015) provides an engaging, practical, and personal summary of the downsizing process, with a focus on the emotional aspects.

When slow downsizing, it's important to have an overall sense of direction. But approach the overall project in any way that will keep you motivated.

I'm surprised to learn what how much I've gained from my downsizing project beyond various approaches to and methods for discarding and/or preserving artifacts from my life.

I review Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff by Matt Paxton (featured presenter on Hoarders and host of Legacy List). It offers helpful and specific advice for those clearing out a lifetime of memories while acknowledging the emotional challenges.

If you came of age before digital photography, you may have a large number of color slides you never look at. I share how I am pruning and preparing my collection for digitization.

We got married 32 years ago, and other than putting together a photo album, we had done nothing with our wedding memorabilia. I describe our approach and offer some suggestions for joint downsizing decisions.