First and foremost, you will find that you don’t need to take all your “stuff” with you. You are going to be starting a new life. Why not make an adventure out of finding things you need for your new home when you arrive. Most countries will have available  everything  you need from silverware to linens. Looking for new items for your home will be fun.

Sort through your belongings. Realize that you can’t move your potted plants to Mexico. Do you really need to take  all the things you have collected over the years? Do you use them regularly or do they just collect dust in a box in the attic?  Will you ever use them or look at these items when you move?  Probably not.

Think of this move as a cleansing experience. When you move abroad you will develop new interests. Take with you only those things that you really either can’t replace or are of sentimental value that you will use.

Sell the rest….Take your time selling your things so that you get the most money from them. Research the value of  items that you consider to be worth more. Look online for similar items and see how much they sell for.  Use Craigslist, garage sales or consignment shops.  Things you can’t sell, donate to your local charity or recycle. You won’t believe how fast a “free” sign on something at the bottom of your driveway will make the item disappear. And if you have  useless junk around, get a dumpster and fill it up.

You will feel wonderful getting rid of the burden of taking care of all your stuff.  What remains that you have decided to take, will seem lighter and easier to manage in the move.