Kids moving out and parents empty-nesting it, consider this advice: Allow plenty of time for downsizing.

When I planned my move, I knew I needed time for packing, loading and cleaning. I failed totally to consider the herculean task of downsizing. That cost me dearly: I left three days later than planned. Files, mostly, weighed me down. Every sheet of paper, back to the 1970s, had to be touched and often read. Significant time suck.

But significant gifts, also. I found a short article from a 1990s coworker. Titled “The Nine Most Important Words You Will Ever Hear,” the phrase is “be bold and m...