This is a great subject to explore. We have spent a lifetime of accumulating treasures and now must part with many of these items such as great great great grandma silverware which I am thinking of having jewelry pieces fashioned (necklace, bracelets, money clips, rings) I can distribute these to all family members as keepsakes rather than convincing one person to spend a lifetime of polishing. What would you think of such a plan?

If you're saving things like grandkids artwork, technology is your best solution. You can scan them into a computer yourself, or check one of the office supply stores sometimes they scan in for a fee. You can then download them into a digital picture frame, which will rotate them for viewing throughout the day. For more 3D stuff, you can take a photo for the computer, or find a place to put shelves. In a cottage, shelves at the height of the upper door frames are charming, and high enough not to get in the way. What do you really need to keep? Nothing. But if that makes you sad, keep the boxes, go through them at leisure, and consider how best to store or display. And after my mom died, we would have been grateful if she had left us only a few boxes!

@jlplatts that is a great idea! And if that is not feasible, offer any jewelry, China, silverware that you don't want to keep now, and when you visit, you will have the pleasure of seeing it in use. If they don't want it, and it's in good condition, sell it.

Why not go through the items with your children (and grandchildren, if appropriate) and start distributing them now? That way you don't have to store as many, and they're not overwhelmed with many things all at once.

What are you keeping right now? China? Photo albums?

Have you asked the kids what they would like? Maybe one really cares for just one certain thing. Better to work out more than one wanting the same thing while you are there. Certainly china set could be divided between more than one, photographs copied and distributed around.

And under the bed space can storage some smaller boxes, especially if beds are tall!

And, as much as possible, display the things you love in your new place:

My mother-in-law finally started cleaning out stuff a few years ago, and my husband had to go over to go through his old toys! Be honest with yourself that most of your kids stuff probably doesn't have the same emotional hold on them that it has on you so don't feel bad getting all but their favorite things.

As far as other stuff around the house, if you haven't used it in a couple of years, chances are you aren't going to so it can go. Obviously heavy winter coats, boots, hats, evening wear, turkey roaster and the like are the exception, but for regular clothes if you haven't worn it in a couple of years, it goes.

Keep what you need/love. Have your children come over (if possible) to select. If they live far away, remind them of items and ask what they want. I sold a favorite chair of my daughter's at our garage sale and she was quite mad - I had to call the person and ask for it back! Think about bins under the bed for extra storage and for those things you are on the fence about..keep and in a year when you haven't looked at once, you can throw out then.

Don't think of it as "throwing it out". Take things, after asking the kids, to a good charity thrift store, and then know that whoever purchases one of your treasures, will be loving and admiring it!

A good local cabinet maker could create a few shelves like this for some treasures:

Now that my kids are in their 20's and prefer cash or one big item for Christmas, I fill the spot under the Christmas tree with their old favorite books and toys from childhood. They love it!

Clear, labeled plastic bins can stack on top of each other. Could put a few into the corner of the garage, into a corner of a WIC, or like this:

Not trying to talk you into keeping things, but this would buy you time and take some stress away.