You don't need a professional unless you are too short on time or too emotionally attached to your belongings. I too headed for the city instead of the country and had to ruthlessly purge. Here are a few things I did:

1. Find really great thrift and resale stores whose mission you truly believe in. It greatly helps you want to donate, donate, donate. My good clothing went to an organization where it would be reused for low-income women going on job interviews. My less precious clothing and housewares went to an AIDS thrift store where the profits were used to fund an excellent health care clinic.

2. Things more precious and sentimental I gave to people I knew would really love them. My artist friend got tons of old dollies, which she has died with marigolds grown in her garden. She loves them. Cool. My grandparents 1970s West Germany ceramics went to the nanny of the people next door who had studied art history in college and loved this era. She was besides herself with excitement to receive this great set of ceramic dishes. If you don't know the right person who will love your old stuff, just post it on Facebook Marketplace or some other site and it will be taken pronto by people who will love it.

3. Save one of something and give the rest away. I still have the cream and sugar part of the ceramic set from my grandparents. I have the salad servers from a cool set of silverware I didn't keep. I had a chest of letters between myself and my relatives from when I was at college. I kept the 5 best letters and recycled the rest.

4. Take a pic of things you love and then give it away.

Remember, stuff is stuff is stuff is stuff. It is not what matters in life.