Years of living in a home usually translates to years of accumulated possessions. Whether it’s been 3 years or 30, moving is the perfect time to consider getting rid of things. If you are downsizing, it may be paramount, but even if you are moving up in square footage, chances are you own a number of things you neither use or even remember that you had until you stumble upon it again while throwing it into a random box.
Getting rid of things of course comes with some emotional attachment and the inevitable decision making process on how to get rid of the items. Knowing that your items are going to be put to use by someone in need, or that you will be pocketing some cold hard cash can help make the letting go a bit easier.
Estate Sales – Estate sales typically work best for higher quality furniture and artwork in large numbers, i.e. an entire house. The estate sale team descends upon your home, qualifies all of your possessions, prices everything and handles the marketing and sales process. The team can then also handle removal of anything that didn’t sell. The estate sales team takes a portion of the proceeds as their payment.
Garage Sale – Perfect for when you are getting rid of odds and ends and items that get lots of use like kids toys and clothing.
Homeless Shelters – Homeless shelters are always in need of warm clothing like jackets, socks, long johns, and blankets. Backpacks are also useful.
Donation Centers – Today most donation centers support a specific charity so your donations can make you feel wonderful about what is important to you. This can be helpful when helping a parent downsize to move into assisted living. Choose a charity they love to help them make the hard decisions. Centers often help the SPCA, local hospice, Red Cross and more. Many of these centers will also come to pick up large items for free.
Freecycle – Connect with other local residents to give away your items for free! Great option for items that are a little worn, odds and ends, or anything you want to go to a home you know it will be used in.
The Curb – Some neighborhoods have this magical place where items disappear almost as fast as residents leave them. Setting things on the curb with a FREE sign works wonders. Having respect for neighbors is important of course, if the item is there at the end of the day, using your backup plan and getting it off the curb is paramount.
Senior Moving Services – If you or a family member is moving into an assisted living facility or senior community and needs help organizing everything, our real estate team specializes in helping seniors navigate the details and decisions involved in downsizing and selling their home and possessions. Give us a call to discuss your needs.