It’s just a fact: Downsizing = Stuff. And what clients want to do with that stuff can vary widely. Many people hope to give things to kids and other family members. Get prepared to be disappointed if that is the case, but you never know until you ask! If they say they want it, give them a deadline to come and get it and stick to it.
Many people are hoping to make some money from the things they no longer need, and some people can do just that. An estate sale held after a move is the most ideal way to do that, but it’s important to understand that estate sale companies will need plenty of lead time to get on their schedules and they also need a week or two of setup time. Often, however, folks aren’t leaving enough behind to have a sale (most reputable companies expect to be able to sell at least $7,500 worth), their neighborhood HOA doesn’t allow a sale, or their real estate schedule doesn’t allow enough time for one to be held.
Sometimes in cases like these an estate liquidator can come and make an offer that includes emptying the house, but this too depends on what you have left. Other companies will sometimes come and “cherry pick” some items to take and put at another sale or auction they are hosting. For those who have just a few “big ticket” items they want to sell, nothing beats Facebook Marketplace for getting a lot of eyes on an item.
More and more, however, we are seeing that clients need to get comfortable with the idea of donating things that they’d been hoping to sell. The truth right now is there are many more people trying to sell items like good quality used furniture and household furnishings than there are people lining up to buy them. Kansas City is lucky to have some great charities that are willing to come into a home to pick things up. Check out Blessings Abound and Flourish Furniture Bank’s websites for how to donate. The key with donating is to get started early. Charities too have schedules and are facing a deluge of donations that sometimes lead them to be choosier about what they will take.
Lastly, folks may ultimately need help from a junk hauler. There are many of those out there, we can help steer you towards the good ones who charge reasonable rates and also donate as much of what they pick up as they can.
