Hosting an estate sale can be very overwhelming and stressful. Losing a loved one is never easy and having to go through their stuff can be an emotional process. Letting go of their possessions can be just as emotional and an estate sale can be so intimidating. It doesn’t always have to be that way, you just need to know where to start.
After the initial mourning period, then it is time for you to start getting down and dirty. Remember to only do what you feel like, remember that you don’t have to do it yet, remember to go through with the estate sale when you’re ready.
One of the first things you need to do in order to make sure you have a successful estate sale is to sort through the items. These items will be sorted into four different piles in order to determine what to do with them. The four piles are keep & store, donate, throw and sell. In order to be very efficient, try not to get distracted, but sorting through every item can either be very tedious or very emotional, prepare for both.
The first sorting pile, keep & store, is determined whether or not you have space or a need for this item. Ask yourself:
- Do you really need it?
- Do you have the space for it?
- Is it in good working condition?
If you end up keeping too many items, go through the pile and ask those 3 questions again. Make sure you don’t end up with clutter!
The second sorting pile will be the donation pile. This is the pile containing objects that can still work but is not in good selling conditions. These items include clothes and shoes that are worn and can still be worn. Even though you won’t find use out of it, someone else will. Find the good out of the bad, and donate what you can.
The third sorting pile will be thrown away at the end of the sorting process. All of these items are really tattered and can not be used again. Overworn shoes and clothes that have gone past the point of vintage has to be thrown out. Really, if you can’t sell it, you don’t want it and you don’t think anybody else will, then out it goes.
The fourth sorting pile is the most important pile for the nature of this article. It is the sell pile. These are the items that you wouldn’t take yourself, but you know there is a demand for it and you want to be the supplier.
If you are still having a difficult time going through the items, maybe, hire a downsizing specialist. They assist with sorting and helping you make decisions on which assortment pile an object should go. Downsizing specialists do their job without promising or declaring value on an item other than the consideration of your opinion.
Now, it can be tricky figuring out what’s what because junk to you can be somebody else’s treasure and there’s also the fine line between donate and throw it away.I must say that it would be ideal for you to at least consult an estate sale firm. Consultations should be free and they should tell you if the items are viable of an estate sale. They should also have knowledge on what can be desirable. Even though it made your second or third pile, it could end up in the fourth one.
Now, you may want to stick with your estate sale agent because they will be doing a lot of the legwork for your sale. They help you prepare for the auction by organising the items and are able to evaluate and declare value to an item from an experienced and unsentimental point of view.
Now, if you don’t want to bring professionalism into the process… or at least not yet. Turn to the people you turn to the most, whether it be your family, your friends, your pets. Turn to these people to help you with the organising, the sorting, the declaration of something’s value. They can be so helpful in both your estate sale and mental health.
After that, you’ve got to promote the sale. You’ve got to advertise what you have and to do that, it is great for you to contact your local newspaper or an online source. Another way is through your network and support system, share the sale through social media and use their influence, as well as yours, to get people to attend.
At the end of all your hard work, then please reward your network and most importantly, reward yourself. You’ve been through such a challenging experience and you’ve done it. It might have not been all smooth sailing (we really hope it was) but it’s done, it’s completed, it’s finished. Reward yourself, because you deserve it.
