Selling Your Items
Look at the Big Picture
After sorting through your items, you will likely have many items to sell. Many times it is intuitive to sell the better items yourself, saving the lesser items for someone else to sell on your behalf. By doing this you may devalue your lot of items to the point of losing the opportunity of having someone remove and sell those items for you. Without the quantity and more valuable items as part of the lot, it may no longer be profitable for a business to deal with what is left. Whereas, if the original value and quantity were still available, they would have taken the original lot, both the more and less valuable items. Worse case scenario, you are now left with disposal or labor fees to have the less valuable items removed. Keep this in mind as you start making those distribution decisions. You do not want to do additional work and the end result being no additional profit.
Emotions and Disappointments - Tip 1
Seeing your items and memories go out the door of your current home can be the most emotional part of the downsizing and moving process. There are many disappointments that you may be experiencing at the same time. Over the next few tips, we will look at some common emotions and disappointments, with some suggestions for keeping things in perspective. During this time, it is good to keep looking forward. There is a good reason for your decision to downsize, and these items do not fit into this new phase of your life. Looking forward at the benefits of the downsize will help you as you go through the distribution part of the process.
Emotions and Disappointments - Tip 2
When you plan to give some of your most-valued items to family members, you may find they are not interested. That piece that was part of such fond memories for you, may not have the same memory for them. Also, they may already have a well-established household, or have no practical use for the item. Put things into perspective by reminding yourself that if you truly want what is best for the person, you will respect and value what they know to best for them and their household. Do not take it personally, and realize your disappointment is related to the difficulty you are having in parting with your items. Ouch! In order to help you the most, I have to be honest and blunt with this tip.
Emotions and Disappointments - Tip 3
Another realization during this part of the process is the reality that your items have little value in comparison to what you may have paid for them years ago. Of course, you may have that one-off, and it you do, that's great! But generally speaking, resale value on antiques, collectibles, and furniture is currently low. Keep things in perspective by remembering that its purpose was to serve you, and it did its job over the years. Of course, we all have those items we purchased and did not use as intended, making us feel wasteful when there is not a good resale value on the item, but it's OK, we have all done it, and it's just part of life.
Trash Hauler versus Dumpster
Many people automatically think of using a dumpster for the trash they are removing from their house. This may be a good option, but before you make the call, consider the labor of getting the items to the dumpster. Who is going to carry the trash from the attic and basement to the dumpster, and who is going to load the larger items into the dumpster? If you are going to have to add additional effort and cost into having someone help you load the dumpster, you may be better off hiring a trash removal service that includes labor and removal of the trash.
A Project
It is best when you can view the distribution process as a project; a project has a start and an end. Many people have good habits and want to make sure each item they are not keeping potentially goes to the best possible next life. Where this is a good habit to have, it can result in spinning in circles and holding up the progress of downsizing and moving if you have a timeline. Prioritize taking care of yourself, progressing, and moving forward with your downsizing and moving. This may mean taking some shortcuts when distributing your unwanted items. However, this is a temporary situation. After you get settled into your new home, you will still purchase things that you decide you do not like, or find things you decide you do not need. Go ahead and make those piles to ask your friends, or take that trip to a special location where the item has a better chance at a second life. This shift in your thought process and practice was only temporary, so you could get back to doing things the way you like to do them.