OK, so you’ve decided you want to have a Downsizing sale or unfortunately need to have an Estate Sale. You think “I can do this” and you can, but it’s a lot more work than you think. Even your Cat realizes this and not just because they’ll lose that favourite______ to sleep on.
Seriously though, it can be overwhelming. Here are a few tips if you want to start on your own. We’re sharing these not just because we’re nice, and we are, but because you can call us in at any point for help.
- Decide what you want to keep before you do anything else
- Gather together and group items that are similar
- Create Lots (Lots can be a single item or group of items)
- Measure (just about) everything, use WidthxDepthxHight (WxDxH) in inches
- Artwork is measured Height x Width
- Catalog and Photograph the Lots you’ve created
- Get some Family or Friends to help with the Pickup
It sounds simple but on average it takes most people about a week just to get to the point of Cataloging for an average home. Cataloging and Photography will take another day or two for two people if they want to do a good job.
- Deciding What to Keep
Wether it’s an Estate Sale or Downsizing, this is truly the hardest part. One of the things that makes us Human is our ability to form emotional attachments beyond the instinctual. My Mother couldn’t part with my Father’s clothes for almost a year because they still had his smell.
We have favourite mug’s or cereal bowl’s, that was always her or his chair. It’s ok to not want to part with these things but memories live in the heart.
Unless you’re Upsizing, we don’t seem to have room anymore. The “Children” probably have families of their own now and though they would love that China Cabinet, quite simply can’t find the space.
To Be Continued