Transaction Management

De-Clutter With Confidence

Selling in a Buyer's Market

De-Clutter With Confidence!

Many of my clients have lived in their homes for many years and the thought of deciding what to take and what to give away or sell is often overwhelming. They may be widowed, or their friends have moved out of the neighborhood, or they are moving away from familiar places and people. Change is difficult for many people and especially for those who have lived in their home for many years. The move represents much more than just selling the family home. It represents sorting through a lifetime of memories and friendships and familiar comforts.

Clutter is anything you own or possess that doesn’t improve your life or add value to it on a regular basis. Many people mistakenly believe that de-cluttering means throwing away items they have kept for years. De-cluttering should be approached in two parts: letting go of the clutter, and organizing what’s left so you can find what you need when you need it. As you sort through the items in your home, ask yourself:

· Will I have room for this item in my new home?

· Am I willing to pay a mover to pack and move this item?

· Have I used this item in the past year?

If you answered “no” to any of the above, then it’s time to start sorting! Before you start any work, though, have an expert who understands value come in to your home and look at all the items you have. Often people will throw away items that are of value and mistakenly think that many items are of estate sale quality.

Moving Boxes Lamp and Chair

Getting Started

Sorting through years of memories and possessions can be a daunting task, so here are a few suggestions to get you started:

· Make a list of items that need sorting through (books, clothing, photographs, etc.).

· Start with the easiest tasks initially. You’ll build confidence as you go.

· Take one room at a time. For example, start with one bedroom dresser and go through all the drawers.

What Furniture Should You Take With You?

If you’re moving to a smaller space, decide early what furniture you should take with you and draw up a floor plan to help you place the pieces. You can modify it as you go and move furniture around, but in the long run, the movers will use this layout to place your furniture and will save you time in the end. Perhaps you’ll want to buy some new pieces that fit exactly in your new space and are easier to get in and out of. Or use that dining room piece in the new den to hold your computer and office equipment. Re-think all the pieces you use now and how they could be used in your new space.

Charitable Donations:

Many items that will not sell using other methods can be donated to a charitable organization and you can take a tax deduction for it.

Thrift Shops:

Many thrift shops welcome your items since they cater to people who need items but don’t always have a lot of money to buy them. And you benefit from them because you can take a tax deduction.

Auction Houses:

Representatives will come to your home and pack up what you don’t want that they think is sellable. They will take a percentage of what they get and you will get money for something that’s been sitting in your attic for years! This is a great way to dispose of furniture, etc. that does not qualify for an estate sale.

Estate Sales:

These sales are held over a weekend by a group of people who specialize in this type of item disposal. They generally prefer that you have at least $8,000 worth of items in order to hold one. There is a fee for them to mark the items, advertise and conduct the sale, and track everything.

eBay:

This internet-based sales technique is world-wide and can be addictive. You can use it to sell your mother’s china or buy pieces to fill in ones that have chipped or broken. A dealer will handle the sale for you by photographing the item, researching it to find similar sales, and making sure the item is shipped and that the buyer pays for it. There will be a fee for the dealer’s charge, an eBay fee, and other fees as well.

Getting Rid of Papers – Trim the F.A.T.!

There are three things you can do with paper:

You can File it, Act on it, or Toss it

FILE IT:

Do your filing every day so it doesn’t get the best of you. Have a tray or in-box labeled “TO FILE” somewhere easy to find. As you open your mail, make an immediate decision as to what to do with that piece of paper.

ACT ON IT:

Find a central location to start a filing system to store items that will need action (bills, letters to write, receipts for taxes etc.) Use an accordion-style file folder that is separated into months of the year and weeks in the month is an easy way to organize bill paying, etc.

TOSS IT:

If an item is taking up space and does nothing to enhance it, it’s time to toss it. Tossing may not mean throwing it in the trash. It may mean giving it away to someone who needs it. If you’re tossing, ask yourself:

· If I need it later, can I easily get it elsewhere?

· By the time I might need this, will it be out-of-date?

· Is it obsolete now?

· Do I choose to keep this?

· For bills already paid, am I keeping them too long?

If you’re concerned about identity theft, then rent or buy a heavy-duty shredder. Then, as you sort through the piles of papers, you can shred the ones you don’t need.

Letting Go of Clothing

It has been said that you wear 20% of your clothes 80% of the time. Hanging onto clothes you no longer wear is not in your best interest. When the closet is stuffed with things you don’t like or can’t wear anymore, it can work against you. And think of the people who would love to have the clothing you no longer wear! Do you really need it? Why are you keeping it? Does it still fit? If not, donate it to a local thrift store or women’s shelter. They will love you for it! And you can take a tax deduction for a charitable donation.

Here are some questions to ask as you go through your closet:

· Does this item fit?

· Does it need to be repaired or cleaned before I can wear it?

· Do I have to buy something to go with it (a skirt, shirt, pants, etc.) If not, then buy what you need to wear with it or donate it!

· Is this piece comfortable?

· If you haven’t worn it in the past year, what is the benefit of keeping it?

What to do about Photos

Photographs can be hard to deal with because each one holds a memory. If you can remember who the people in the photos are, write on the back of the photo who is in it and the approximate year it was taken and whether it was in celebration of a special event. If you can’t remember any of this, then it should be thrown out. Photos can be stored in albums and given to family members. Or, if you prefer, you can store hundreds of photos on CD-Roms for long-term storage or mailing to family and friends.

If you’re a Bookworm...

Books can be a challenge since many people are attached to them and use them for security. If you have an extensive collection, consider donating them to your alma mater, or a local hospital, or to the public library who will then sell them to raise funds.

How Long Does It Take?

How much clutter do you have? How big is your house? How many people are helping you? It may take you longer than you think to complete the job because you’ll stop to ponder memories of the event or person associated with the item. Give yourself time to say good-bye. It’s good therapy. Give your loved ones a timetable by when they must take the items they want. Then you can have the estate sale people come in to finish the job. Be sure you mark the items you want to take with you before the movers come in. It will reduce your costs and you won’t be transporting unwanted items. And selling those unwanted items can help offset the cost of moving.

It can normally take about 15 minutes to do one drawer or shelf so use this time scale to plan. Do a little each day and have people help whenever possible.

There are many benefits to de-cluttering your life and letting go of old stuff. You’ll have more space and you’ll get rid of stale energy and emotions. Sorting through your belongings is the biggest job you will tackle to prepare for the move!

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Call me today ... I'll take the worry away!

Debbie Miller, Lifestyle Transition Specialist^®

CSA (Certified Senior Advisor), Seniors Housing Marketing Specialist