Cleaning Out + Emotions = Feeling Overwhelmed
One of the blogs that I have gotten the most response from was where I implored people to start cleaning out stuff so their kids don’t have to. Okay, let’s say that proactive wish didn’t come true and now YOU must clean out someone else’s lifetime full of stuff.
How will you do it? You’re busy with work, kids, and your life. Plus, there are lots of emotions, logistics, and confusion. How do you know if you are about to throw away a priceless painting or hang onto a worthless piece of a 3rd grade art project?
Enter my favorite solution to sticky dilemmas: outsourcing! Following is an interview with Alessandra Banno of the estate sale firm Everything but the House.
Q: What is the benefit of hiring an estate sale firm to clean out a house versus doing it yourself?
A: Many people who have done it themselves before can attest that preparing and hosting an estate sale yourself is incredibly stressful, arduous and time consuming! Also, our team often discovers many pieces that might be overlooked otherwise, and, because of our incredible exposure, our clients are able to achieve 3 to 5 times higher revenues than traditional avenues of sale would bring.
Q: What should people consider when deciding to keep or sell items?
A: I encourage my clients to think about the last time they used the items. If they’ve been in boxes or out of sight for some time, then consider how you’re benefiting from these belongings: physically or emotionally. If it’s an emotional benefit, would taking and keeping pictures of the items suffice? If not, I always encourage you hang onto anything you’re emotionally attached to. I never want to persuade my clients to sell something they are not ready to let go of.
Q: Are people realistic about the values of their possessions or do you find they attach a monetary value to memories?
A: It certainly differs depending on the client. Most people understand the fair market value, but if they’re emotionally attached to the item, then we see them attaching a monetary value to the memories.
Q: How does your process work to help people effectively dispose of their household items?
A: At EBTH, we coordinate trash removals and donations for our clients, if necessary, and then we can photograph and catalog the sellable items for sale on our website.
Q: What should people expect to pay for a service to help sell the family valuables?
A: We charge either 40 or 48 percent commission depending on the distance and how labor intensive the project is for our team.
Thanks to Alessandra for participating in my Spring Clean Out article! For more information, check out the website: www.ebth.com
