Is It Time To Declutter Your Somewhat Empty Nest?
Here’s How to Downsize Your Stuff!
If you envision a time in the near future when your nest will be officially empty or if your living situation is going to change, then this is an excellent time to start downsizing your stuff. Perhaps you’re thinking about repurposing the space in your current home. Or maybe you’ll be moving to a smaller, maintenance free community! Whatever your future plans hold, cleaning out your home is a necessary first step to that dream. Because let’s face it-we all have too much stuff. Before you hit the panic button, we’ll show you how to downsize your belongings without driving yourself crazy.
Downsizing staples: garage sales and estate sales
Two of the most effective ways to downsize your belongings are with garage sales and estate sales.Not only can you say goodbye to items that are no longer useful, but you can also make money at the same time. Typically with a garage sale, all of the work falls on you, the homeowner to organize, price and assemble each item for sale. However, you also get to keep all of the profits.With an estate sale, an outside company will handle all of the responsibilities, including pricing, and will take a portion of the sales as compensation. In either case, there is no guarantee that all items will sell.
Consider using an auction.
Selling your items at auction can be a great way to downsize a large amount of stuff in a short time frame. Unlike a garage sale or an estate sale, an auction is almost never held at the homeowner’s residence. Typically, they are open to the public and require a licensed, experienced auctioneer to handle the bidding process. Pricing is determined when the public bidding process reaches its highest bid per item, as determined by the auctioneer. The auction company gets paid by a commission on each item sold and they have full discretion over which items are selected to sell.
For any remaining items that are gently used but no longer of use to you, why not donate them to others who need them? There are a number of organizations in Tampa Bay that will be happy to pick-up your gently used donations of household goods: The Salvation Army, the American Veterans Association, Vietnam Veterans of America, The Red Cross of Tampa Bay and the Sunshine Thrift Store.Not only would they love to repurpose your household items but most will provide a tax receipt too!
Times of transition can be challenging and call for the experience and professionalism of trusted real estate agents who can guide you through the process with meticulous attention to detail and a sympathetic disposition.We would love the opportunity to help you transition into the next exciting chapter whether you need to sell your home or are thinking about purchasing a new home.
At Dick and Karla Nielsen P.A., our customers know that we prioritize relationships over deals and service over sales. If you’re ready to get started or still in the planning stages, contact us at info@dickandkarla.com with any questions. It would be our pleasure to help provide a stress-free transition!
