After doing a recent estate sale for a couple who have lived
in the same house for 33 years and had stuff stored in every
closet, drawer, cabinet, and garage, I decided to talk to
NWBW about "Whether to Save It or Throw It." This
is the content of that talk:
In addition to having sentimental value, some items just
have more value than others. Those with value include antiques,
vintage clothes, jewelry, kitchenware, tools, dolls, stamps,
coins and collectible items like vintage linens, dishes, glassware,
salt and peppers, and radios and stereos (if they work). These
items can be sold at consignment stores, on Craigslist or
at an estate sale.
Some questions to ask yourself are:
-
How long has it been since I wore it or
used it?
-
Is it costing me money to store it?
-
It is taking up room that I need for something
else?
A good rule of thumb is: if you haven’t used it in
a year, it can’t be too dear.
I know someone who pays $22,000 per month to store stuff
in a warehouse that he won’t get rid of because he might
need it someday. The warehouse is full of furniture,accessories,
and 15 TV sets. He has just bought a new home and is having
new flat screen TV’s installed, so it makes no sense
to keep outdated technology and appliances.
The refusal to get rid of things that are not being used
may be compulsive hoarding, which is defined as:
-
Acquisition of and failure to discard a
large number of possessions that appear to be useless or
of limited value,
-
Living spaces that are so cluttered that
they cannot be used for the purpose intended and
-
Significant distress or impaired functioning
caused by hoarding. For example: the person may have stopped
inviting friends over because their house is so cluttered
that they are embarrassed.
People with compulsive hoarding need professional help to
deal with what the rest of us call being a packrat.
If you know someone who needs to get rid of a large number
of items and they are good saleable items, please remember
that Estate Mates can help declutter by having an estate sale
which benefits the person who needs to get rid of things.
Some items that don’t have much value that you can
get rid of are:
-
Books you have read. Most people don’t
read them again, so sell them to Half Price Books. Encyclopedias
are not only outdated, but heavy and no one buys them at
a sale. They have been replaced by computers.
-
Clothes you don’t wear anymore should
be sold at a thrift store or donated to a charity unless
they are vintage—from the 30’s, 40’s and
50’s. Clothes from the 60’s on are not yet cool.
-
Records, slides and old home movies can
be transferred to a CD or a DVD so you can get rid of the
original and the equipment required to play it or see it.
-
If you have years of tax records, bank
statements, National Geographics or other magazines, take
advantage of the free shredding day on April 19 that allows
you to bring up to 5 bank boxes full of records to shred
at Austin High School parking lot.
Old magazines and newspapers should be recycled.
See my handy list of what to save or sell and what to throw
away, below:
Generally Save or Sell:
Antiques and good furniture
Collectibles of all kinds: dolls, stamps, coins, old quilts
Vintage clothes and jewelry
Retro dishes (Fiesta ware, china, silver)
Records (if they have jackets) in good condition
Bedding (sheets, comforters, bedspreads) in good condition
Fabric for sewing or quilting
Kitchenware—utensils, cookware, bowls
Tools, hunting and fishing equipment
Generally Throw Away:
Magazines and newspapers
Outdated electronic equipment
Old towels and sheets (stained or incomplete set)
Mattresses with stains
Paperback books
Worn underwear and lingerie
Incomplete items
Rusty items
Non-working tools and equipment
Old appliances
Paperwork more than 7 years old
Plastic containers
Cans of paint, thinner, and hazardous items
Compiled by Linda
Moore, Co-owner of Estate Mates, LLC 512-577-1015
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