Decluttering advisor

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I had an appointment with a person that advises others on how to declutter their house. I guess I misunderstood what this service does. I thought they were like estate sellers and would help me find buyers for the vintage glassware and porcelain I have. The only thing they do is tell you what to what to donate and where, and what to trash. All she could advise was to rent a roll-off dumpster and put everything I didn't want in it. She said nothing I had was of any value.

Excuse me! "Trash" and "donate" are not in my vocabulary when talking about my mother's beloved collectibles. I wonder what criteria she used to make that decision? You've probably seen photos I've posted here of what's in my house.
 

Deb, what about opening up a little shop in town for your mother's precious collectibles. Yes, there will be rent to pay, but it might prove worthwhile.

The declutter lady might have been miffed that her time had been wasted too. Decluttering is very big right now and she might have been surprised you didn't know what it meant.

Its sad but true, those kinds of knick knacks are out of date and style, but I wonder why you continue to try to try to sell them if you are having so little success and so many difficulties for so long. There must be a fair amount of money in it for you otherwise why would you bother with it and is it actually a little 'business' you have going?
 

Unfortunately, one person's beloved collectibles is another person's junk and vice versa. Stuff is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Of course, you can't compare "sales" value with "emotional" value. I have things that I'm sure 99% of the world would turn their noses up at, but to me they're priceless because of their emotional value.

All I know is that if I have it and want to sell it, it's considered worthless junk. If I don't have it and want to buy it, it has instantly become a priceless artifact. I don't know how that manages to work out that way every darned time, but it does.

Sometimes, sometimes....you find someone who thinks your worthless junk IS a priceless artifact. I had the ugliest gaudy piece of bass fishing memorabilia imaginable and decided to put it on Craigs List.....what could I lose? Two guys actually got into a bidding war on it and the guy who bought it thought his dad was going to LOVE it so he bought it for a Christmas present. Who knew? Then I put some gorgeous antique collectible Christmas stuff on and didn't get a nibble. At Christmas, even. Again, who knew?
 
I bet that was a shock debdun. Renting a roll out dumpster seems a bit harsh. I've never heard of a decluttering specialist. I have 3 trunks with a lot of leaded glassware and large antique platters and things but I haven't been able to find a good market for. It seems like young people today don't care much for displaying glassware and china like we did. I've priced things on eBay and the stuff I have isn't really selling well. It's very disappointing. Could you get an antique store to come out and make you an offer or would you feel comfortable doing that?
 
See with a house like mine it is mostly junk. Bit by bit I'm tossing almost all of it. But your mother's glassware is beautiful. Are there any places near you that perhaps sell consignment? BTW I wouldn't pay that advisor, that wasn't advising much of anything.
 
Unfortunately, one person's beloved collectibles is another person's junk and vice versa. Stuff is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
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Very true! Once, when I was downsizing and holding a garage sale, I overheard a youngish browser saying, "Old people always think their things are worth more than they actually are." Unfortunately, I agree. The reason is that we factor in sentimental/emotional value, which of course is meaningless to most people. They don't know the stories that go along with all the "stuff."
 
I think a lot of it is changing tastes and lifestyles. A lot of younger people are very mobile with their lifestyles and/or their jobs, and don't want a lot of stuff to make packing up and moving more difficult.

I also think that most younger people don't care to collect and display glassware as was the thing when we were younger, and most of them are not the least bit interested in antiques, either. Most of them find them too ornate and/or heavy.

You may come to the place where you have to sell it off cheap, donate it, or just keep it and let your heirs figure it out.
 
Sunny said:
Very true! Once, when I was downsizing and holding a garage sale, I overheard a youngish browser saying, "Old people always think their things are worth more than they actually are." Unfortunately, I agree. The reason is that we factor in sentimental/emotional value, which of course is meaningless to most people. They don't know the stories that go along with all the "stuff."
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Sad, but true. I have seen many of those same glass"collectibles" sitting on the shelves at Goodwill for just a couple of dollars, even 99 cents!
 
I did post a message on a FB antique group about the 2500 sq ft house I inherited and filled with my parent's treasures. Their consensus of opinion that unless I am willing to do an eBay-like business (i.e. pack & ship), I am not going to do well trying to sell to a local market (cash & carry). Some members of the group were pretty harsh in their comments, also.

So I get the drift that unless you have first editions of Shakespeare or Dickens, and Louis XIV or Chippendale furniture (in other words -"high end items"), the antique market is D.E.A.D! I almost suspected it when many of the local "collectible, thrift and consignment" shops went belly-up in the last few years. I think there's only one left and I never see anyone there. If anyone does stop at my sales, they want things DIRT CHEAP and in "like new" condition. I guess "Fair market value" is not in their vocabulary. The last sale a man stopped and asked to get a bunch of things that totaled $50 for $10. I told him I'd give him a 10% discount for a large purchase and the prices I had were fair market values. He said, "Yeah, I know your definition of 'fair market value' - you look and see what eBay prices are, then add 20%, so even if you give 10% off, they're still over-priced!"

Also, nobody wants anything they have to "fix up" (like varnish, re-cane, reupholster or even launder). Upholstered furniture, clothing and even fabrics (linens, tablecloths, bedding and scraps for crafting) no one looks at or seems to even want to touch. They think I got bedbugs?

I had this nifty mint condition block of stamps featuring classic comic strip characters that I had matted and framed. There are 20 stamps in the block and when they were issued, the postage was 32¢, so at face value would be $6.40. People won't even pay that, and not counting the framing costs!

stamps.jpg
 
If you have exhausted all avenues, I would consider calling an auction house. Now you may not get full value but they do come out to look at things. Some people do place value on the carnival glass and depression glass if it is authentic. Perhaps not 20's and 30's but by the time they are a little older, they learn to appreciate. I have things I would like to give to my granddaughter but she is only 20 and I know she has yet to really appreciate.(Lamage) I also have some pretty etched glass that I think is to precious to donate, so for the time being, I'm holding onto that as well. You kind of have to deal with people that have knowledge of the value--it is true it's only worth what ones willing to pay. That can fluctuate too! I saw on e-Bay, someone selling a group of Hess trucks still in box for $1000! They go up and down in value also. I hope you get some $$ out of it but you can get info on Etsy and e-Bay to have an idea what people are asking, even Pinterest might help. Good luck!
 
A good friend of mine had a minister tell the congregation "everything you own will some day be in a garage sale". Truth. It's all just stuff. When we die, all of our memories go with it and those things we treasure, well, they're just stuff to our children and grandchildren.
 
I have been following this discussion as we are attempting to rid ourselves of stuff too, and just wanted to throw in my two cents. A friend of mind used to cruise the area yard sales on weekends when she lived in eastern Virginia. She picked up tons of old jewelry - some sliver and gold was mixed in which she cleaned up and re-sold. The rest she would de-construct and re-make into new jewelry. ANYWAY, when she moved to Ohio, there was usually NO jewelry at the yard sales and the re-sale market was equally depressed. She is now in Las Vegas and the market for that is dead there too but jewelry always seems to sell somewhere online but that takes extra time and effort too.

So, it depends on where you are! We have several re-sale shops in eastern TN that run trucks up to Indiana, Ohio and PA to pick up stuff and sell here. There is a whole museum downtown dedicated to glassware - http://www.thehoustonmuseum.org/collection cruise through their collection - you might contact them to see if they have any interest in your things or suggestions for where you can sell.

I have had some limited success on eBay but this summer NO one was buying and sellers were complaining. I have had the best success with needlepoint items and popular culture - just sold two Star Wars related pieces. BUT, have had some things listed for 3 years! Just depends on who is looking. There are a dozen re-sale sites online now too so there is a lot of competition. WE, of a certain age, ARE ALL trying to sell our stuff!

Sorry about the De-Clutter Lady. It is all the rage lately but only to help you organize what you have. If anyone is interested in doing that - I wouldn't hire anyone but check out the book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. I HATE self-help books but actually read this one from cover to cover. She had some great ideas and amusing anecdotes to make you smile - not preachy.

Hang in there! Its all about the marketing!
 
Hoot N Annie said:
A good friend of mine had a minister tell the congregation "everything you own will some day be in a garage sale". Truth. It's all just stuff. When we die, all of our memories go with it and those things we treasure, well, they're just stuff to our children and grandchildren.
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I'm finding this to be true with my family.

I have been the one in my family that has given the "treasures" a good home and now I'm attempting to shed the excess so I can move into a smaller apartment and live clutter free! I have tried to give anyone that can't outrun me an idea of why some things are important and why they should stay in the family, so far no luck.

It has been a slow and painful process, I'm still working on it using these techniques.

Decide which items will go with you to the grave and set them aside.

Clean and edit out the real junk that tends to accumulate just because we have the room for it. This includes all of the things we might need some day! All of the nice little boxes, interesting bottles, candles, greeting cards, old camping equipment, sports gear, clothes, games, books, duplicate kitchen items, paint cans, old cleaning supplies, medications, etc... Be ruthless with this step, if you make a mistake you can always go to Walmart and pickup another one.

Inventory and box up the items that have some value and get them into the attic or garage. For me this is truly a case of out of sight out of mind, I have not missed one item that I have done this with. The next step for these items is out the door!

Sell a few things on Ebay, and give the rest away to friends, thrift shops or Freecycle.

Just learn to let it go and relieve yourself of the burden!

I tell people I feel like the old pioneers crossing the prairie in a covered wagon, as the journey becomes more difficult I find myself leaving my possessions on the side of the trail as I head towards my new life!

Good luck!
 
Hoot N Annie said:
A good friend of mine had a minister tell the congregation "everything you own will some day be in a garage sale". Truth. It's all just stuff. When we die, all of our memories go with it and those things we treasure, well, they're just stuff to our children and grandchildren.
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.....this is true, I've been the one to clean out homes of my relatives that have passed on.
I'm continuing to get rid of stuff, if it is usable, the kids get it, if not, it is thrown away.
 
I tell people I feel like the old pioneers crossing the prairie in a covered wagon, as the journey becomes more difficult I find myself leaving my possessions on the side of the trail as I head towards my new life!
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Oh, I like that analogy!

We keep asking ourselves "Do we NEEEED this?" and "Do we want to pay to move it to Maine?" Another thing I suggested to my boys - "If you were going to live on a boat, would you have room for this?"

We paid money for all of this stuff but do we want to pay MORE money to keep it? Some of these things are tough to consider. I like the suggestion of boxing it up and setting it aside for a while. As for family things - I have two very old sewing machines - one from my grandmother and one from my mother-in-law. I have no use for them and really don't want to pay to move them to Maine. I have no daughters to pass them to, so....they have to go. I WILL keep the silver creamer and coral necklace that were passed down - smaller and easier to pass on.
 
I know many people hold garage sales but I just couldn't do it. There are certain things with emotional meaning. For me it seems depressing to slap a price tag on and have strangers prowling through my stuff. I prefer to just box and donate. But I'm still looking into the value of my MIL's crystal and the Boyd Bears.
 
It IS depressing to be told over and over again that the items my mother collected and paid top dollar in the 1970s are practically worthless today. She paid $300 in 1977 for a green Depression glass luncheon set for 8 (you know what that would be in today's money?). With everyone decluttering, the market is flooded with doo-dads. Supply is high; demand is low.
 
It actually gets easier and easier to let things go once you get started. I had the usual hard time at first....."oh, this cost so much money....how can I sell it for less?" But it just gets easier to ask yourself if you actually need it and who are you saving it for?

My daughter, granddaughter, niece and nephew were all offered the items first and turned them down. Maybe one of these days, they'll ask themselves why they passed them up, but you know? it won't be my problem then. I'm not paying to store them until such time as they get nostalgic

Some days, I look at what little I actually own now and feel lighter than a balloon. I just might float away....
 
I shudder to think what fine antiques and collectibles are trashed every day by people that don't recognize the value or even care. We live in a buy cheap, use, discard and buy again (i.e "big box") economy.
 

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