Among Friends

[beach-mom]

@Shanus - I'm seeing this way too late, but it sounds like you have made the perfect decision.

When I broke up my mom's home (my brother had already died at 28) I had no idea what to do. My parents rented their first house in Williamsburg and quickly filled it with the beautiful antiques I grew up with. I grew up in the south in a very formal home. I did keep a few pieces of the furniture and other items, but I couldn't keep everything. And now, over 20 years later, I'm starting to wonder about all of the family items I have. 

So after I kept what I wanted, and told my uncle and his boys (all single at the time), and my late brother's best friend (also single at the time) to come get what they wanted, we auctioned what was left and my home by the bay. The auctioneer was the former football coach at my high school and I trusted him.

DH went down for the auction. I just couldn't. 

My children appreciate the family treasures, but DS is a minimalist, and DD can't take anything now.

So I don't know what I will do. I also have things that were special to my aunt (my mom's twin), like her wedding china and crystal.

And let's not forget my grandmother - my three younger single male cousins didn't want much. I used to joke with my one uncle- when my mom and her 3 siblings broke up her home, they asked me what I wanted. My grandfather had a cherry dining room set made for my grandmother as a wedding present. One of the boys asked for the table and chairs, but he didn't want the corner cupboard. I did. But I didn't know they were going to give me everything in it too! So it still sits in the corner with family antiques filling it. But they all have an interesting story. And unlike my grandmother, I use them. I pour apple cider from my great-grandmother's ceramic picture. I serve cake from the beautiful cake plate my uncle's girlfriend gave my grandmother when they were in college (he married someone else!). 

I still enjoy looking at everything and remembering my family history. My mom died too soon, so I'm glad I have the stories. 

Sorry I wrote a book!  

[Posh Poodle]

@Shanus my mother told me that when she and my daddy are gone, to have an estate sale. Keep what I'd like but just sell everything lock, stock and barrel. I think that's what would be less stressful on me and husband, esp since we're in another state.

[Sooner]

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@Posh Poodle wrote:

@Shanus my mother told me that when she and my daddy are gone, to have an estate sale. Keep what I'd like but just sell everything lock, stock and barrel. I think that's what would be less stressful on me and husband, esp since we're in another state.

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@Posh Poodle What a blessing your mother gave you!  

[Skyegirl21]

@Shanus , I don't think I would risk using an expensive Estate Sale manager. Honestly, these days ,younger generations are minimalists (I hear the same thing from my son and all my friends grown kids)- Might be fruitless- 

[Posh Poodle]

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@Sooner wrote:

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@Posh Poodle wrote:

@Shanus my mother told me that when she and my daddy are gone, to have an estate sale. Keep what I'd like but just sell everything lock, stock and barrel. I think that's what would be less stressful on me and husband, esp since we're in another state.

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@Posh Poodle What a blessing your mother gave you!  

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My mother is a thoughtful, generous, very smart woman. Both parents are appreciative, also. They want to make things as easy on me and hubby as possible after they've gone on to their better life. We finished this summer finalizing funerals and wills. It's tied up when that day will come. I'm hoping later rather than sooner.

Anyway, they realize they aren't tied to this stuff after death. It has little eternal value. I have memories with them to cherish in the future. I'll see them again one day. That's all that counts at the end of the day. The rest is just material possessions.

And it is a gift from them to me.

[Posh Poodle]

@Shanushave you decided what to do yet?

[Icegoddess]

Our experince was that the Estate Sale company made more money than we did.  They sold things for pennies on the dollar.  They sold a perfectly good Troy Bilt tiller for less than $100 because they didn't know if it ran, something a simple phone call would've answered.  Had I known that I would've given it to the neighbor who so generously helped us any time my Dad or we needed it.  

[Sooner]

To me, an Estate Sale is worth whatever they will take from the sale if they will clean and clear the house.  It's not about what you make, it's about how much of your live and energy and possible health you don't have to devote to this awful task. 

[Shanus]

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@Posh Poodle wrote:

@Shanushave you decided what to do yet?

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@Posh Poodle   Looks like estate sale for expensive things and everything else will be sold in a garage sale. Silver items have been sold for the weight, so what's left is a lot of crystal items, sets of dishes, etc. No antiques that we would not be taking with us or the kids have claimed. Thanks for asking.

[jannabelle1]

I had an Estate Sale some years ago after my divorce and right after I sold my house. I used a smaller husband/wife company who were local and I thought they did a great job. I had everything from what I considered junk to some nice smaller pieces of antique tables and desks and a lot of china, luggage, etc. If you have really expensive things, then an estate sale isn't for a smaller, local company. But if you have general items then they usually work just fine. I paid a percentage of the total sales (can't remember how much), but it was well worth it to me because I needed to get rid of things to downsize and not necessarily make a boatload of money. Plus, they marked all the items and handled the entire sale. I did nothing but accept their check for my share at the end. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

If you have true Tiffany bowls, you need to get them authenticated with an appraiser or auction company that deals in items like that. The real Tiffany pieces can be worth a small or large fortune.