Retired and downsizing

[SubHuman]

How do other retirees that are downsizing decide what to eliminate and what to keep?
It seems like if I am trying to decide what to keep vs sell or give away, my various collections are not worth messing with but if I look online they want a lot of $$$.
Like the old saying it’s only worth what someone would pay for it.
Seems like right now the newer generations don’t value the past like we did.
I cleaned out my parents and my wife’s parents houses and We gave a lot of stuff away, sold cheap or just tossed because we were pressured for time.
I don’t want to wait until I’m gone and leave my kids throwing stuff in the dumpster… so how do I decide what is worth keeping vs get rid of it?
BTW…I have an extensive guitar/bass collection (some inherited) which stays for now but I have been giving pieces to my children and their spouses to see them enjoy it.
Any good or bad suggestions? No I am not giving it to you. Ha!

 

[buldog5151bass]

1. Spend the time and sell on line. Is it worth it?
2. There likely are people near you who will sell on line and take a cut. See what they are interested in. Basically consignment.
3. Organize the best you can and have a big tag sale, last day it can be taken for free.
4. Organizations like Habitats for Humanity will take furniture, housewares, and likely holiday decorations.

Whatever is left, start dumping.

 

[IamGroot]

I give my stuff to my kids. IF I need something, I borrow it back.

 

[friskinator]

I'm dreading this task with my parents. My mom's issue is that everything is sentimental. She still has artwork and report cards from when me and my sister were in grade school (we're both in our late 40s now). My dad's issue is more financial. If he paid "good money" for something 30 years ago, he keeps it even if he never plans on using it again. They don't own anything of real value, so when the time comes, I plan on donating what I can, then backing a dumpster up to the front door for the rest.

 

[SubHuman]

Thx…good ideas. I am slowly convincing my better half that old does not always (hardly ever) mean valuable. She is finally seeing the light.
It was sad and a lot of work cleaning out our parents stuff and I swore I would not do it to my kids.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Again, always contact Habitat for Humanity for furniture and housewares, especially kitchen. They often can use it, and will send over a truck to pick up.

 

[Tom Bomb]

Bequeath it

Find someone, an organization, a school, who can use it. Give 'em a nice surprise.

If you get it right, who knows what will come of it. You and your axe may become famous
​

 

[Ostie]

I went through this with my father, brother, aunt and mothers estates. So I ended up with a lot of stuff that I didn’t necessarily need. I kept sone things, sold sone things in an estate sale, and donated a lot.

Old does not necessarily mean valuable. There’s a more lot to the equation. Rare is much more important than old, and quality counts. Timex vs Rolex, for example. Old sewing machines are a dime a dozen, because everybody had them back in the day. New machines are much improved. Old ones are just sentimental dust collectors.

I sold a lot of things on FB, but you’ll sell a lot more if you ship. Shipping has gotten expensive, and it takes up your time. But I’m retired, so it gave me something to do.

 

[friskinator]

I went through this with my father, brother, aunt and mothers estates. So I ended up with a lot of stuff that I didn’t necessarily need. I kept sone things, sold sone things in an estate sale, and donated a lot.

Old does not necessarily mean valuable. There’s a more lot to the equation. Rare is much more important than old, and quality counts. Timex vs Rolex, for example. Old sewing machines are a dime a dozen, because everybody had them back in the day. New machines are much improved. Old ones are just sentimental dust collectors.

I sold a lot of things on FB, but you’ll sell a lot more if you ship. Shipping has gotten expensive, and it takes up your time. But I’m retired, so it gave me something to do.

My parents’ problem is that even after they learn that something has no financial value, they still won’t get rid of it. Even if they were keeping the thing because they thought it was worth money. It’s like they won’t accept the fact that they were wrong.

I’ve tried to get them to purge, but they won’t. I’ve straight up told them that 99% of what they own will be tossed if it’s my responsibility, but that doesn’t change anything.

 

[Ostie]

My parents’ problem is that even after they learn that something has no financial value, they still won’t get rid of it. Even if they were keeping the thing because they thought it was worth money. It’s like they won’t accept the fact that they were wrong.

I’ve tried to get them to purge, but they won’t. I’ve straight up told them that 99% of what they own will be tossed if it’s my responsibility, but that doesn’t change anything.

That’s a common problem. My mother and step-father kept everything. My step-brother and I had an estate sale, but still only grossed a couple grand. Better than nothing, but it was a lot of work.

 

[LBS-bass]

Research selling prices, not asking prices. If you want to move things out fast, price just a little below market value. You'll still get hagglers but serious buyers will recognize that it's a good deal.

But most of the stuff people hoard and collect has little real value, so you'll be dealing with a lot of things you can't really find a home for, regardless. Best to come to terms with that concept. If you have a lot of stuff, auction houses can be good ways to liquidate large quantities of household things. They are skilled at this and will move a lot of your junk by placing it in a bulk lot with one thing of value that they know a collector would like to have.

The collector who wants it badly enough buys the lot and has to take all the junk along with it.

 

[MJ5150]

When we downsized in 2017, we held one tag/garage/yard sale the week before we moved out. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Most everything of value was gone by Friday afternoon. Saturday was the stragglers and the nickel and dime negotiators, which I have to admit was a drag. We put everything on tables by price, then we'd get the 'I see you're asking 50 cents for this item, will you take 35?'. I got a bit annoyed at the end so we shut down early and gave much away. I suppose we could have stayed out there another 3-4 hours to see if we could make another $5, but my time is worth more than that.
I will admit though it was fun setting everything out on the tables. That was the reminiscing and story telling time.
Everything that was left went to the local thrift store.
It should be noted that neither the wife or I keep anything of sentimental value for the most part. Between us, we have maybe one small box of items we're holding on to. Neither of us are collectors, so nothing in that regard either

-Mike

 

[friskinator]

When we downsized in 2017, we held one tag/garage/yard sale the week before we moved out. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Most everything of value was gone by Friday afternoon. Saturday was the stragglers and the nickel and dime negotiators, which I have to admit was a drag. We put everything on tables by price, then we'd get the 'I see you're asking 50 cents for this item, will you take 35?'. I got a bit annoyed at the end so we shut down early and gave much away. I suppose we could have stayed out there another 3-4 hours to see if we could make another $5, but my time is worth more than that.
I will admit though it was fun setting everything out on the tables. That was the reminiscing and story telling time.
Everything that was left went to the local thrift store.
It should be noted that neither the wife or I keep anything of sentimental value for the most part. Between us, we have maybe one small box of items we're holding on to. Neither of us are collectors, so nothing in that regard either

-Mike

My wife and I aren’t sentimental either. We’ve moved several times in the last few years (once internationally), so we’ve gotten good at figuring out what’s important and what’s not. I even threw out my high school yearbooks a few years ago. What was I keeping them for? They’ve been in a box since I graduated 30 years ago.

 

[donhank]

Thanks, Dad !!

 

[Michael Jewels]

I would make a list of everything you have, and next to it write down what you’d like to do with it; sell, give away or dump.

Then, do nothing for a few months.

Read the list again, and ask yourself if this is truly what you want to do with each item.

Do not rush.

Good luck.

Mike

 

[mapleglo]

I struggle with this all the time. I amassed a lot of gear over the years. I just don't play that much these days, and due to health concerns, I may not gig at all going forward. I traded in some stuff at GC - I'm not so concerned about the money I get. But I have a lot of basses, guitars, and amps, and really like each one for their attributes. I know I shouldn't avoid taking care of this, but time passes...

 

[MJ5150]

My wife and I aren’t sentimental either. We’ve moved several times in the last few years (once internationally), so we’ve gotten good at figuring out what’s important and what’s not. I even threw out my high school yearbooks a few years ago. What was I keeping them for? They’ve been in a box since I graduated 30 years ago.

I like the way you think.
In 2011 we moved from the west coast to the east cost, then back, a couple years later.
As we were packing to return to the west coast, we found boxes we had never once opened once we arrived. The wife and I looked at each other and decided not to even open them. If there was anything of value, we would have needed it at least once in the two plus years they sat in that box. Out the door they went.
The same guy who moved us east, moved us west. When he came to help us load up the moving truck, he even asked where a bunch of our boxes had gone.

-Mike

 

[SubHuman]

I struggle with this all the time. I amassed a lot of gear over the years. I just don't play that much these days, and due to health concerns, I may not gig at all going forward. I traded in some stuff at GC - I'm not so concerned about the money I get. But I have a lot of basses, guitars, and amps, and really like each one for their attributes. I know I shouldn't avoid taking care of this, but time passes...

I know what you’re saying! It is almost surreal to admit I have to stop collecting and start downsizing.There was some Good advice here. Get rid of the obvious stuff 1st then methodically rate the leftover items for their importance and sell, donate or dispose based on their personal ranking.
Good tip on GC some quick turn around too.

 

[Killing Floor]

Ask
If you ask your kid “how’d you like to end up with this antique spark plug sign that’s a valuable collector item” and they say “I’m not sure where I’d even put it” that means they don’t want it.
A lot of things that have value to a specific buyer, like your bass gear, could be sold. But if you want that to happen successfully you may want to communicate the value. If my kid was left with my old MusicMan and Fender instruments they’d be on the heap unless I told him how to sell them.
Think about what is really valuable and what is merely sentimental.

I got $50 for my dad’s grandfather clock that was In perfect condition and he probably paid $7k+ for it. That’s probably a good deal. I didn’t feel ripped off because I spent a month trying to list it to the few surviving people who didn’t hate grandfather clocks. It would have cost me about $1k to ship it and I’d just stick it in the garage or something.

I cleaned out my dad's place. It sucked. I helped my wife clean her dad’s place. That sucked too.

So do unto others——- even though it is uncomfortable to think about.

 

[friskinator]

Ask
If you ask your kid “how’d you like to end up with this antique spark plug sign that’s a valuable collector item” and they say “I’m not sure where I’d even put it” that means they don’t want it.
A lot of things that have value to a specific buyer, like your bass gear, could be sold. But if you want that to happen successfully you may want to communicate the value. If my kid was left with my old MusicMan and Fender instruments they’d be on the heap unless I told him how to sell them.
Think about what is really valuable and what is merely sentimental.

I got $50 for my dad’s grandfather clock that was In perfect condition and he probably paid $7k+ for it. That’s probably a good deal. I didn’t feel ripped off because I spent a month trying to list it to the few surviving people who didn’t hate grandfather clocks. It would have cost me about $1k to ship it and I’d just stick it in the garage or something.

I cleaned out my dad's place. It sucked. I helped my wife clean her dad’s place. That sucked too.

So do unto others——- even though it is uncomfortable to think about.

There is definitely a big difference between valuable and sentimental. Most people have a difficult time with figuring that out.