Moving is considered to be one of the top five anxiety producers for most people. It’s overwhelming at best, a nightmare at worst because of all that “stuff” they’ve accumulated that now has to be moved.
As an agent, one of the ways you can help begin to lighten your sellers load is by suggesting some of these simplifying questions about what to keep, what to donate and/or give up when they’re moving out of their home.
- When was the last time you used, wore and/or needed that sweater or wallet or serving platter? If you can’t remember, donate it.
- How many do you have vs. how many do you need of the same thing? If you have three sets of pots and pans, keep the nicest ones and donate the rest.
- Doesn’t everyone have to have at least two sets of encyclopedias? We live in the age of google. Enough said.
- Do you even like it? Okay, your favorite uncle brought you home a snow globe souvenir from his trip overseas. He won’t ever ask you about it so stop feeling guilty about not liking it enough to display it. Consign it or donate it!
- If you don’t have your mother’s pearls, will you lose your nice memories of your mother? This is a yes and no answer. If your memories of your mother involve her wearing that strand of pearls, keep them for a while…at least.
- Are you only keeping these shoes because they were so expensive? There are many, many high end consignment shops both both on and off line. If you’re not wearing those 4 inch Jimmy Choo’s anymore and they still look great, consign them. Someone else will love and wear them.
- Do you care about this sterling silver tea pot enough to clean it? Keep it if you do; consign or donate it if you don’t.
- Do you care about that piece of sculpture enough to make room for it in your new home? If you love it, keep it. If you don’t, you’ll get over not having it any more.
- Do you feel the need to keep something until you find something else to replace it? If something is essentially in your way rather than with your way of being in the world, it needs to go.
- Do you think you’ll love that (fill in the blank) you recently bought six months from now? Maybe yes/no? If you’re not positive, let it go.
- Do you want to pack and unpack those old, chipped dog bowls…again? Think long and hard about bringing chipped bowls (you’d never let your puppy drink from a chipped bowl, would you?) into your new home.
- If you saw the very same item in a consignment shop, would you buy it again? If you wouldn’t, donate it.
- What is this thing for? If you don’t know, you don’t need it.
Phew! Your client will thank you for suggesting those questions and will likely feel lighter and less overwhelmed for this move, and maybe even future moves too!
