She may have helped many declutter. However, when trying to rid our parent's house of stuff, she hasn't done any of us favors. Consignment stores require appt. And see pic of stuff you are offloading prior to accepting. They want more modern things to accommodate millennial group. Not wonderfully made actual wood furniture. Early American,forget it. We don't have much of,but a couple of pieces.has
She has cursed us. You have to almost give away.
I de-cluttered a couple years ago and got rid of about 1/3 of my stuff. Hubby watched (you aren't supposed to de-clutter for someone else) and saw me being quite ruthless with things, and it inspired him to do a nominal de-cluttering. He's maintained his own drawers for 3 years.
Sadly, yes, there really isn't a huge market for the wood furniture, but there still IS one. My YD has a love of quirky 50's pieces and has decorated her home in them. Selling off what you don't need or cleaning out a home is hard--too many memories. I try to find a home for any "treasures" within the family, first. I also hate Craigslist and FB selling is so annoying, only for the very patient. And everybody buying wants bottom dollar. Be prepared you won't get much money from a sale. I helped a friend do an estate sale and she sold.....less than $50 worth of stuff, and she had some lovely pieces of furniture and a TON of expensive tools.
My mother is a little hoarder. She asked me to come de-clutter her small apartment,. Epic fail. She wouldn't let me toss anything. Everything, EVERYTHING brought her joy! So after 2 awful days I said "Can't do this, mom. you won't part with anything. Sorry, don't ask again".
So, her treasures sit in bins in the basement--waiting for her death when we can throw them away. Treasures=50 years of publisher's clearing house envelopes with ALL the inserts. Every catalog she's gotten in the last 22 years. SMH. I remember holding up a rubber frog that had grown sticky with age and asking her if this brought her joy? She looked at it and COULD NOT MAKE A DECISION. Seriously, a frog bought at the $1 store meant as much to her as her Lladro.
She has one lovely bedroom set that she has promised to me, but it will be the same way as it has been with everything she's 'promised' to people. She has deeded it to 4 or 5 of us. I won't fight for it. I actually look forward to making a huge bonfire and burning a lot of the garbage mother insists she MUST keep.
We are fortunate to have excellent garbage pick up. Something worthwhile for our taxes. I now have a sense of what can bring money and what can't. Still it's sad when a place will turn down Limoges platters yet take items one could easily find at Homegoods.
All said it was funny to watch my 33 year old son lift up a pyrex bowl I was giving him and say " Will this bring me joy"
I have however hired a declutter. We have had two sessions so far and I am looking forward to the third next week. This is for my own house. I have lived here for 22 years, raised 3 kids and my ex took the best of the furniture and left all his junk.
It has been 5 years since he left and now I feel up to dealing with everything. I do not expect or want any money for the stuff. I just want it gone. There are local charity shops that will come and pick up furniture. My lady takes boxes to the thrift shop for me. And much goes directly to the dump.
I am also faced with having to clear out my dad's place. He hoards and my brother is supposed to help get things organized. I am not waiting for him now. I have found a man who will come with a big bin, load it up himself and take it away. It is going to be $$$, but it will be gone.
I found a guy who cleans out houses. Sure, you think and you know money has been left on table. But how many books of a 10k plus library, how much Christmas stuff do you want to absorb. The goodwill in my area has started feeling for anything that feels like Christmas. What is this? They open and check. They don't want Christmas.
B level, 20k not including furniture.
C level, 10 k, not including furniture.
My mom had prob 50 k in furniture. At least. Be prepared for loss. It is so sad to see these things go for nothing. Books. Prob 10k in number.no one wants.
It's very sad. I spent 3 days just recently having all of this stuff removed. I have spent a month at least shredding her 40 years of papers. I found myself getting emotional over the oddest things. But you soldier on,you know. You have to.
I don't know where you're located, but you might consider having an estate sale. There are companies who do this, but be careful about how much of a percentage they want. You could probably do a sale yourself with a ton of work prior to the sale, and lots of help during the sale. Maybe there is information about it online. If you do have a sale I guess you would have to figure out what to do with whatever didn't sell.
There are still people who want real wood furniture and tools and linens and dishes and collections, and jewelry and even clothes/shoes.
As I write this I feel the enthusiasm leaking out of me...maybe it's not worth all that effort. I wish you the best whatever happens.