We deal with literally all facets of life with our clients. The first home or the first home together, the family home, the investment property, that piece of land for the dream build, the start or extension of your farming operation, the property for a business that flips or constructs newly, the first home after the divorce, the estate sale, you name it. The downsizer’s home is the focus of this brief post.
Funny enough, our team is split in two, in a way. Lorna and John individually, have both experienced recent lifestyle changes as a result of downsizing. Both have embraced condo living, something neither of them thought they would be able to truly do. Having come from immensely larger homes and having been spoiled, per se, with an abundance of outdoor space, this adjustment was truly that, an adjustment. One of the biggest pieces of the puzzle was having to undergo an intense purge, largely which consisted of ridding themselves of the “things” accumulated over the years, as well as dealing with the loitering of kids’ possessions that just never quite made an escape. They are not unique in this regard. It is a bit ironic for Owen and Collette to hear their own clients who are undergoing this change, grumbling about their adult kids who just haven’t gotten all of their stuff out of the house. “Why did we accumulate so much?” “Why did our kids seem to never fully move out?” These are the things we hear. The last one is a rather curious question. Collette with her own home and household equals guilty. Usually, a slight mental note is made in those moments. While people definitely have differing tendencies with how they collect over the years and different rules for when the kids move out, it seems that generally, they are stuck with this old, unused stuff when it comes time for them to downsize. This elongates the process. In some cases, it takes longer than a year. It depends on whether you are trying to get rid of things conscientiously, or perhaps there are some valuables that are worth trying to sell. Sorting out who gets what, and certainly getting things appraised and then possibly sold, requires time. Keep this in mind as you collect things over the years, and also at the time of when you are thinking of next steps. This helps maintain realistic timelines.
A great way to get rid of the shhtuff is to consign. In Wellington County and surrounding areas, we have SO many options.
- consignment clothing stores such as Wild Rose, StyleEncore, Playto’s Closet, Value Village, Goodwill, Smitten Apparel, Destinations Curvy Couture, The Crooked Door, New To You and several more – men’s and women’s clothing, children’s clothing, shoes, jewelry, handbags, etc.
- consignment baby stores such as Once Upon a Child Guelph – baby toys, furniture, clothing, etc.
- consignment wedding stores such as Sixpence or The Modern Bride – wedding gowns and accessories
- consignment furniture stores such as Time After Time, Next Time Around – furniture, decor, lighting pieces, art, etc.
- most churches take donations – most anything
- online auction sites such as KelsoBid.com – art, furniture, jewelry, miscellaneous, etc.
- auction businesses like Bryan’s Auction Farm & Industrial Supply – kitchen and bathroom cabinet sets, home maintenance and renovation items, home building supplies, automobiles, farm equipment, miscellaneous, etc.
- ReStore Habitat for Humanity stores – furniture, home renovation items, miscellaneous, etc.
We’ve been to several of these so feel free to ask us what our experiences were. We also have abundant experience in handling the process for those that are looking to downsize and would be happy to assist those beginning this journey.