I recently saw the Broadway show “I Need That,” starring Danny DeVito. One would assume that it would be a comedy. In some ways it was. But the larger story was one filled with pathos, sentiment, and emotion. How do I know? I cried at the end. I sometimes cry when I finish an assignment and I am alone in the client’s empty home.
“I Need That” was a story about a man who lived knee-deep in clutter. You could not call him a hoarder in the traditional sense of a person who shops non-stop, piles unopened packages/bags/boxes all over the floors/tables, never disposes of old bank/brokerage statements, still has 20 years of tax returns and all the backup, has narrow pathways leading to various rooms, sleeps on the corner of the mattress because the bed is piled high with stuff, etc. I have seen the homes of hoarders. I have also seen a lot of homes that were depicted in the Danny DeVito show.
Excessive clutter is a personal saga about not being able to part with objects that are direct representations and constant reminders of a beloved person, an important event in your life, a gift/card/letter you received from someone you cared about, an old board game that the family gathered together to play, a childhood favorite toy/blanket/book, the box of recipe cards from grandma of tasty items that no one makes or wants to eat anymore, the dress you wore to the prom, the plastic top of the wedding cake, hundreds of playbills, old-time magazines from the ’50s thru who knows when stacked in the corner of a closet, old passports, stained and faded baby clothes, books ranging from old encyclopedias to college textbooks, notebooks from high school… The list goes on forever. And we haven’t even delved into the attic, basement, or garage.
In the case of a residential move, especially if the client is downsizing a bit, the clutter needs to be triaged. This is a highly emotional problem for those clients that have held onto great grandma’s photos of generations past of people no one recognizes or knows, an adult child’s college sweater, a chandelier (with missing crystals) from 3 homes ago in a style the client will never live with again, a junk drawer in every room with items you might need, somethings that are perfectly good that someone somewhere might be able to use one day. The cost of packing and moving all the old clutter is high. Moving to a larger space to accommodate the clutter is highly ridiculous. And so – what to do?
In the case of emptying the home of a loved one, where the home needs to be sold and the estate settled, the clutter can no longer linger in place. This is extraordinarily difficult for family members who are not ready to let go. The cost of packing and moving all the old clutter to a storage unit mounts every month as the charges for storage come in. Moving it all to a family member’s attic/basement/garage where it will linger for years and become a fire hazard is merely postponing the inevitable. And so- what to do?
I may have overly simplified the above, but the reality is that a lot of homes have a lot of emotional baggage in the form of “stuff you no longer need and no one in the family will ever use again.” If the thought of disposal is too hard to accept, there are alternative solutions. They take time and effort and not everyone is willing to undertake the work.
Here are some of my favorites:
- old tablecloths, towels, sheets and other assorted linen can be brought to any Humane Society where it will be well-used as bedding for the animals;
- furniture that is in good condition (clean upholstery, no chips/dings/deep scratches/loose legs) can be donated to a number of places. A few charities still pick up. In most cases, you will need to arrange to get the furniture to them;
- current clothing in good condition (no rips, stains, holes) can be brought to Good Will or dropped off in any of the many clothing donation boxes. Some churches distribute clothing to the needy if you are willing to drop it off at their facility;
- unopened adult diapers and other soft, disposable, medical supplies can be brought to senior centers and some not-for-profit assisted-living homes; and
- Lupus, Vietnam Vets, and other organizations will pick up small bundles of clothing that are bagged, books that are in book-sized boxes, etc. You need to schedule the pick-ups and you need to follow the guidelines of what they will take and how it is to be packed.
The above addresses a lot of the bulky items. What about all the paper – letters/photos/diplomas? There are some specialized services that will upload everything with key words so that family members can pull down customized albums from the cloud. There is also a service that provides you with everything you need to organize your photos, cards, letters etc. yourself.
If you are interested in more information about donation options or digitization services, feel free to reach out to me.
In the play, “I Need That,” as with most of my clients who hold onto clutter, the issue is not a need for the stuff. It is an issue of not being able to move forward. The stuff ties them to a time and place in the past when they felt happy/loved/fulfilled/content/excited – whatever it was that they enjoyed. The stuff is what they believe they need in order to hold onto memories, to never forget. In truth, memories reside in our hearts and in our brains. A treasured memento or two is all you need. Something you can touch like a ring and something you can look at like a favorite photo. It is easier to move on with your life when you realize that your memories are within you and not confined to the guest bedroom.
Questions or comments? As always, feel free to contact me!
Best wishes,
Sharon
646-784-3073
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The past year has been one of immense change and adjustment. One of the more dramatic shifts has been in the number of residential moves. The moving industry, which usually has its high season from early summer through September, has been booked to capacity. This past 12 months has been a pivotal time for everyone from empty nesters—who may have been sitting on the fence for a decade, uncertain whether or not to sell—to renters and buyers fleeing from the confines of cities for the more open spaces of the suburbs and beyond.
Whether you’ve been in your home for 5 or 40 years, you will face several dilemmas prior to a move. Here are a few issues I hear about from my clients, colleagues, and friends:
- To store or not to store
- To pack yourself or to hire professional movers to do the job
- To rent a dumpster or to hire a trash removal/cleanout service
Let’s “unpack” each of these topics!
Storage
After 15+ years in the business of managing moves and emptying homes, my usual mantra has been “do not store.” In almost every situation, this warning has been proven correct time and again. Why?
- Your grandchildren will not want your furniture when they one day graduate college and have an apartment or a small home of their own. They will want to furnish according to their own tastes and needs. And the math does not make sense: Imagine $100 (or more) per month for a storage facility over the course of 5 to 20 years. A gift of bonds or T-bills would be a better investment and more appreciated.
- Wood and fabric tend to dry out over time. Dusting, polishing and laundering, believe it or not, keep your possessions in good condition. Think of your belongings as if they were your skin—soap, water and moisturizer are some of the minimum care requirements. Leaving your beloved things to age in a dark storage facility will guarantee they will lack appeal when someone finally pulls them out into the sunlight.
- Cartons tend to dry out and crumble. So do the contents.
- Most belongings do not appreciate with age and your memories of them are best kept in your mind’s eye and in your heart.
There are always exceptions. Here are a few reasons to choose storage:
- You are renovating your new home and cannot move in right away. However, you plan to do so within a few months to a year. You want to keep your furniture and art. By all means store them. But do try to store them in a climate-controlled facility or, better yet, one that is also humidity controlled for any fine art and furniture that you may own.
- You are being transferred out of the country for a period of time and your employer will pay for storage until you return.
However, even this latter scenario brings to mind a former client who was transferred to the Pacific Rim. After their three-year stint, they decided to remain in Asia. Their employer had covered the cost of their two storage units which held various household contents: wedding gifts, papers, photos, gym equipment, and so on. It had all been professionally packed. I was hired to empty the units and to find a few specific items. I was also asked to see if anything in the storage units was worth selling.
I found the needed items, which fit into two small book boxes. These were shipped to a relative state-side. The rest was no longer wanted and had no saleable value. I was able to donate most of it.
Another client had sold their home and were planning to build a new home in the same area. Everything was professionally packed and stored. Almost six years later, when they were at long last ensconced in their new home, they realized that almost everything that had been in storage was outdated. Their children had outgrown all the baby furniture and clothing. The parents’ personal style had evolved. As usual, very little of what was in storage ever made it into the closets or onto the walls of the new home.
Here are some tips for when storage makes sense:
Use a moving company that has the ability to store your belongings. You do not want them delivered to a self-storage facility for a variety of reasons. Suffice it to say that as long as the mover has your possessions, any and all liability for damage will rest with the mover. (Caveat: See the next section on packing.)
Remember that items in storage should be insured. If they are valuable enough to store, they are important enough to insure. Speak to your insurance broker about the best way to proceed with insurance. If your final destination is in another city or state, it is still best to store with the moving company that packed your possessions. It does not matter that the storage facility is in your location of origin, because the delivery does not need to occur until you are ready to move into your new residence. The fewer times cartons and boxes are loaded and unloaded, the better.
Packing
Clients often have the urge to pack themselves. It is not practical, nor is it efficient or cost effective if your household contents are valuable. If you have a lot of possessions, it could even potentially create a hazardous situation. Consider the following:
- Moving boxes are not inexpensive. Unless you are buying mover-quality cartons, chances are the boxes will not hold up well.
- Packing is an art form that the movers are trained to do well. For example, they can fill book boxes like a jigsaw puzzle so that they do not collapse when piled one on top of the other in the moving truck.
- China-packs, a mover’s specialty carton, are used for breakable items. They are stronger than most other boxes and somewhat taller. If you have ever watched skilled movers pack, you will know that dishes should be wrapped and put into these cartons on their sides, versus flat.
- Packed boxes take up a lot of floor space and are easy to bump into. The corners can bruise and cut legs. If you have small children or pets in the house, they will be inclined to play hide and seek with the boxes—this can lead to injuries to the cartons, the children, and your valuable possessions alike!
- Movers can pack a three-bedroom household in a matter of a few days, versus weeks of DIY packing.
- And here is the best reason not to pack yourself: INSURANCE. If you pack and if something breaks along the way, you will not be covered and the moving company cannot be held responsible. There is no way to prove that you did not pack a broken item. Movers are very good at marking damaged items before packing them so as not to be held responsible. They are, therefore, responsible for any damage that may occur in transit.
A tip about moving insurance: Homeowners and tenants have household insurance. It is advisable to check with your insurance broker to see if your policy has an endorsement that will cover you during the course of your move. If your policy does not have such an endorsement, you will need to buy insurance for the move. Moving companies can sell you insurance; always inquire what the costs are.
Disposing
Every move involves getting rid of things: broken plates, old paint cans, carpet remnants, the old crib in the attic, an old mattress, athletic and gym equipment, and so on. The first thought that most people have is, “Let’s get a dumpster delivered.” Please, avoid this impulse.
Here is why:
- Renting a dumpster incurs a drop off fee, a pickup fee, and a tippage fee. This adds up to more than hiring a trash removal/cleanout company to do the job in a day and leave.
- Dumpsters are heavy and frequently make large dents in the driveway or lawn.
- Neighbors seem to think that they can toss their own trash into your dumpster. Sometimes, neighbors might even be tempted to poke around in your dumpster looking for “treasure.”
- You’re liable to get a backache. The labor to toss into the dumpster is your own or someone’s that you hire. This could become a worker’s comp situation and private households rarely have worker’s comp for staff and hired handymen. The trash removal company’s costs include labor, and you pay only by volume. Most trash removal companies will also leave your home broom clean.
There is a litany of decisions to be made during a move, including what to do with records, books, other media, photos, perfectly good clothing, and perfectly good household items that are no longer needed or used but are still loved. For help with those decisions, you must await my next blog.
Until then, I would like to leave you with this thought:
A residential move can be considered a type of self- inflicted trauma. I like to think of it as the beginning of a new adventure. Yes, it is a long climb up the mountain. As long as you avoid the crevasses and pitfalls, the view from the top is terrific.
Need help and advice?
Just give me a call!
Best wishes,
Sharon
646-784-3073
For the past 14 years, I have been helping people to navigate their residential moves. It is not a secret that moving is one of life’s traumas, but what people fail to recognize are the subtle and sometimes subversive effects a move has on the personalities of the people involved. I’ve seen the following personality transformations take place, triggered by the stress of a move:
- A shy and retiring homemaker suddenly takes charge and is on a mission, directing the process like a stage manager with a clipboard—and inadvertently slowing down the whole show.
- A normally open, cordial host becomes private and possessive, and doesn’t want strangers in their home touching their belongings.
- A confident, capable, organized individual becomes paralyzed and overwhelmed by the unknown, and is unable to make simple decisions.
- A successful and decisive business leader who manages a corporation at the highest level can’t cope with managing a 4-5 man moving crew.
And that is just the tip of the iceberg. I have seen big spenders who resent tipping the moving crew; skinflints who over-tip the moving crew; homeowners who do not want the moving crew to enter their new homes with their shoes on even though we have covered all the rugs with rolls of brown paper; and even homeowners who refuse to let anyone use the bathroom.
These situations all arose from clients who are, under normal circumstances, perfectly nice and reasonable people. It’s as if the sight of a stack of moving boxes awakens latent emotions and dormant fears and insecurities. So radical is the shift, sometimes, that one would think these clients are quaffing some of Dr. Jekyll’s potion, or have been bitten by a radioactive spider that drops from the ceiling when the moving vans pull up—only this sort of spider doesn’t deliver superpowers, but a tendency toward helpless hand-wringing and anxiety.
When I work with clients on a move, we generally start our collaboration at least 6 to 8 weeks prior to the move, and frequently sooner than that. The set up for a move involves several visits with myself, the owner(s) or representative(s) of the moving company(ies), my assistant(s) and any other third parties that will need to be involved such as electricians, handymen, architects, and contractors. It all starts very smoothly and is a process that is planned out carefully; I promise that I do not lay any surprise traps to throw the homeowner into a downward spiral. Quite the contrary. So, what on earth happens to Ms./Mr. Congeniality along the way? It is impossible to come up with a one-size-fits-all answer. However, my theory is that troubles arise when people are unwilling to relinquish control. They try to tough it out and overcome their very personal history, which now throws them into a tailspin. If ever there is a time to delegate, it is when you are moving.
Why Do We Move?
Most people move very infrequently. Moving is rarely considered a “fun” activity, so people tend to avoid it unless they experience a change in life circumstances, such as a relocation to a new town, a growing family, a divorce, an empty nest, the death of a loved one, or sometimes unexpected financial straits.
My average client has been in situ for a minimum of 15 to 30+ years. Yes, there are a few that move every 7 to 10 years because they do not like to live through major painting, floor refinishing, or renovating. If they decide they need to have major work done that would require them to pack up and vacate, they would just as soon relocate into a new, refreshed home. But these are the exceptions.
Since many of my clients last made a big move a decade or two ago, they have conveniently forgotten what it entails. And moving has changed a lot in the intervening years. Thanks to computers and smartphones, everything happens more quickly—from on-the-spot printers generating incomprehensible quotes to rapid-fire questions texted by estimators in a hurry. If one is moving in or out of a coop or condo involving COI’s, there are fresh complications such as move-in and move-out fees, booking the service elevator around restrictive time slots, and a host of other small, aggravating details and costs. In addition, pricing has increased across the boards.
Additionally, my clients’ motivation for moving is different from what formerly impelled them. Their lives are now more settled or have suddenly become unsettled. They are no longer possessed with the same need to comfortably house their growing families or acquisitions. Instead, they are often laden down with possessions in a home filled with memories. And in I walk, for all intents and purposes their new on-call (yet non-licensed) psychologist. Most take my “therapist’s advice” and are overjoyed with the opportunity to hand over all responsibility and go about their lives as normal. After the initial consultation, they leave the mountain of details, planning, organizing, and coordinating to me—and smile as they hand over the keys and the alarm codes.
Then there are the few hand-wringers who fall into the traps described above. They worry. They obsess. They get in the way. Their subliminal reactions to moving take center stage and, as a result, the process is more stressful than it has to be.
My advice to anyone who is moving is that they should leave the details to the professionals. When I first meet with clients, I hand them a comprehensive “To Do” list that should give them enough (and not too much) to occupy their time. If at all possible, I strongly recommend (some might say insist) that the client physically move out the day the movers start packing. Pack a suitcase or two with enough clothing for 10 days and go to your second home, your children, a friend, a hotel, an AirBnB, or a spa. Enjoy your time. I’ll be taking care of everything back at the old and new homesteads.
Watching strangers taking over your home, touching your things, and chatting amongst themselves as if this were just another day can be upsetting for some people. It can actually bring out feelings of anger, defensiveness, and hostility. I recall one client who would not let the movers up to the second floor of her home. She insisted on hand-carrying items downstairs to be packed—and then she told us to leave because she was tired. No wonder! In reality, she was still angry over a divorce that happened years ago, and these emotions bled into the logistical process of the move. She is the reason for my asking clients to vacate when the movers arrive.
Everyone has their own personal history. Sometimes, a move will exhume buried emotions and deep-seated feelings of regret, sorrow, and more. It is understandable that moving is an emotional challenge, as we are not only boxing up our treasured possessions but also leaving the four comfortable walls where we laughed and dined with family and found relaxation after a trying day. Our homes hold so many memories, both joyful and difficult. But just like the possessions that fill it, a home is simply made of raw materials—wood and plaster, stone and sheet rock. Letting go and moving on can be torturous for some and the beginning of a new and exciting adventure for others. When possible, I find myself motivating my clients and getting them excited about the positive side of their difficult transition.
I have found myself in the position of temporary therapist for my clients on many occasions, and am happy to (briefly) fill that role. When you are actually in people’s drawers, you get to know them very well in a very short period of time. I remember their stories. I can tell you what was where in their homes—that vase on the corner table, that couch in front of the hearth. After 14 years, I can still see their faces and hear the sounds of their voices.
But as anyone will tell you, I have a horrible memory for proper nouns. So please do not ask me for the names of any of my former clients, as I will tell you that I cannot remember. As with any good therapist, their secrets are in permanent storage.
Questions or comments? As always, feel free to contact me!
Best wishes,
Sharon
646-784-3073
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In today’s environment, Aging in Place is a big buzzword. It’s a fabulous idea if you happen to be in the business of widening doors for wheelchairs and installing stair lifts. Then it’s a boon to the economy!
However, it’s not always the sensible choice. There are many factors to consider, including health, mobility, and whether or not your senior has regular, steady socialization. (True socialization does not include getting your newspaper every morning and waving at the 30-year old across the street who just moved in with their 1.2 children.)
To help you navigate the decisions you need to make when determining whether or not your senior can age in place happily and safely, I’ve put together this flowchart. Click here to view and download the chart as a PDF. Then go through and ask yourself each question, making notes and circling any elements that apply to your senior’s situation.
In the 14 years that I have been helping clients make these important decisions, I have run into a dozen seniors who aged in place. Some had company. Others didn’t have regular mental stimulation. After considering all the other factors included in the flowchart, I’ve found that socialization is crucial to making aging in place a success.
The good news is that if your senior does decide that an independent living facility is the right choice, they are in for a treat. They will make friends, gain new interests and hobbies, enjoy meals with companions, and feel in control of their lives.
Note: When choosing an independent living facility, also be sure to factor in a long-term view. Some of these facilities will provide nursing and assisted care to residents as the need for more care presents itself. Many independent facilities either have separate floors or adjacent buildings where seniors may relocate if their health deteriorates. This can give you great peace of mind!
My own mother’s story is a powerful one. Living alone in Florida and far from her adult children, she began to experience a loss of vision. She could no longer drive at night. She no longer enjoyed cooking, but she didn’t want to eat alone. She felt trapped and locked in. Yet she had a predisposition against independent living facilities. “Those places are for old people!” was her common refrain.
Fortunately, my mother had a good friend who lived in one of “those places.” Once she was able to see how happy and content her friend was, she hired a mover the next day. This decision restored her freedom and increased her enthusiasm for life.
Please let me know if this flowchart helped you balance the pros and cons of aging in place. What eventual decision did you reach? I’d love to hear from you.
Until then, please reach out to me with any questions.
Best wishes,
Sharon
646-784-3073
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]]>Deferred maintenance is defined as the act of postponing repairs on real and personal property, in order to save money or because people don’t have the time and patience to deal with it.
I have a slightly alternative definition, however: Deferred maintenance is a way of putting off tasks today which, down the road, will cost significantly more money and take more time. It’s rather like neglecting to care for one’s teeth because floss is an extraneous expense and brushing eats up so many valuable minutes in the day. Eventually, you’ll end up with a hefty dental bill.
Ugly secrets caused by deferred maintenance are often lurking inside the most beautiful homes with the most elegant furnishings. In my line of work, I spend a great deal of time in lovely properties. Sadly, I sometimes uncover the most egregious, hideous examples of deferred maintenance—some of which have become actual health hazards.
These broken asbestos floor tiles are causing a health hazard. One broke, which loosened the next, which also broke, and so on.
This can all be avoided with some observation and foresight.
Creeping Black Mold
Here’s an example: A pipe has burst in a little-used bathroom, so you decided to simply shut the water off and ignored the problem. If you didn’t take the time to open up the wall and the ceiling below, allowing everything to dry out properly, you could have let in an unwanted visitor: black mold! Once mold appears, it’s like the camel’s nose entering the tent—the rest of the body soon follows. Mold spreads rapidly and will need professional remediation, including chemical sprays to treat it.
Damage to walls and ceilings. (Areas of deferred maintenance have been marked.)
What’s your alternative? Well, if you’d called in a plumber the moment the situation was discovered, it could have been ameliorated quickly. It would have cost you the labor of the plumber and painter as well as some time (two days out of your life), but would have saved you thousands in the long run.
Speaking of mold, unfinished basements and crawl spaces should always have a dehumidifier. I have seen them in most situations. But most people never bother to clean the filters in the dehumidifiers causing them to clog and to stop working. Chances are, your dehumidifier is emptying into a sump pump. But does your sump pump have an alarm that lets you know when water is backing up? Sump pumps break. I should know because mine finally died. The water sensor was the only thing that prevented a disaster in my crawl space. And even in the short time it took for the plumber to replace the pump and clean the mess, there was evidence of the beginnings of mold.
Outmoded Outlets
Sometimes when I’m involved in a move, the movers will come across obsolete two-pronged extension cords plugged into power strips. I quickly snatch those up and dispose of them, rather than allow them to go into a box and be delivered to the next house. These electrical rat’s nests are fires just waiting to happen!
When an outlet in the wall ceases to function, some clients just mosey along and plug their old-fashioned, two-pronged extension cord into the next available outlet. By doing so, they are overloading their electricity and funneling it into a dangerous temporary solution.
Outdated electrical outlets are more common than you would imagine. I recently helped move someone from a magnificent home that they had lived in for 43 years. All of the outlets had 2 holes. None had the third grounded hole. Replacing/updating electric receptacles is maintenance you should not defer. In bathrooms, kitchens, and exteriors, where water might be present, you need to install GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) receptacles (also commonly known as GFIs) so as to avoid electrical fires. You’ll recognize these because they include a “reset” button.
Dusty Heating/Air Conditioning Ducts
It’s hard to imagine that people who live in beautiful homes with expensive furnishings don’t think of cleaning the ductwork, but they often don’t. Your HVAC ducts should be checked and cleaned at least every 4-5 years. Ductwork does separate over time as the connecting duct tape loosens. Have you ever felt that one room was not as warm or cool as the rest of the home? Chances are the duct work developed a gap. There are companies that clean and check ductwork and the process is painless and quick. Sometimes your HVAC company does this. If not, they could recommend a company they trust. The cost of not maintaining your ducts will be felt in your lungs as well as in the temperature fluctuations within your home.
Twice Annual HVAC Maintenance
Changing the filters for your furnace and air-conditioning not only keeps your home cleaner, it also helps the equipment run more efficiently and prevents possible and expensive problems. Think of these visits as wellness check-ups at the doctor. Additionally, if you have an ongoing maintenance contract, you will be first in line for priority service if something does break down.
The flexible exhaust duct from your clothes dryer should be cleaned once a year as well. If not, you could become witness to truly disastrous, spontaneous combustion. I’ve also seen instances in which the hose that vents the dryer became disconnected from the vent to the exterior of the home, shooting out a blast of flammable lint into the attic or basement crawl space. There is no good reason to defer this sort of maintenance.
Rotten Roofs
There is an old joke about why someone doesn’t fix a leak in the roof: “When it don’t rain, the roof don’t leak; when it rains, it’s too wet to fix it.” Classic deferred maintenance!
People install 20-30 year roofs and expect them to last 20-30 years. But we don’t live in a lab—especially in the Northeast. We live in sleet, snow, ice, heat, rain, and wind. If your roof is showing signs of age, it’s better to take out your checkbook now. If you wait, your roofers will have to rip out and replace major sheets of plywood. Every time they rip and bang, dirt and debris will cascade into your attic. The vibrations throughout the house can even cause art to swing and recessed lighting fixtures to drop! Plus, all that pounding will give you a migraine. And we haven’t even spoken about the damage to walls and ceilings as well as ceiling mounted lighting that a leaky roof can cause. I will leave those to your imagination. Just think about a parade of painters and electricians trooping into your home, and perhaps water damage to draperies and clothing in closets.
Water damage caused by a leaky roof. (See areas outlined in black.)
Appliance Agonies
Appliances these days have a lifespan of 7-10 years; unfortunately, they don’t make them like they used to. When you sense trouble, act. An emergency replacement doesn’t give you time to do proper research, and the decision-making process is rushed.
For example:
- The toilet begins to make a trickling noise. That means it’s leaking. Soon, that little trickle will turn into a flood. It could be something as minor as the ball-cock mechanism in the tank. Please call the plumber if you don’t know how to replace it.
- Your once-glorious shower time starts to get shorter and shorter because the water unexpectedly turns cold, and you end up with flat, listless hair because you haven’t had time to rinse out your conditioner. Your hot water heater may need to be replaced. They last for 15 years max. And if you wait until the water heater starts to leak—well, we have already addressed water damage.
- Your 10-year-old air conditioner is chuffing and rattling away, but you still feel reasonably cool, right? Wait until it dies on a hot July night—you’ll wish you spent the money to replace it sooner!
- The water from kitchen tap is gruelingly slow because the screen has become clogged with minerals. This one is easy: You can simply unscrew the screen and clean it, or rubber-band a baggie of white vinegar around the tap to dissolve the minerals. Or, you could wait until the faucet backs up and explodes. Your choice! (this applies to the shower head and other faucets as well.)
- A persistent drip has started to leave terrible stains in a bathtub. But it’s just a drip, right? By the time the stain turns brown, there is no way to get it out. If you hope to sell your home soon, this is the sort of thing that really turns potential buyers off. Fix the leak. Or you will be purchasing a new tub.
- In your shower, the grout where the tile floor meets the tile wall has decayed and/or washed away. There is a thick line of black mold now residing there. You could attempt to clean it and apply clear caulk over the area, effectively trapping the black gunk inside the wall where it will continue to grow. Or you could pay a professional to scrape out the grout, treat it, and then re-grout it. New grout can be sealed and it will last longer.
A shower in need of new grout.
Deferred maintenance seems easy, at first glance. But fixing things immediately is so much smarter, and it really isn’t that hard. Some of you are very handy do-it-yourselfers. It is time to set aside some time and just do it!
Old and on the Verge of Breaking
Senior citizens are not as observant as they used to be. They suffer from aches and pains, their eyesight is failing, and they are more concerned about maintaining their own aging bodies than they are their homes. Similarly, their adult children are more worried about taking care of their parents then they are about the septic system or the strange “thunking” noise from the washing machine.
But it’s not just the elderly who ignore key maintenance issues. We all do it. Maintaining your home means being alert and looking at things. You need to take an hour 2-3 times a year to inspect your home and all its nooks and crannies. Put it in your calendar: “This is the day to examine my house.” You can prevent an event that is going to cost you time and money.
Don’t let this happen in your home!
(Can’t or won’t do it yourself? Then please pay someone else to do it for you. You will be grateful that you did.)
What have you seen or experienced as a homeowner or a tenant in the way of deferred maintenance? I’d love to hear your comments. Please do share them.
My next blog will cover spring cleaning—which we will appropriately discuss once summer has arrived, in June. (Perhaps we’ll call it “deferred spring cleaning”—no one is perfect, after all.)
Until then, please reach out to me with any questions.
Best wishes,
Sharon
646-784-3073
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]]>Imagine this scenario: You’ve just left a holiday party, wearing a pair of beautiful South Sea pearl earrings. On the walk to your car, your scarf gets tangled up with the clasp and one of the earrings comes unmoored and tumbles into the street, never to be found.
If you don’t have written documentation along with photographic evidence that the earrings existed, you may be out of luck. Both are crucial when it comes to proving your case for insurance or other purposes.
When you think about taking inventory of what you own, you may think a written inventory might suffice. But, as they say, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. A comprehensive, clear photographic inventory combined with a detailed written record gives you powerful protection and peace of mind.
Clients approach me to document all sorts of items for a variety of reasons, which include:
- Protection against loss in the event of a fire, robbery, or natural disaster. (Did you really own 14 TVs and 6 computers? Even with only two people living in the house? Now you can prove it!)
- Proof of what you owned during and after a move, should the truck tip over on the road or things mysteriously go missing
- To back up endorsements in property and casualty insurance policies, primarily for non-itemized belongings such as sterling silver and jewelry
- Proof of the content of a tax-deductible donation
- Evidence of what forms part of a trust versus the estate of the deceased owner of the trust
- Itemization of objects that comprise an inheritance
- A way to make sure that the first child to enter your home after you pass does not take the emerald ring and then claim that it must have been sold ages ago
If you plan for the future at all (and you should; see Planned Versus Unplanned Giving and Hatred From the Grave, for example) photographic inventory documentation is key. Ideally, your inventory should be updated every 7-10 years, or sooner if things in your life and home change.
Case in point: A home and its contents were put into a trust many years ago. In the mid 80’s, the son inherited the trust of the home and its contents as of the day of inheritance. Thirty years later, the same trust was inherited by the son’s children. However, during the course of 30 some years, possessions were added to the contents of the house, and others were replaced as they wore out. So, what actually belongs in the trust that the son’s children inherited? What belongs in the son’s estate (vs the trust) which will be divided amongst the children and other beneficiaries? There is no clarity. The inventory hadn’t been updated. This scenario is not that unusual and legal complications could have easily been avoided.
Another case: A very large library was donated to a religious organization. It was necessary to document the books and to have proof of how many were in the gift. Preparing a written list would have taken months and would have been very expensive. It was much easier to capture the titles and, to a large extent, the condition, photographically.
And yet another case: A collection in excess of 500 pieces of Inuit sculpture was for sale. The collector had a very detailed written inventory that he created and continually updated as he purchased new sculptures. Every item was numbered. But—and there is always a but—written descriptions were inadequate for any potential buyers of all or part of the collection. In this situation, I was brought in to work my magic.
In some situations, an insurance agent will hire me and bring me in to document the contents of a client’s home or items covered by special endorsements. Since it is to their benefit to have possessions properly documented via photographs, the agent will pay my fee and offer my services as a gift to their client. In other instances, the agent will just strongly suggest that the client hire me.
Now, it’s time for a quiz! What would be the best method for creating a detailed, photographic inventory of the following collections? How would you organize the objects? How might you notate dimensions, dates of acquisition, original cost, and other vital details?
A collection of sterling napkin rings.
- A collection of more than 300 works-on-paper stored in map drawers with the original receipts
- A collection of two large bags of sterling silver napkin rings, acquired from various sources over many years
- A collection of 60+ signed and dated (in most cases) art-glass paper weights
Any ideas? Unsure as to how you’d tackle these projects? I am not. After years of conducting photographic inventory, I know exactly how I would handle each case to deliver detailed, organized, high-resolution documentation (with written back up when needed) that would leave no uncertainties or confusion.
Want to find out more? Want to see some examples? Get in touch!
Best wishes,
Sharon
646-784-3073
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]]>While I have addressed this subject in the past, I have developed deeper perspectives after learning about the Japanese and Swedish points of view regarding extraneous “stuff.”
In Japan, decluttering is tied to the idea that “your memories live in your heart.” You don’t need to cling to possessions to cherish those memories.
In Sweden, there is a phrase which essentially means “death cleaning.” This is the concept of decluttering in order to leave behind a tidy, manageable environment for your heirs.
In America, however, our approach to decluttering isn’t quite so philosophical. It might be summed up with the phrases: “Oh my, what a terrible mess!” or perhaps “I am moving, but do I really need to pay a mover to pack all this?” We throw up our hands and have no idea how to begin.
That’s why I’m here! Recently, I was called in on two separate assignments that each had a common thread: clutter. One party, who had passed, had refused to relinquish control to anyone who might have helped her declutter. As a result, her environment became so crowded that it could not be dusted, vacuumed, or cleaned. It took six days for us to dig out important documents, valuable jewelry, sterling, and so on. We had to remove 1 ½ truckloads of trash, which was an additional cost for the woman’s heirs.
Here is what her home looked like before we started our work:
And here is the same home after we cleaned it out:
The other party was moving from a very large home, which was sparsely furnished and well-organized, to one that was half the size. The very large home appeared to be clutter-free on the surface, but held an unpleasant surprise. Secreted away were years of papers and files that should have been disposed of long ago, enough seasonal decorations for multiple homes, dozens of spare light bulbs, and other paraphernalia.
This move was not a surprise. There had been ample time (at least a year) to go through all of the contents. However, like most of my clients, the family had procrastinated. As a result, they became more stressed, more pressed for time, and ended up paying more money than they needed to.
There are five key questions you should consider asking yourself when it comes to decluttering successfully. Follow these guidelines before you become engulfed in a teetering stack of outdated tax records, knitting magazines, and bric-a-brac!
1. Who Has to Deal With What I Leave Behind?
Who gets the silver? Who gets the vacuum cleaner? What should I throw out? These are all questions you need to address. Try to put yourself in the shoes of your adult children. A family member might be upset if you didn’t leave clear instructions, and arguments can even ensue. Make choices and record them clearly in your will. Verbal promises or labels stuck under or behind items are not enough. Even if you are only 25 years old, remember that one day someone will need to deal with your stuff.
2. How Do I Get Started?
Start by addressing a category that does not have any emotional ties; for example, old electronics, lampshades, office supplies, paper, linen, and items that are clearly broken or obsolete.
Most of us want to live in a neat environment. But many people wait until a life change to precipitate a sudden, massive desire to declutter: an illness, a child going off to college, moving. In such a situation, you’ll feel harried and under the gun. Plan ahead and get started now.
Questions you’ll need to ask yourself:
• Does it have sentimental value?
• Does it belong in the trash?
• Can someone else use it?
Just get it out of your home! As you make progress and reveal another empty shelf or drawer, you’ll be encouraged to continue.
There are exceptions. For example, if you know you have some important papers to sort before a move but just haven’t found the time yet, put them all in a box and mark it IMPORTANT so you know to go through it at a later time. But don’t carry this too far. One client of mine had kept decades of papers, including 15 years of medical records and brokerage statements in giant 3-ring binders. The documents had to be shredded and the scraps were enough to fill an entire truck! Keep only what you need. For example, when I file away the backup documentation for my yearly tax returns, I place them in a new expandable folder and shred the records that are 8 years old. One in, one out. The same goes for a new blouse that’s replacing a similar blouse that’s outdated, faded, or stained.
3. Does Anyone Want This Stuff?
Go ahead and ask them! Most of the time, they don’t. Prior to a move, I asked my daughter what she wanted. Silver? China? Crystal glasses? Her answer was a definitive “No, no, no.” She took a couple of pieces of silver and that was all. I was then forced to deal with a lot of things I no longer wanted or needed. Unfortunately, your emotional attachment to something doesn’t make it important to anyone else.
However, if you have unwanted items that are still in good condition and useful, please donate them or give them to a consignment shop.
4. How Do I Find the Time?
Too much time on your hands makes you complacent. When you have a surplus of free time, you get nothing done. Set manageable goals. “By Tuesday, I’ll clean out this corner. By next week, I’ll have three boxes ready for donation.” It helps to give yourself a deadline. Make an appointment with a charity to pick up your donation in the next two weeks. Mark it boldly on your calendar. You’ll know they are coming and it will give you the incentive to bag and box your giveaways.
5. Why Do I Keep Losing Steam?
Once you make a little progress, you often lose steam. This is when it helps to hire a professional. If your budget doesn’t allow for a pro, find a friend or family member to give you some tough love. The pro or the friend won’t have the same emotional attachments that you do, and will bring with them the practical, commonsense attitude that you need—and will be able to resist your pleas to save that old stack of National Geographic magazines. If you are not physically capable of lifting a box or climbing a ladder, you may also need outside help.
If you suffer from cluttering or hoarding tendencies, a pro or a dispassionate friend can efficiently help you with the physical removal of large items and can very gently coax you along. They can even wrest a broken plate from your grasp and discard it for you! (Let’s face it, that plate is never getting repaired, nor will it ever grace a table again.) Hoarders have an even greater inability than the rest of us to relinquish control. A recent client had a home filled with piles of books, mounds of papers, and stacks of plastic boxes filled with unopened mail. It was difficult to navigate. The bed was covered with junk. There was an enormous walk-in closet, but one could not “walk in” whatsoever. The closet was filled with boxes, bags, and medical equipment. We found refund checks from the IRS and Medicare amongst the unopened mail. I could go on for pages, but I think you have the picture.
The bottom line: you should leave your home neat and orderly. Sometimes you may need to give up control to a professional, family member, or friend to get the job done. Make life easy for those who will live on after you are gone. Just as with a will, decluttering your home is not only a gift you can leave to loved ones, but also a gift you can give to yourself in the present. View the whole concept like the Swedes do, as “Death Cleaning.” It sounds sad, but it isn’t. It will help you have a happier life in a clutter-free home.
Do you or does someone you know suffer from a clutter problem? What challenges have you faced? Do you have any tricks and tips that have worked well? I’d love to hear from you.
Our next topic will be: “Do you know what you really own—and can you prove it if you need to?”
Best wishes,
Sharon
646-784-3073
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]]>Many of my blog articles focus on the need to purge unwanted, unused, and outdated possessions. While I still stick firmly to the “If you’re not using it, get rid of it” philosophy, there are indeed many items that we do need and use on a regular basis. If we want to maintain a pleasant and uncluttered home, these items need to be properly stored.
Whether you live in a palatial home with an abundance of walk-in closets or a small apartment with barely a corner in which to wedge a bookshelf, there are some clever solutions for maximizing the space you do have.
Bookshelves
Linear feet is a critical measurement to keep in mind prior to moving to a new home, refurbishing your existing space, or adjusting your storage solutions. Grab a measuring tape and measure the linear feet—depth and width—of any built-in or standing bookshelves you may have. Once you know how many feet you have, you can measure and assess a row of books to see exactly how many will fit.
Shelves are generally designed for deeper books. By pushing your books flush to the back of the shelf, you’ll allow room for decorative bric-a-brac, eliminating clutter on tables and other surfaces. This makes dusting a lot easier, and offers a nice visual juxtaposition. Another way to save space is to store some books standing across, while laying others flat on top of one another.
I’ll pause a moment here to reiterate my oft-stated maxim: If it’s outdated, get rid of it! No one needs to keep encyclopedias. Disposing of them is as refreshing as purging your closet of those outfits we considered stylish in the 1980s. Those college chemistry books are now scientifically defunct; if you’re hankering to apply a Bunsen burner to 20 grams of ammonium dichromate, I suggest you consult the Internet, not a dusty old tome from the 1970s. And yes, yearbooks are a sentimental treasure to keep.
There are other tricks you can apply to make the most of your bookshelf space. In my new home, I needed to build bookshelves, but did not want to forfeit a wall that could be utilized for a large piece of furniture. Instead, I constructed bookshelves that wrap around a window and run floor to ceiling. I use the resulting shelf right in front of the window to display a work of art and a sculpture.
Clothes Closets
Measuring linear feet is also critical when it comes to hanging clothes. First, measure the linear feet of the long-hanging clothes in your closet, such as evening gowns, dresses etc. Note that if you are very tall, you must also consider height for the long-hanging area of your closet. You don’t want your dresses trailing on the floor!
Then take your short-hanging clothes—skirts, trousers folded in half, shirts, blouses—and measure the linear feet of those. By using double-hung closet rods, you will double your hanging space for such articles.
Some closets are rather deep, and clothing can be hung on one row in front of the other. Use the front rack for your winter clothing, keeping summer items in the back—and then rotate the racks when the seasons change. If you want to make your life truly easy, consult a closet design company that can help you install hanging bars that automatically rotate front to back and/or top to bottom.
Deep closets can also afford space for shoes. Buy clear, plastic lidded boxes. Wipe off shoes and soles before storing, and stack the boxes 2-4 high along the sides of the closet or the top shelf, depending on its height. Keep winter shoes (or shoes that are currently in use) on your shoe rack. This neat solution helps you to maximize every square inch and every linear foot, and you will still have plenty of room to walk in and grab that perfect outfit. It will also keep things off the floor so it can be dusted or vacuumed.
“But my closets are tiny!” some of you may be wailing. “I can barely get an arm in, let alone walk in!” First of all, you can eke out a few precious inches by switching to skinny hangers such as Huggables, which you can find at The Container Store. These hangers are very thin but durable, and come with a velvety cover so that clothes don’t slip off. (Certain garments, however, do require a hanger with a nice broad shoulder. You don’t want to get little lines in the shoulders of an expensive jacket. As for wire hangers, avoid at all costs—Mommie Dearest got that one right!)
A few more inches can be gained by removing the plastic covers that come back from the dry cleaners. The plastic doesn’t breathe, collects static, and attracts dust anyway.
Yet another way to save space is to ask the dry cleaner to clean, store, and return your off-season clothing. Regardless of where you store your clothing, it’s very important that it is laundered/dry cleaned beforehand—hungry moths will go for the slightest residue of food or any skin cells that flake off on your clothes.
Still craving space? I frequently see a closet in the bedroom that has hollow dead space on either side. If you are so inclined, you can break into that dead space and put in new doors, thereby widening your closet dramatically. It’s actually less expensive than buying a new bedroom set. And that brings us to…
Drawers and Bureaus
Hands down, shelves are better than drawers. Most of my clothing is on shelves. Drawers, for the most part, are terrible for storage, and most bureaus are not worth the money you spend on them. Why? Clothing gets lost and muddled in deep drawers, and it’s impossible to see what’s on the bottom without rifling through articles you’re trying to keep folded and neat. Have you noticed how rarely you wear the T-shirt on the bottom of the pile in the drawer? You are much better off with lingerie-depth drawers (approx. 4 inches deep), or shelves where you can stack and see/access anything. If you can purchase a bureau with shallow drawers, you will find it much more practical.
I like to fold my T-shirts and stack them on shelves or roll them, and then lay them down in 2-3 rows in a shallow drawer. You can get in as many shirts, if not more, than in one of those deep drawers. Plus it’s easy to see what you own.
The same goes for undergarments. It’s much smarter to fold them and stack them in the lingerie-depth drawers, much like they do in a lingerie store, than to fish around wildly for what you need.
Linens and Things
Linens: Not every home has a massive linen cupboard. Perhaps you have half a dozen full-length tablecloths taking up an entire hall closet. I would gently suggest that you may not need or use all those tablecloths, and that you get rid of them. There is no market for them, and nowadays people tend to use beautiful placemats for their dinner settings. If you don’t use them and your children don’t want them, donate them to the Humane Society. They will use them as bedding for the animals. The same goes for sheets and towels that have seen better days.
Overlooked Space: Another storage tip is to consider overlooked space underneath the stairs. Many homes have dead space in this area, which can be opened up to store luggage, toys, and things that you don’t necessarily need to use all the time.
Music: Your CDs no longer need shelves as they can all be uploaded to the Cloud.
Unless you are a serious diehard, music buff, you can switch to Sonos rather than a hard-wired, multi-unit sound system that requires a cabinet.
Photos: Your priceless photos can be scanned into the Cloud and saved for generations to come, whereas photo albums that are not archival will eventually yellow and your photos will decay. Save your storage space by digitizing these memories. The same goes for diplomas and honorary certificates.
Do you have a storage conundrum? Feel free to ask me a question, and I will address it here in a future blog. If I don’t hear from anyone, I will—at least until next season—close the door on this particular storage unit.
Best wishes,
Sharon
646-784-3073
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]]>If you’re about to embark on a move, it’s the perfect time to take stock of what you own and how you plan to find a purposeful, proper place for each and every item that is coming along with you.
I give each of my moving clients a proprietary list of things they need to do before a move; it spans 11 pages and took almost a year to create. That “To Do” list does not address the functional use of space. It deals with just about everything else.
This blog cannot provide that proprietary list, but it will show you some of the things that I show my clients—how to maximize storage in drawers, cabinets, closets, and shelves, particularly when planning a move or a renovation.
There’s no better place to start than in the kitchen. (Next month, we’ll tackle closets, bookshelves, and other storage areas.)
A Simple Jigsaw Puzzle
Your first order of business will be to examine your new kitchen space thoroughly. Go to your new home and count the drawers in your new kitchen. Measure their width and length. Understand the new space. Does it need to be reconfigured? Can you convert any stationary shelves to more practical and convenient roll-out shelves? Is there an area with vertical slats to store trays, baking sheets, etc.?
Next, you need to look at what you own and make some simple calculations. What will you take with you and where will you place it in your new kitchen? I understand that this may seem hopelessly overwhelming when you’re staring at a stack of dishes, a jumble of whisks, odd baking accoutrements, and (of course) the dreaded Junk Drawer of Doom.
When you break it down into a piece-by-piece strategy, however, it’s really like a very simple jigsaw puzzle—the wooden kind for very young children, in which every item has and obvious and proper resting place. And I assure you that there will be a place for every item that you truly need. Everything else either doesn’t belong in your kitchen or belongs in a donation center.
Seeing Double (or Triple)
Pick the best of what you’ve got before you move. If you have three identical skillets, only one of which you always use, why keep the other two? Don’t pay someone to move them into your new kitchen.
The same is true for cake pans and muffin tins. If you’re an avid confectioner, perhaps you use them frequently. Or perhaps you own about five muffin tins—all with baked-on residue and ancient grease—but haven’t made cupcakes since your daughter’s Barbie-themed fifth birthday (she’s now 42). If you really feel compelled to keep one, keep the cleanest one.
But here’s the general rule: If you haven’t used it in your existing home in the past year or so, you’re not going to use it in your new home. Some classic standards of non-use: the fondue pot, the 50-cup percolator, the electric Salton warming plate, the box of escargot shells—shall I go on or do you get the idea?
Flatware and Knives
First, how much flatware do you own? Stack up your butter knives, small spoons, soup spoons, dinner and luncheon knives; and dinner, luncheon, and dessert forks, etc. If your basic flatware is not used for entertaining, you need only a limited amount per person in your home.
Flatware should sit nicely in a drawer to the right or left of the dishwasher, so that you can easily put it away. Measure your drawer, count the number of pieces and the number of place settings, measure the length of each piece in the place setting and the serving pieces. Now design a grid that will fill your drawer(s) with small containers for each type of piece (see photo below). Go to The Container Store and purchase a bin for each type of flatware, so that it stays snug in the drawer and doesn’t rattle around. (Make sure to take your grid with all the measurements, and bring a tape measure with you to the store to measure the divider containers you would like to buy.)
Those wooden blocks that are used to store knives on counter tops are dreadful dust collectors, not to mention a waste of counter space. One solution is to install a magnetic strip and hang your knives neatly on the wall—but this is a dangerous prospect for people with young children! And do you want to put holes in your beautiful tile backsplash? Instead, place your knives in a wooden knife-storage container inside a drawer. Preferably, this drawer will be located under the counter where you do all your prep-work. Knife holders do not need to be very wide as they come with two-tier capacity (see photo below) and can hold a lot of knives and still leave room for other related items.
Clutter-Free Counter Space
You want your kitchen counters to be as clutter-free as possible. This should be one of those “no duh” moments, but clutter-free counters make it far easier to cook, prepare, and serve food. And that’s what kitchens are for, right?
If you don’t entertain large groups of caffeinated people daily, put that big coffee pot away. If you don’t bake on a daily basis, you don’t need a giant stand mixer hogging valuable real estate on your countertop. Put these items in lower cabinets, where you can find them and pull them out when you need them. Functional items that you use on a daily basis, such as the toaster oven, can merit one of the coveted spots on your countertop. If you use something more than three times per week, leave it out. When was the last time you used the Vitamix or the Cuisinart?
If you cook, put common utensils such as spoons, ladles, and spatulas in a container right by the stove. I use a round, stainless steel container to hold these utensils, while specialty items that I use less frequently are kept in a drawer. These include my baster, pastry brush, and ice cream scoop (see photo below). Wax paper, Saran Wrap, and aluminum foil can all be located in a drawer close to the fridge.
Many kitchens have gorgeous backsplashes, but no practicalities such as outlets. To get around this, you can attach under-cabinet outlet strips on the back edges of your upper cabinets. Wires go straight up and do not trail along the counters, providing more plug-in spaces than wall outlets.
Finally, people tend to put all kinds of decorative tzotches on their counters and windowsills. But in a kitchen, the air is rife with grease particles and moisture. Kitchens are not clean, and are thus not a good home for space-wasting dust collectors that get in the way of a quick wipe down/cleanup. Please don’t do it!
Spices and Sundries
I like to keep nuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds handy for snacking and cooking. If you want to keep these out, you can purchase jars that close with a clip and that stack up on a counter against the backsplash. The lid flips up and the spoon slips in!
A great way to store your spice collection is to hang baskets on the inside of cupboard or pantry doors; this will allow you to store 50-60 spice jars in a neat, space-saving fashion. (See photo below.) You don’t have to be neurotic like me and arrange them in alphabetical order, but it will certainly help you locate what you need faster.
If you keep avocados, onions, garlic, and the like out on your counter for ripening and easy access, don’t use a bowl. Use something flat, such as that large, beautiful platter that never makes it to the table. In a bowl, you will invariably find a flattened tomato, a moldy onion, or a wizened lemon that you forgot about at the bottom, and it will need to be tossed.
The Dreaded Junk Drawer of Doom
Finally, we arrive at everyone’s bugaboo, the ubiquitous junk drawer. What’s in yours? If you’re like many, your junk drawer contains coupons you never use, keys to doors in homes you lived in five years ago, bits of string, paper clips, dusty birthday candles, batteries, coins, rubber bands, pens that no longer write, etc.
You do not need a junk drawer. Some of the things in your junk drawer may be useful, but they should be relocated. For example:
- Take your coupons, paper clip them together, and put them in the car, so you’ll have them right there when you’re shopping.
- Put your birthday candles in a drawer right next to the spatula that you use for frosting cakes.
- Batteries can be bagged and stored in the back of the refrigerator. They will last much longer in a cool environment.
- Scotch tape, a stapler, and string are useful, and should be in everyone’s kitchen. I keep mine in the cabinet right next to the measuring cups (see photo below).
- Your pad of paper and pen can be placed next to the phone to capture important notes. Better still, hang a whiteboard or use an iPad—the latter is where I keep my grocery list, and it can travel with me to the store.
I hope these tips have been helpful, and now I’d love to hear from you. What spatial challenges do you have in your existing home or in the home that you are moving into? What particular storage areas cause you the greatest angst? I’ll be happy to address these questions and more in a future blog!
Best wishes,
Sharon
646-784-3073
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]]>Here is a reality that has been hard for my clients to wrap their heads around: Generation Y, Z, and Millennials don’t want anything to do with china, silver, candlelabras, “limited edition” anything, Lladros, Hummels, collectibles from the Franklin Mint, china cabinets, entertainment units, steamer trunks, and a whole raft of other things. Steuben, Henredon, Waterford? Blank stares. Crystal, or mahogany furniture? Forget about it!
The sad truth is that much of what my clients wish to discard when they downsize is unwanted by charities (which are now inundated with similar merchandise), “antique” dealers, or even their own adult children. A lot of what was once sought after cannot be sold, much less given away.
Old and Out of Vogue
Recently, 3,000 Millennials were asked to name a furniture or china brand, and La-Z-Boy and Ikea didn’t count. Results? 0.3% could. Sentimental as we may be about our precious collectibles, we need to face the fact that, unless the pendulum of personal tastes swings wildly in the opposite direction again, they are never going command high resale prices.
The world has changed. Just try asking a young couple starting a new home if they’d like three sets of your unwanted china, your 500-volume book collection, an armoire, or a pair of somber, dark brown cabinets. How about “no?”
Younger people invest in experiences, not stuff. However, anyone born before 1970 was steeped in the culture of acquisition. They were sold that idea by marketers and advertisers for decades. Post-WWII and Boomers were the most acquisitive generations in recorded history. So what are we to do with closets full of table linen, breakfronts full of assorted odd bone china cups, living rooms full of 19th century reproductions of 18th century furniture, or stacks of magazines and newspapers featuring Neil Armstrong landing on the moon?
Here’s the low-down, based on my experience, on some of what’s almost worthless—and some of what actually has fair to fabulous monetary value.
Books: Almost Always Worthless
People tend to think that 20th century first editions are worth something, but in reality they have next to no value. Neither do entire sets of encyclopedias, Nancy Drews, or the Hardy Boys. Libraries, schools, and other institutions do not want your books. Places like The Strand pay a few dollars per linear foot, but you need to box and get the books to them.
There are exceptions. For example: limited editions such as art books with original lithographs; rare books and illuminated entire manuscripts; and unusual, out-of-print (and sometimes decidedly un-P.C.) titles such as Little Black Sambo. These do fetch a very good price.
China: Pennies on the Dollar
Today, china can be bought for 25 cents per piece—and we’re talking high quality, good condition pieces, not junk. I can barely give china or crystal away. A complete set of 12 place settings in a desirable pattern (not Lenox gold-banded off-white, which no one wants) would bring $1+ per piece. If you value your own china, there are places where you can replace a broken or chipped plate so you will still have a full set. Try Replacements or eBay. These vendors charge a steep premium for people in need of a plate, but they pay pennies to the sellers. One needed piece is worth more than it originally cost.
Silver: It Depends
Most silver plate has next to no value whatsoever. Exceptions would include fine old English Sheffield silver plate and other equivalent plate.
Sterling silver is very inexpensive today, and used sterling pieces are regularly sold by weight. Monogrammed sterling has less value than non-monogrammed. Exceptions for sterling would include George Jensen mid-century modern sterling flatware and Gorham Martelé Sterling pieces (Martelé is a limited, hand wrought production line of 950 sterling that was made from 1896 through the 1930’s). Other hallmark sterling that is very rare and extraordinary is still desirable and does bring excellent money, but very few people actually own any of it.
Gold, Coins & Stamps: Face Value and Weight
Stamps: Have a stamp collection you started as a child with albums and stamps from the U.S. Postal Service? You are now approaching your 85th birthday? Do you or your adult children assume you are sitting on a fortune? Actually, you’re sitting on something you can lick and stick to the letters you mail. Most stamps are worth their face value and that’s it. Real collectors and dealers do exist and their stamps are rare and valuable. If you are that type of collector you know what you have.
Coin Collections: Some Indian Head pennies are worth a fortune. There was a time when dollars, half dollars, quarters, and dimes coins had a 90% silver content. These are worth more than face value. Some are worth a lot more. To determine if your coins fall into this category, line them up in the palm of your hand as if you were holding a roll of quarters. If you see little brown (copper) lines on the edges of the coin, you’re looking at face value. If they don’t have a little brown line, they are worth more. If they are rare, they are worth a lot more. Of course condition goes hand in glove with value. After 1967, coins were minted with less silver.
Gold Coins: Pre-1933 gold coins have historical significance, and many are worth quite a bit more than gold weight. (USA gold coins were first issued in 1795.) Coins minted through the early 1800s are the most valuable and desirable. Values depend upon year, condition, and where minted. Late 1800s and 1900s $20 gold coins are literally worth their weight in gold plus some. There was a time when framing a gold coin and hanging it from a gold chain was thought of as a cool piece of jewelry. That frame, however, limited the value, making the entire necklace worth its weight in gold—period. Much like stamps, if you have something really rare you’d likely already know it. However, never assume. It pays to find out what is hidden in the box that Grandpa squirreled away for years in the top drawer of his bureau.
Diamonds: Small, Colorful, and Rare Will Command Money
There was a time when perfect 1 carat diamonds were the currency of the day, but no longer. There is a market for wonderful quality diamonds larger than 2.5 carats. Size does matter. For example, and when it comes to value, there is a vast difference in money between a 3.8 carat versus a 4 carat. It’s interesting how such a small differential in size can result in such a large dollar gap. Savvy diamond buyers/collectors seek and pay top dollar for small, perfect, and highly-prized stones in rare colors such as purple and orange. In fact, a 3/4 carat pure orange diamond is worth more than a pure white 5 carat diamond. Regardless, diamonds must come with a GIA certificate from the Gemology Institute of America. The buyer needs to know that the stone was not heat-treated to enhance color.
Native American Works: You Need Documentation
Native American artifacts include fetishes, baskets, pottery, etc. The value of the items is highly dependent upon the artist who made it and/or its provenance back to the days before works were signed or attributed to an individual versus a tribe. You need to know where the piece came from, when you got it, and who (if anyone known) made it. People who collect this type of craft need to hold onto their receipts, as very few really old authentic pieces have markings that are identifiable.
Jewelry: Brand Names Are Worth More
Jewelry is often worth no more than its weight in silver or gold, unless you have a signed piece. Some examples are: a bracelet by a well-known Zuni silversmith, signed and traced to its designer, or jewelry from well-known brand names such Tiffany, Cartier, Bulgari, etc. These stamped and/or signed pieces will command higher prices. There is much more to be learned about reselling jewelry, but this is a good beginning.
Art: If You Get Lucky, You Could Get Rich
There are true collectors who scour the world for extraordinary pieces of art, but most of us are not among them. Some lucky individuals have had the good fortune to buy works of art from starving artists who have since died and then became famous. Jane Freilicher, a Long Island painter of floral scenes and marshes who passed away in 2014, is an example of an artist who subsequently became well-known. Her paintings originally sold for approximately $500, but are now worth $35,000+ per painting. My advice? Buy it because you like to look at it, not because you think it will be worth a fortune one day. Additionally, originals are worth more than lithographs and many lithographs are simply decorative and have little resale value.
Hermés Handbags: Worth a Fortune
This is indeed a special category! As absurd as it sounds, Hermés handbags are worth a fortune. They are the uber status symbol at present. You have to have extremely prominent social status to even get into the queue to acquire one from Hermés. There will be a steep markup tacked on if you buy one from a reseller. As a reseller, you can make a wonderful profit.
Seller Beware!
When you are a one-off seller, be aware that whoever is buying is most likely going to take advantage of you. They are never going to see you again. As the British like to say, you “have a feeling in your water” that you are being ripped off, but you do not know what else to do. I guess this is the perfect place for me to say, “Call me.”
Some Advice
Whatever you are selling, get as high up in the food chain as possible to maximize your return. Don’t start at the lower levels; e.g. the corner jewelry store that buys your unwanted jewelry, or a pawnbroker. They resell to another dealer who resells it yet again, until someone gets to the smelter or the high-end reseller. You could make a lot more money, even by paying a professional a commission.
Many sellers look online in an effort to understand what values are for comparable items. When you check e-Bay and First Dibbs, look at actual sales results; the asking prices are not reality. Similar items being sold in antiques shops are priced at full retail numbers that factor in rents, overhead etc. Remember, you are not a retailer.
In the end, it’s not always about reaping a fortune. If you recoup 10, 50, or 100 dollars for something you have used, loved, and no longer want, it’s found money. Someone has paid you and you did not need to pay the trash removal person to take it away.
Instead of getting pennies on the dollar for a beautiful china set that you rarely if ever use, why not start using it and live like a lady/gentleman? Enjoy your finest things, or make some grocery money and make a new owner happy at the same time.
While I am not a licensed appraiser, I have learned quite a lot over the years. Experience is a wonderful teacher. As always, if you have questions, I’m happy to answer them.
Best wishes,
Sharon
646-784-3073
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Note: Part of this post was contributed by a NASSM member.
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