OK, you’ve made the decision

wpsimas · #1 (**permalink**) 03-03-2005

What do you do with your stuff? After living in a house, for many years, you accumulate a great deal of stuff. It could be good stuff, junk or family/sentimental stuff. You want to keep some of it but realize that most (99%) just needs to go. How or where did you get ride of it

From my readings it appears that most keep a storage area which gets smaller and smaller until all of the stuff is gone.

orion · #2 (**permalink**) 03-03-2005

We had the mother of all garage sales but also keep a small room in a storage facility-For us we are live aboards but not long distance cruisers and yes our "stuff" is getting smaller and smaller - it''s amazing what you can live without- It was important to have our boat be as uncluttered as possible so we can go anchor out or sail whenever we want- and yes we both work- Over the years you talk to others and get ideas about what you need and what you don''t-

Sailormon6 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-04-2005

A common method of liquidating peoples'' household furnishings and other personal property after death is an estate auction sale. It''s also a good way to get rid of your stuff while you''re still alive. You can set aside the heirlooms and other things that have special meaning for you, and then turn the rest over to the auctioneer, who will advertise and conduct the sale. Some things will sell for less than you expect, and some will sell for more, but in most cases it will all be gone in a day. It can be difficult for some people to see the possessions that the''ve loved go out the door, but if you''re going to downsize your home after the kids have moved out, or go cruising, it has to be done.

Evy · #4 (**permalink**) 03-07-2005

I think an auction is a great way to go. As Sailormon6 points out your stuff can be gone in a day. This can make the "loss" easier to digest as it''s just gone. Also setting up can become contagious. As they carry things out for the sale some people find it easy to take from the keep-pile knowing it will add to the bottom line in just a day or so. I have seen things set out accidentaly only to have the owner say "what the heck, it''s outta here."
We will hold an ongoing garage sale this summer but an auction will be our slate cleaner and certain items are being saved for that. These are mostly antiques that garage-salers just want to dicker on but attract a specific bidding crowd to the auction. Auctioneers vary so do some homework and go to a few auctions if possible to get a feel for the one you want. Some just sell and some really make every item count.
When the time comes we have alotted each of us one metal trunk to pack w/ stuff to save. These we will keep at one of the kids'' and should not be too much burden if they move.

wpsimas · #5 (**permalink**) 03-07-2005

All are great responses. I never thought of the “Estate Sale”. Seems to me that is the best bet. Gone in a day, make the transition faster, no lose ends. We spend years paying for storage and moving stuff around from my parent’s estate.

I plan to work for a few more years prior to going cruising. I would be living aboard on the upper Chesapeake Bay. Any other advice to making the transition?

Thank you all

erdagte · #6 (**permalink**) 03-07-2005

One more suggestion:
When I took the big plunge to live aboard I gave aways most of my household goods. The Salvation Army came and picked up all the big stuff. I''m not rich, but giving it away was easier than worrying about prepping it for a garage sales/auction.

wpsimas · #7 (**permalink**) 03-17-2005

What are the things to watch for (good/bad) is using an auctioneer for the estate sale?

eryka32 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-30-2005

We garage saled the big stuff (furniture, etc) donated the little stuff & took the tax deduction, and are storing the sentimentals plus enough to furnish a small 1-bedroom apt with an understanding friend. Sold the house and moved aboard 3 years ago - like you, in the upper Chesapeake. Still working DC - storage space aboard for dress clothing is a concern that you won''t have while cruising but will in the short term, you may need a small storage shed near your marina, or buy a junker van more for the storage than the transportation and keep your clothing, etc in back.

Johnno · #9 (**permalink**) 05-11-2005

wpsimas,

Selling all the stuff is the easy part and the posts have covered that well enough. The thing is it took a while to collect all that stuff and you will never replace it for what you get. So unless you can be sure that you won''t ever need it would be a bold decision to sell up the first time you go. You''d also want to be sure that crusing was right for you and believe me it isn''t for everyone.

In any event there will be a time when you may need some of that that stuff again so you shoudl weigh up the cost and the storage to say nothing of any question of sentimentality surrounding some of it.

I am normally quite mercinary about such things but I think on this issue I would be a bit more circumspect and tread slowly slowly. I''d store the stuff initially and then make a final decision once I had been cruising for a while.

I''ve been there and kept stuff and believe me I have never regretted it. Maybe I just don''t have that much stuff - although that is not what my wife tells me!!!

Johnno