Mother Talkers

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  • So exciting! (0 / 0)

    Wow. What a fun opportunity for your hubby. I don't know too much about West, but I've seen him speak a few times (on t.v.), he seems very interesting... I would love the opportunity to hang out with him one day. I hope they both rip Hirsi Ali a new one if she starts in on immigrants.

    I will be having a HUGE estate sale this weekend. Finally. I've been planning it for weeks, but have made every excuse in the book to put it off. My mother moved to Mexico a few months ago; long story short: step-dad passed away and she wanted to be near her brothers and sisters. She basically left me with a house full. Really. 30 years worth of stuff (I really wanna say 'shit'). I've been really overwhelmed and was a little resentful about the whole thing but I'm over it. Thank goodness for my SO who has been SO helpful.

    So here is my question: how much do I sell things for? My mom has things still in their original box, things with tags, and things she paid a lot of money for. Have any of you ever had an estate sale? How did you determine what to charge for things?

    by sandrab on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 09:27:52 AM PDT

    • I haven't done this (0 / 0)

      but a friend recently did with her mom's belongings.  She hired someone who took 30% of the total.  His contribution was pricing (and may have included other services, I"m not sure).  It might be worth it.

      Mama to one son, born 12/93.

      by mamacita on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 10:13:46 AM PDT

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    • I threaten my mother (0 / 0)

      that if she doesn't go through all her stuff in the next 10-20 years, when she passes / moves in with me (lord alive) I will open her house as an "everything's a dollar" sale. because there's just SO MUCH STUFF.

      That was totally not helpful. I apologize. Maybe e-bay for the boxed stuff?

      by lilianna28 on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 10:16:57 AM PDT

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      • Seriously. (0 / 0)

        After this experience I realize that my mom has major pack rat issues. Who the hell needs, 3 fax machines, four vacuum's, 5 vegetable  choppers, etc...?? There were multiples of EVERYTHING. I had to rent a huge trash bin because we got rid of so much. My step dad had YEARS worth of bills. I found chests full of clothes from the 80's too. It's insane.

        Aside from being an irritating experience, I went to my  home and got rid of things I haven't used in a year.

        by sandrab on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 10:51:20 AM PDT

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    • FIL collects books (0 / 0)

      He does so on the premise that he can make big money by buying books at garage sales for $0.25 and then selling for $1 on eBay if he just does enough volume, but instead he just gets tons of books and lets them pile up.  They are our "inheritance".  We've told him that although we don't believe in book burning from an idealogical standpoint, they're all going into the flames if he doesn't sell before he dies.  

      I went to estate sales with my parents in the 70s, and I don't remember items being priced -- it was more real time negotiation based on how badly the people wanted to get rid of the stuff.  

      --R

      by Rocky on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 10:21:13 AM PDT

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      • I've got books (0 / 0)

        coming out of my ass! I admire the fact that my mom read so much, but I hate that I'm left with the burden of having to deal with it now.

        by sandrab on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 11:00:20 AM PDT

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        • Donate them (0 / 0)

          to your public library...

          My FIL picks things up for free at the Recycling Center and then tries to sell them at a garage sale. He is rarely successful in getting rid of the stuff so it just piles up.

          Mom of two - Sally (4-02) and Sam (8-04). Sam has a central I.V. line & a g-tube.

          by GiGi on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 12:49:20 PM PDT

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    • no pricing advice (0 / 0)

      but I would suggest putting an announcement about the sale on your local CraigsList. When I had a garage sale before moving last year, all I did was put a notice on CraigsList and put up a few signs in my neighborhood, and I had a fantastic turnout.

      MotherTalkers moderator and mom to Maya, a 3.5-year-old firecracker.

      by Erika on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 10:49:27 AM PDT

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      • Good Idea (0 / 0)

        We made the signs but hadn't thought of CraigsList.

        by sandrab on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 11:01:01 AM PDT

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        • Aren't there (0 / 0)

          organizations that will come pick it all up for charity? The Veterans Assoc. here does that and it's great.

          Mom of two - Sally (4-02) and Sam (8-04). Sam has a central I.V. line & a g-tube.

          by GiGi on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 12:51:20 PM PDT

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          • We donated (0 / 0)

            tons of stuff already to local churches, the local homeless shelter, and most of my moms clothes went to a battered women's shelter.

            What we're selling is all her furniture and decorative stuff, along with my step-dads endless boxes of tools, and books galore.

            What ever doesn't sell this weekend is going to the salvation army.

            by sandrab on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 01:58:42 PM PDT

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            • My goddess (0 / 0)

              she had a lot of stuff! You weren't kidding about the pack rat-ness of it all. Here's to it being all done this weekend. And, I hope you are taking the tax write-off for the donated goods seeing as you are doing all the work.

              Mom of two - Sally (4-02) and Sam (8-04). Sam has a central I.V. line & a g-tube.

              by GiGi on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 03:55:44 PM PDT

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              • Ooh... good tax tip. (0 / 0)

                Hadn't thought of it, but you are right.

                She had a ridiculous amount of EVERYTHING. We sold about 60% of it today and made almost $1,200.00. I got to meet many nice people and the weather was good... I had a great time but I'm totally pooped.

                Part two will be next weekend.

                by sandrab on Sat Apr 19, 2008 at 02:34:08 PM PDT

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    • Hirsi Ali (0 / 0)

      I hope they both rip Hirsi Ali a new one if she starts in on immigrants.

      Yeah. Once she joined AEI  I no longer considered her a feminist. You can't be such a tool and be a part of my club!

      Mom of two - Sally (4-02) and Sam (8-04). Sam has a central I.V. line & a g-tube.

      by GiGi on Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 12:53:45 PM PDT

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