Estate Planning Meets Garage Sale Season

Estate Planning Meets Garage Sale Season

May 19, 2023

By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi

Summer is nearly upon us as Memorial Day slides into the 10-day forecast on our phones.  For those in the midwest we are (almost) certain we can move the snowblower to the back of the garage and put away our winter boots.  This is also a perfect time of year for a dose of Swedish Death Cleaning and the infamous garage sale.  As I tell my husband, "we are either going to move or die -- eventually it all has to go!"  Here are a few tips on how to embrace garage sale season for a low-energy yet high yield event that will keep your clutter under control:

1. Thoughtful Displays -- do not just toss items on a table or blanket on the grass, set them up as though they were in your home.  For example, decorate the artifical Christmas tree with ornaments and lights, or set up the never-used tent along with dishware suitable for camping.  Show the buyer an item's potential with a thoughtful display.
2. Combine Forces -- ask family or friends to add items to your sale. The more the merrier, and advertising a multi-household sale will draw in more shoppers.
3. Skip the Pricing, Make Me an Offer -- yes, skip the time and effort of pricing items and simply say "make me an offer".  This will save you a lot of time, and sometimes people offer way more than you might anticipate.
4. Coordinated Effort -- Hold your sale the same days as your annual neighborhood sale (those are big events here in the Madison area).  This increases the number of shoppers in your general area.
5. Non-profit Benefit -- going along with the "make me an offer" idea, inform your shoppers that proceeds with benefit a favorite nonprofit.  Have brouchers and information on hand about the organization.  This is a great idea when you have a ton of small items that you want to clear out and prevent from filling up a landfill.  Every penny goes to charity -- it's a great motivator.
6. Donate What Remains - under no circumstances should you bring any items back into your home when the sale ends.  Instead direct them to a nonprofit thrift store or post them for free on social media or other "freecycle" type sites.

Image by M. Gustafson Gervasi, 2023, Spring/Summer Flowers

Did I miss a great tip?  If so, please leave a comment.  Estate planning is more than getting paperwork in order, it is about getting your life and possessions in a managable state.  Best of luck with cleaning and sales.  And remember, a blog is not legal advice.  It is a platform to promote thought and reflection.  Please seek legal advice in your state of residence for advice specific to your situation.