Are you thinking about moving to a new house? But you don’t want to experience all of the hassle, stress, and lost time? Don’t worry we have six amazing techniques on how to make moving easier. Keep on reading to learn more!
When you finally decide to downsize your property, the first step is to figure out what to do with all the stuff. The feeling may be overwhelming indeed. When it comes down to it, smaller space does not always mean minimalism. By carefully observing what is essential in your life and what you can use, you can trim the excess and find yourself with more usable space even in a smaller home.
One of the most challenging things about moving is figuring out what to do with everything. Can it be your favorite old chair? The vast table that you said you would never use again. The old college books that your kids will never use. Maybe this is the right time to decide whether you should take the time to sell them or donate them instead. There are lots of tools available to help you, but you’ll need to choose between Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, or Freecycle. It can be challenging to say goodbye to a home that has been around for a very long time. Moving can also be compounded by making decisions about sentimental values that you keep. Below, we will be discussing a few techniques that you can use to make moving more accessible when you’re downsizing your house in Omaha.
Technique #1: Have An Estate Sale
The advantage of having an estate sale is people will walk into your home and offer prices for the furniture and items you want to sell in your property. Having an estate sale is not the same as having garage sales in which you need to move your furniture outside of your house. With estate sales, it’s a great idea to place your stuff in logical ways, staging them strategically so they’re displayed perfectly in their best light.
To get the highest price possible for your property, you need to make sure everything is thoroughly dusted and cleaned. Although, it’s difficult not to get emotionally attached to the stuff you are selling. It is often best to hire a professional service specializing in estate sales and handle it. Spend the day somewhere, so they can complete the job of selling your items professionally. Do keep in mind that most professional estate sales just break even (that is, the income is the same as the expense). If you have REALLY valuable items, an estate sale or auction may make sense. Be sure to consider the estimated income against the likely expense.
If your items aren’t quite nice enough for an estate sale, consider selling them on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or OfferUp. You will need to photograph and describe each item individually to get top dollar, but it may be worth the effort. To be clear, when I say top dollar, I mean 50% to 70% of retail for items that are new or like new. Well used but functional, items should be listed between 25% and 50%. This will generate more income than a garage sale, where items are typically sold for 5% to 10% of retail.
Technique #2: Share Love By Donating Your Belongings To Charity
If you’re not in a hurry for cash, you can donate your old belongings to a charity that can benefit from it. You can reach out to many charities to help you make the most of your old items. Some of these charities will even come to pick up your stuff free of charge, saving you more work. Your clothes, furniture, and toys can find a good home elsewhere which will be highly appreciated. Keep in mind that charities will only accept items in excellent condition. They don’t have to be new, but most won’t accept items that are noticeably used.
Tip: It is important to keep track of all the items you donated and get a donation receipt; having these documents will be beneficial when you need to pay taxes at the end of the year. New changes to the tax code mean that only donations over about $25,000 can be deducted,
If your goal is to see the items find a new home and you aren’t worried about the few hundred dollars you might make at a sale or in tax deductions, consider Freecycle.org, where you basically give items to other families who are looking for just that thing.
Technique #3: Pass It To Your Family Members
Do you have children or grandchildren who might be interested in certain items in your home? Things that may look like ordinary objects to you, such as printed matter, pillows, or used books, can be considered family heirlooms for your family. If you are downsizing, you can consider checking with your family first to see what items they might be interested in keeping. Knowing that your daily necessities can make your family happy for years to come can make you feel good too.
Technique #4: Document Photographs Of Sentimental Items
A suggestion we heard a few years ago was to photograph everything that you no longer need or don’t want but have a hard time letting go of. Taking pictures allows you to keep the memories alive in your heart. We hang on to so many things out of sentiment, things that we don’t often look at or spend time working on, things that are meaningful but take up precious space. Your child’s art projects, napkins, or souvenirs were collected from an unforgettable trip over the years. It can be said that they all occupy valuable places in your heart! Therefore, you may want to take a photo of each item for future generations to see. Consider scanning them and saving them to a hard drive or in digital storage for old printed photos. By storing pictures in digital format, you can view your memories at any time. Your precious images can quickly be taken with you.
Technique #5: Hire A Professional Cleaning Service
Another option for you when you have extra cash and you don’t want to spend too much time cleaning is to hire someone to professionally clean and remove all the unwanted things. But this can cost you money. It could be $25 to $50 per hour, so it will not be a great option if you are trying to save money. It is better to donate, have an estate sale, or sell your property to a professional home-buying company but it depends on your situation.
Technique #6: Sell Your House Directly To A Professional Homebuyer
When you sell your house directly to a professional home buyer such as Anna Buys Houses, you can sell your house as-is. Just take the items you want to keep and leave the rest behind. We can help you find ways to sell or donate items. Our job is to take care of all the details and find creative ways to distribute your stuff, so you don’t worry about it anymore. When you want to downsize in Omaha, selling your home directly to professional buyers can be one of the easiest ways to downsize your house in Omaha.
Now that you know there are six amazing techniques for making your move easier, what could be your next step? If you have any questions about moving or having a direct sale, you can fill out this form or reach us at 402-313-8700 so you can start moving with ease!
Additional readings:
- Alternative Sales Methods to a Traditional Home Listing
- 8 Signs It Is Time To Sell Your House In Omaha
- How to Downsize in Omaha: 4 Important Considerations for Seniors
