For a Free Downsizing and Pricing Consultation Call Sell Mom’s House at 508-691-0080

Easy Transitions

Downsizing Guide

Downsizing and Selling Your Home…

From Daunting to DONE!

For a personal consultation on how to

Downsize & Sell Your Home the Easy Way

Please contact Sell Mom’s House at 508-691-0080

For a Free Downsizing and Pricing Consultation Call Sell Mom’s House at 508-691-0080

DOWNSIZING STRATEGY & PLANNING GUIDE

1) MAKE A PLAN – Think in terms of categories starting with what to keep, give, or toss. Resist storage, but it’s OK to have a “Not Sure” category that you will go through at the end when it is easier, once your necessities and important possessions are handled. Refer to downsizing funnel that follows.

CATEGORY TIPS

Every Day Essentials Important and functional items–necessary for comfort Memories & Keepsakes “These are a few of your favorite things” Give-away items Decide what you’re not keeping Allocate by destination Your new location, family, friends, storage,

charity, consignment, yard sale and trash How it gets there Resources (muscle) friends and family, movers Timing Make a list by week of items to move

Tip: Take photos before you begin downsizing as a keepsake / record

2) IMAGE YOUSELF & YOUR “STUFF” IN NEW LOCATION vs. PRESENT LOCATION Draw a floor plan, be realistic. Remember it’s called “Downsizing” for a reason. Manage with less. Keep one or two best items and get rid of the rest. Compare:

PRESENT NEW LOCATION LOCATION

# Rooms _______________ _______________

Square Feet _______________ _______________

Garage / Shed _______________ _______________

Attic _______________ _______________

Offsite Storage _______________ _______________

For a Free Downsizing and Pricing Consultation Call Sell Mom’s House at 508-691-0080

3) START WITH THE BASICS & RELAX, YOU’RE ON YOUR WAY!

THINK FUNCTIONAL LIVING - PACK THE ESSENTIALS – THEN YOU’RE READY. KEEP YOUR BEST ITEMS IN A CATEGORY – JUNK, SELL OR GIVE THE REST AWAY

CATEGORIES & TIPS

Kitchen - you probably have duplicates

Either pack the keepers, or only use the keepers and pack or label rest for yard sale / giveaway / charity/toss

Furniture - Keep the best & items with sentimental value Be realistic about what will fit. Consider treating yourself with some new furniture models that are "right sized" for smaller rooms

Dresser / Drawers - important, does your new place have them?

Consider stackable plastic – and the see-through versions for some items

Toiletries - Time to finally discard old bottles, pills, expired items, older gift items. Most Police Stations will take old medications for free

Tools - You only need couple of basics – rest is yard sale or give away

Linens - 2-3 sets of sheets, 4-5 towels

Display art and table items - This is the fun stuff! Treat yourself.

Not sure – set aside and keep moving. Easier to decide once basics are done. If you touch an undecided item 3 times, toss it or give it away

Keep what you want that is manageable and rotate displaying favorites

“You can't keep everything; where would you put it?”

For a Free Downsizing and Pricing Consultation Call Sell Mom’s House at 508-691-0080

4) STOP AFTER THE BASICS - THAT’S IT - YOU ARE OUT OF ROOM!

That’s why they call it “downsizing.” Remember your categories. Now is the time to tackle the “Not Sure” items.

Be realistic and lighthearted about it. Toss or put on the “make me an offer” table at the yard sale the items that have not seen the light of day for years!

GIVE, SELL OR JUNK THE REST – BUT GET RID OF IT – RESIST STORAGE

5) ENGAGE HELP FROM and DONATE TO >> FRIENDS & FAMILY MEMBERS

Circulate list of items and let friends & family claim: "with a deadline to move it” Include a "Reserve by" date or it is “up for grabs” Secure a "Move by date" and tell friends and family "Move it or lose it"

Tip: Create a package for each loved one containing items they have given to you over the years such as cards, gifts, children’s art, some pictures, etc.

6) DONATIONS

Furniture - must be in pristine condition or Salvation Army etc. will not take Books - used book stores, some libraries, senior centers Clothes - roadside bins, goodwill shops, Savers Community Giving, BBBS

7) WAYS TO SELL

Craig’s list - larger items, furniture, lawn tractor E-Bay - jewelry, collectables (Consignment sellers available) Commissioned agents help with E-Bay / Craig’s List, etc. Consignment & Specialty Shops (gold, jewelry, tools, antiques) Pawn Shops (a form of consignment) Estate Sale - must be high caliber and lots of it Appraisers - for establishing value of art, antiques, jewelry “Lot” Buyer - tools, furniture, etc. – for entire lot, single buyer Yard Sale - engage friends, family & neighbors to help

Price ahead & price by table with a “make an offer” table Advertise in newspaper, Craig’s List & post signs ahead of your sale Take photos of items like furniture in the house and post at yard sale

For a Free Downsizing and Pricing Consultation Call Sell Mom’s House at 508-691-0080

Your Stuff

Downsizing Checklist – Use Funnel Below to Sort

Choose the items you want to keep Determine which items you want specific people to have Select what will be sold and where; consignment, online, etc. Decide what you are going to donate Arrange for junk removal for the remaining items

Not Sure

Toss Out

Family & Friends

Donate to Charity

Sell

Pictures & Keepsakes Essentials &

Useful Keepers

Repeat Sort Cycle

Not Sure

Not Sure

For a Free Downsizing and Pricing Consultation Call Sell Mom’s House at 508-691-0080

Room-By-Room Organizer- Duplicate as Necessary

Room __________________

Keep Giveaway Donate/Toss

_______________ _______________ _________________

_______________ _______________ _________________

_______________ _______________ _________________

_______________ _______________ _________________

_______________ _______________ _________________

_______________ _______________ _________________

Room __________________

Keep Giveaway Donate/Toss

_______________ _______________ _________________

______________ _______________ _________________

_______________ _______________ _________________

_______________ _______________ _________________

_______________ _______________ _________________

_______________ _______________ _________________

_______________ _______________ _________________

For a Free Downsizing and Pricing Consultation Call Sell Mom’s House at 508-691-0080

Thank you for requesting this guide

We hope you found it useful!

Also available:

1) SELECTED SEMINAR SLIDES: The most popular topics from our seminar titled: “Downsizing and Selling from Daunting to DONE!”

2) FREE CMA – Competitive market Analysis as a guide to pricing your home. Please note that pricing varies with condition, the competing homes in your area on the market at the time of listing and other factors. The CMA shows this information. Find our what your home is worth!

3) FREE CONSULTAION: Either by phone or in your home. We will

discuss your situation, goals and timing. We can even discuss alternatives on where to move next. Then we will recommend a course of action to move at your pace and achieve your goals.

Call 508-891-0080 For any of your Real Estate Questions