Downsizing Reality: No One Wants Your Stuff

One day this will all be yours. Many items only hold sentimental value. Sorry, Mom & Dad!

The Downside to Downsizing

I can still remember the look of shock on my Mom’s face. We were preparing my grandparents house for sale. When we arrived at the Royal Doulton figurines, Mom asked which one(s) I wanted. “None”, was my reply. My granddad had died and my grandmother was moving into a long term care facility. My Nan amassed a collection of figurines, china, teapots and condensed Reader’s Digests. 90 years of life was in the home. Now, it was our responsibility to deal with downsizing ALL of it.

As Baby Boomers age and either downsize and move or pass away, their children are faced with the daunting task of dealing with their belongings. In many cases, they are unprepared for the reality of this momentous task or unwilling to face it.

Behold, Elaine. My rejected inheritance.

The Times They Are A Changing

There are many reasons for this phenomenon, including the sheer amount of stuff to deal with. The children of Boomers may themselves be undergoing downsizing. As they retire and are thus not interested in accumulating more. Younger relatives just starting out aren’t interested in the same types of things that used to be important, such as formal china and large format furniture. Family heirlooms are instead burdens. Families are left wondering, “What do we do with all this stuff?” According to Mary Kay Buysse, Executive Director of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM), “It’s the biggest challenge our members have and it’s getting worse.”

The IKEA Generation

To make matters worse, it’s not only relatives that aren’t interested in the belongings. Buysse continues, “This is an IKEA generation. They live minimally, much more so than the Boomers. They don’t have the emotional connection to things that earlier generations did and they’re more mobile. So, they don’t want a lot of heavy stuff dragging down a move across country for a new opportunity.” Most Boomers bought things that were mass-produced, too. They don’t hold value and are no longer in style. Even most antiques dealers and auction houses have little appetite for downsized items because their customers generally aren’t interested. Charities like Salvation Army and Goodwill frequently reject donations of home furnishings, so it can be hard to find a good place to liquidate such items.

So, What’s It Worth?

Dustin Barker, Owner of Mariner Auctions in Nova Scotia, Canada’s largest pallet Buyer & Liquidation company, echoes this information but also adds that there are SOME items that hold value. When downsizing, he cautions that, “The resale market goes in cycles, two years ago we were throwing away dumpsters full of brass and metal items. Now they are popular sellers.”

98% of Dustin’s clientele purchase through his online auctions. He notes that there has also been a significant shift from small lot estate sales to large lot pallet resales. So, I asked Dustin what items are currently popular? Based on his experience, buyers in Atlantic Canada have an appetite for unique items.

Top 7 Resellable Items

1. Art-Good artwork, including folk art by Atlantic artists such as Maude Lewis are popular. William deGarthe, Joseph Purcell, and John Cook paintings, prints and etchings also sell well.

2. Metals & Gems-Decorative objects like brass candlesticks and silver platters have made a resurgence in popularity. Silverware too however, only for the meltdown value. Vintage jewelry and Art Deco Era rings are in demand.

3. Rugs-New, used, modern, hooked, Oriental and even prayer rugs are easy sellers. And, from what I’m told, a little dirt won’t hurt. In certain cases, it’s preferred!

Okay, so maybe not THAT dirty!

4. Furniture-Mid-Century Modern and teak furnishings are experiencing a surge in popularity as they are compact with clean lines. Think smaller sideboards, Eames chairs and Knoll tables. Meanwhile, “brown pieces” like credenzas, large hutches and matching dining room sets are basically worthless. That is unless the buyer is keen to refurbish and/or repurpose the piece. Knackered Vintage to Modern Décor, in Porters Lake, NS has that market cornered! Check them out: https://www.facebook.com/knackeredvintagetomoderndecor

5. China & Pottery-Before you get too excited, there is a caveat when it comes to china; it should be a full set, in excellent condition OR unique and rare. Popular patterns like Memory Lane and Country Rose have flooded the market. Individual pieces, such as a tea cup & saucer hold little value. On the other hand, early to mid 19th century pottery & ceramics by local artists in particular, are highly favoured.

Ernst & Alma Lorenzen Mushrooms- Lantz, Nova Scotia. Although not magical, these mushrooms are sought after by collectors.

6. Signage-Advertising signage is extremely desirable. Wooden, metal, hand-painted, enamel-these are big sellers. Extremely prevalent in garages and party sheds across this great land!

7) Retro Inspired Objects-Nostalgic objects like LP’s, cookie jars, cannister sets and metal breadboxes remain highly fashionable. Décor items (think starburst wall clock) and other objets d’art from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s are a trip down memory lane for many buyers.

Spartus Starburst Clock circa 1960’s

How We Handled Estate Downsizing

Unfortunately, we did not come across any of the listed items. My illusions of grandeur evaporated faster than 70% hand sanitizer. Once immediate family members picked their tchotchkes and treasures, we opened the house to friends and neighbours. I managed to sell a solid maple hutch on Kijiji. I posted an ad on Facebook Marketplace and gave away many items for free. We made donation boxes for the annual tea & sale at our church and dropped off several bags to local charities. Sadly, the rest went in the dumpster (cuz no one wants 40 years worth of Readers Digests).

Lessons Learned

First of all, downsizing an estate takes a lot of time. It takes more time than you may think it will. It also requires a lot of hands to help with the process, this was a family affair for us. I can not even begin to claim sole responsibility. Downsizing can get overwhelming and emotional when handling sentimental objects. They evoke memories-do not underestimate that. For me, it was my grandfather’s shaving mirror, it’s cracked and the handle has been lost to the mists of time. Don’t even get me started on the pictures!

There’s an old adage, “One person’s junk is another person’s treasure.” In my experience, that is not always the case. Most of the stuff in your house is worthless. Eventually, someone, either you or your kids will be tasked with the formidable job of getting rid of it. Something to think about.

Yours in All Things Sorted,

Kelly

Shoutout to my friend, Dustin Barker for his expert knowledge. He really knows his shit! Check out Mariner Auctions online: https://www.marinerauctions.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/marinerauctions

Mariner Auctions in Westphal, NS

4 thoughts on “Downsizing Reality: No One Wants Your Stuff”

  1. After schlepping a truck load of my mom’s beautiful things from Alberta to Nova Scotia, I can totally relate to this! Thank you for sharing your wisdom – it’s great to know I’m not the only one and there is hope I will get it all sorted. The worst part for me is the idea of anything going into the dump, let alone sentimental or beautiful things, so your caution about donation bins is well taken. Great article!

    Reply
    • Hi Michelle! Sentimental items are THE most difficult objects to deal with when downsizing or, otherwise! Emotional attachment is a real thing. I think a lot of people struggle with it! I know I do or, why else would I have my grandfather’s broken shaving mirror?

      Reply
    • Do I ever! I’m working on a blog dedicated to this subject specifically. In one word: digitize! Stay tuned!

      Reply

Leave a Comment