Sorting, giving away and letting go
A gentle method for the hardest part of the move.
Sorting is where a move gets heavy. It is also where memories surface, so the pace matters more than the speed.
Four piles
- Keep. Only what fits the new home and the new routine. Photograph the rest of a collection before it leaves.
- Give. Name the person, the item and the day. Things given out loud tend to be kept.
- Donate or sell. See below.
- Discard. Household hazardous items, old medicines and electronics usually need special disposal; ask your trash hauler or city before anything goes in the bin.
Donating, and the tax paperwork
If you itemize deductions, the IRS rules for gifts to charity are in IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions. Ask any charity for a written receipt that lists what you gave, and keep it. Noncash gifts have their own recordkeeping thresholds, so read the publication, or ask a tax professional, before you rely on a deduction.
Estate sales
An estate sale is a short, public event in a home, run by the family or a hired professional. Before you hire one, ask in writing what the fee is, who handles pricing and security, and what happens to unsold items. Valuable items such as jewelry, art and firearms should be appraised or handled separately and not placed in an open sale.
Selling online
Local pickup is safer than shipping for furniture. Meet in a public place for small items, never share more than a first name and a phone number, and be wary of overpayments and requests to pay with gift cards.