Charitable Donations, Clear Outs & Buyouts

So you have determined that there are not enough items in the home for a traditional estate sale. I would say a good percentage of the families going through an estate liquidation will not have enough items for an estate sale, so you are not alone. Now you find yourself with a full house of items that have little to no value. Depending on the amount of items remaining, a great option is donating these items to a charity or using an estate liquidation company that provides clear outs or buyouts.

Donating household items to charities is a very noble and worthy cause. The hard part is finding local charities that will pick up a large quantity of items. AMVETS, Salvation Army, and Goodwill are all good options, but the smaller items like kitchen items etc. would need to be boxed up. This can be a good amount of work on your end. This option is viable when you have a home which has very little clutter. When you contact the larger charities, the normal disclaimer is “the driver makes the determination on items accepted”. You have to remember that the smaller charities are mostly ran by volunteers so you will have to work around their schedule. I once was assisting a gentleman whose wife had passed and she had a very fine collection of women’s business clothing. It was important to him that the clothes go to a good home. I helped him find a non-profit that helps low income women prepare for interviews to enter the work force. It was a perfect fit for the clothing that put a smile on his face. Ensure you receive the charitable donation slip so the appropriate family member can use that at tax time.

A clear out is when a company is hired to completely remove all of the items in the home. I recommend using a company that can re-purpose most of the items, or donates anything they have no need for. This is of course a personal preference. You could contact a multitude of junk hauling or junk removal companies, but then all of the items are going straight to a landfill and this can get expensive. I have the resources that are perfect for your specific needs, and I am just a phone call away: 714-913-6033 (ask for Nate!)

A buy out is similar in which an estate sale company or estate liquidation company can come to the home and make an offer to purchase everything and clear the home of all contents. Another win for everyone. I would recommend going into this with realistic expectations. This requires a team of people coming in and removing all of the items then unloading all of the items at a warehouse or other off-site location to sell. It is important to understand that there is a lot of labor involved in the process, so the price offered for this service will be reflected in your quote.

So here you have three more great options when an estate sale may not be the right fit for your situation. If you need help deciding which would be the right choice for you, I have the resources and my help is always free.

Nate Morrissey
Blue Sky Estate Services
714-913-6033

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