BC (Before Corona) we used to have garage and estate sales in order to declutter a home and get it ready for the market. You still see some street signs for these sales on weekends but they are no longer prevalent. I helped a seller hold a few Terra Linda estate sales the last two weekends before our shutdown in March and I did not feel very comfortable at the time, despite wearing masks and handing out gloves to everyone who came through. We know more about the virus now, and currently our 7 day average percent testing positivity is at 1.1% (https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org/surveillance). I suppose if a seller wanted to do a yard sale and pulled everything in front of a house it would be much safer than having people come through the house, but it’s still seems a little sketchy even with the low numbers.
These days instead of trying to make a little extra cash selling personal property I’m seeing more sellers giving things away. I think it’s really wonderful because there are a lot of people in need right now, and when you look at what most people are making when they sell a home the little money they’d make from a yard sale pales in comparison. It’s really not worth the risk is it? I guess that depends on the home owner, but the most magnanimous sellers are letting their stuff go for free.
One of my sellers has left the state, and before she left I made several runs to the Salvation Army for her. We are in contract and closing her house next week. She left a considerable amount of big items for me to donate to people. Whatever I can’t give away I’ll trash, but I’ve found homes for the majority of it. Two of the advantages of these giveaways are helping out others and not adding to landfill.
I often make runs to the Goodwill and Salvation Army for my sellers. Unfortunately, you just can’t do that with beds, dressers and bigger items. Boxes of smaller items work much better. Before Corona the Salvation Army was scheduling furniture pickups but often they only took items that were in ‘good’ condition. The Nextdoor and Craigslist crowds are not so particular.
I post ads on Nextdoor.com and Craigslist.org and people come forward, often in droves. There are some people who will use the stuff for themselves because they have so little and are in need. There are others who will take the handouts and try to sell them on their own. If a person has the time and inclination that can be doable, especially if that person has little other recourse for making money in today’s economy. That dresser or mirror can replenish someone’s refrigerator after they resell it, or it can cover an electricity bill. It’s nice to be able to do that for people.
One of the challenges I’ve come across in this process is managing the postings. Once I post items on the internet the floodgates are opened and often lots of people will want the same item. I try to manage requests on a first come first served basis. Sometimes I’ll get someone offering to take everything, and rather than trying to give things away piecemeal it’s just easier to let the one person load up their truck and go. And sometimes that person shows up and only take a few things. Or they flake entirely, which happened this week. It’s hit and miss, but in the end I usually find homes for most of the giveaways.
If you’d like to give some things away and are a little unsure about the process please feel free to reach out to me. I’m always happy to help.