Arrange for distribution/sale of personal property

Going through the deceased's personal property and belongings can be emotionally difficult and cause family conflict, but it can also be a time to share memories and find ways to remember the deceased.

Here are some tips to do it right:

1) Double-check the will to identify any items that the deceased specified what to do with.

  • For example, the deceased may have said that they want an antique, a piece of art, or jewelry donated to one person, or all items to be sold and donated to charity

2) For all smaller items (e.g. not cars, real estate) that aren’t in the will, it is up to the executor to make final decisions on who should get what. These small pieces can be sentimentally valuable. You can use any or a combination of the below options:

  • Have family/friends clean out the stuff and distribute what they want among themselves: Have the loved ones go through the house themselves and figure out what to keep

  • Hire a house clearance company: There are companies that will help you clean out the whole house for a flat price. They will likely not give you much for the assets, but it will save the family the hassle and pain of doing it

  • Sell valuable things privately online: You can use a site like eBay.com to post valuable items and sell them. This may be more time consuming than other options, but will likely get you the highest prices

  • Hold an estate sale: 

    • Estate sale companies work on a commission, receiving a percentage of the final sales. Given the expertise estate sale companies have in valuing items and organizing and marketing the sale, hiring a professional may actually make you money in addition to saving you time.

      To find an estate sale company near you:

      • Email hello@peacefully.com or call our concierge service at 657-999-0791 and we will find a pre-screened estate sale company in your area for you

    • This choice can have large financial implications, so we recommend checking out reviews and asking for references

    • The estate sale company will give you a free walkthrough and assessment of the value

    • It will take about a month to plan the estate sale

      1. You will need to take lots of pictures of everything for sale. Consider hiring a professional photographer

      2. Advertise on lots of websites and in newspapers

      3. Make sure everything is clean and undamaged

      4. Make sure you have a range of items at different prices

    • Then it will take about five days to get everything ready right before

  • Donate things to charity: Local charities will often come pick up items like furniture for you 

  • Give special items to a specific auctioneer: If your loved one had collectibles (e.g. coins, stamps, medals, dolls, books) or  specialized valuables (e.g. glassmaking tools), you can put them into a specialized auction for collectors or specific buyers

  • If you still aren’t sure what to do, and if there are potentially valuable items, you can get them appraised. You have two options:

    1. Professional/paid: This will be most accurate, but will cost either a flat fee or about $150 an hour

      1. Go to one of the three appraisal organization websites below, and search by your ZIP code to find someone with expertise in the category of the item you want to sell:

        1. www.appraisersassociation.org

        2. www.isa-appraisers.org

        3. www.appraisers.org/find-an-appraiser

    2. Free appraisal: There will likely be a conflict of interest, but you may be able to go to an auction house or antique store. Make sure to get at least three appraisals if you do this:

      1. Tell them that you are wondering what something is worth

      2. Bring the item in and answer any questions you know about the item’s history

      3. Check with at least three sources if you are going to sell it

3) Conflict is frequent during this task. Here are some suggestions to avoid it:

  • Take turns picking an item to keep: This prevents people from thinking that others only want the item because they want it, and makes sure everyone gets one of their top picks

  • Have each person put different colored post-it notes on items they want. Then, if an item only has one post-it note on it, it automatically goes to that person. Those with multiple stickers can be discussed later

  • Do one room at a time together if the group is low on trust. That way, if something goes missing, people don’t wonder if someone else took it

  • For valuable items that multiple people want, there are several options:

    1. One person takes it, and the other people get their choice of a different item

    2. One person takes the item and pays the other people their share of the value in cash

    3. The item is sold, and the cash is split evenly

  • Make sure not to sell anything or throw it away before making sure it doesn’t have sentimental value to anyone

property, settling affairsJennifer Goodphysical property, financial and propertyComment