Lots of people have emotional/organizational issues when it comes to downsizing.
Maybe they're willing to forgo some of the hassle.
The plan would be for the client to pack a few bags with the minimum needed---pick they 37, 100, or 777 items as it may be.
We'd then go in and box up the rest and move it to a store house.
The client would have N(<6) months to regret and request items back---he'd pay storage rent during that time. After that point, we'd start selling the stuff on consignment for the client.
Minimalist/minimizing service
The mechanics sound like those of an estate sale, only you'd be working for the original owner rather than the heirs. Same client motivation too (can't deal with it all), just different packaging for different markets. Only the excess dies, not the owner. The lure for clients would be money, otherwise they'd call 800-got-junk.
Inventory would be a real hassle though; didn't you find the diamond brooch I left behind??
Inventory would be a real hassle though; didn't you find the diamond brooch I left behind??
@Hoplite
Inventory wouldn't be a problem. You could either snap a photo with a smartphone of each item or tag each item with a readable bar code/RFID.
@Jacob
This is actually a great idea. Many are probably like me. The idea of arranging a yard sale or listing stuff on E-Bay/Craigslist/Amazon strikes me as an hugely inefficient use of my time for the likely return, at least in pre-ERE accumulation phase. But if someone else did the work, I'd be more than happy with any greater-than-trivial sum.
Inventory wouldn't be a problem. You could either snap a photo with a smartphone of each item or tag each item with a readable bar code/RFID.
@Jacob
This is actually a great idea. Many are probably like me. The idea of arranging a yard sale or listing stuff on E-Bay/Craigslist/Amazon strikes me as an hugely inefficient use of my time for the likely return, at least in pre-ERE accumulation phase. But if someone else did the work, I'd be more than happy with any greater-than-trivial sum.
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chemkrafty
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 8:53 pm
Ok, on a more serious note, I think there is a definite market for this. Particularly boomers who are downsizing their houses for retirement (ok, maybe this was more likely before the housing market tanked). Empty-nesters with big houses tend to have a lot of accumulated junk in their garages, storage units, etc. The biggest problem is that they might not be emotionally ready to sell it -- which is the twist Jacob added about basically combining the services of a storage unit and a consignment shop.
Case study: In 2006, my parents sold their 5-bedroom house (my childhood home) and moved into a 2-bedroom. They junked a LOT of stuff in various storage rooms, but also stuck a lot in the basement of the 2-bedroom AND put more stuff into a few storage units. In 2009, they moved into an even smaller condo, and have been trying to figure out how to get rid of even more stuff in the basements, etc. Of course, they could have just gotten rid of it all in one go, but it took a few passes of "do I really want this?" each time giving up slightly more posessions.
If they could have just moved it all into storage, and then gave a sell-order after 6 months, they would have been much happier. I think 6-months might be too short, though.
Case study: In 2006, my parents sold their 5-bedroom house (my childhood home) and moved into a 2-bedroom. They junked a LOT of stuff in various storage rooms, but also stuck a lot in the basement of the 2-bedroom AND put more stuff into a few storage units. In 2009, they moved into an even smaller condo, and have been trying to figure out how to get rid of even more stuff in the basements, etc. Of course, they could have just gotten rid of it all in one go, but it took a few passes of "do I really want this?" each time giving up slightly more posessions.
If they could have just moved it all into storage, and then gave a sell-order after 6 months, they would have been much happier. I think 6-months might be too short, though.
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jennypenny
- Posts: 6853
- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2011 2:20 pm
I like the idea, but I think you'd need to give it a year for seasonal items. Maybe let them come back 4 times (once per season) with a list of what they want.
We have a lot of over-55 communities here. A new trend with the residents is to rent things like Christmas trees and decorations because they have no storage space. You could get older folks who are downsizing to pay you to pack up their stuff and move it into storage, buy it from them on consignment when they don't claim it, and then rent it back to them when they need it. Sweet.
We have a lot of over-55 communities here. A new trend with the residents is to rent things like Christmas trees and decorations because they have no storage space. You could get older folks who are downsizing to pay you to pack up their stuff and move it into storage, buy it from them on consignment when they don't claim it, and then rent it back to them when they need it. Sweet.
What about the folks that fill up a 2-car garage w/ worthless junk, then park the two $25K cars in the driveway!
Funny, the (never used) old $50 Schwinn gets its own indoor parking spot, while the $25K Ford Taurus rots in the driveway!
By junking up their garages and basements, these kinds of people are literally indirectly paying thousands of dollars, year after year, to store stuff that has $0 value, that hasn't been used or looked at in years, and never will be again.
Funny, the (never used) old $50 Schwinn gets its own indoor parking spot, while the $25K Ford Taurus rots in the driveway!
By junking up their garages and basements, these kinds of people are literally indirectly paying thousands of dollars, year after year, to store stuff that has $0 value, that hasn't been used or looked at in years, and never will be again.
I was only half joking when I said it should be a reality show. I didn't know about the hoarders reality show...sounds awful.
Selling this on consignment seems inefficient and unprofitable. The owners would complain about what price you put on everything. I think the only way to do this would be to buy what is leftover in the storage bin from them outright and then sell it. It would be kind of like the storage bins of the bankrupt that get auctioned off on the one History Channel reality show (how a channel supposedly about history could have a reality show is beyond me, let alone one about auctioning off storage bins). If they didn't accept the offer you could keep the initial fee charged and just give them their stuff back.
Selling this on consignment seems inefficient and unprofitable. The owners would complain about what price you put on everything. I think the only way to do this would be to buy what is leftover in the storage bin from them outright and then sell it. It would be kind of like the storage bins of the bankrupt that get auctioned off on the one History Channel reality show (how a channel supposedly about history could have a reality show is beyond me, let alone one about auctioning off storage bins). If they didn't accept the offer you could keep the initial fee charged and just give them their stuff back.