Tips on Finding Community Resources
When you begin to plan your strategy to rightsize it is very important to take time to find out
what resources exist in your community. This will help you determine your options for dealing
with your things.
• Resources for those many books you have collected over the years
Look for a used book store to pass along your books. If you have a large collection of
books that you are willing to let go of, there is a good chance that the bookseller will
come by and look through them. You might get an offer for the lot of them. It was a real
find when I discovered that there was a lady in our city who would even come and pick
up any unwanted books that weren’t sale-able Local libraries sometimes take donations,
check with yours.
Resources for the “giveaways“
• Scout out the thrift stores in your town. If you are specific about which charity you want
your “giveaways” to go to, see if they pick up. If they do regular pick ups in your
neighborhood, you can ask them to come by regularly to take boxes as you get them
sealed. Ask if they can give you a charitable donation receipt for furniture, etc. Ask what
they will take and not take – some are very selective. It is great when you find one that
will pick up and are willing to take everything!
Resources for the things you would like to sell
• Consignment stores are an option for your clothing. If you have time to prepare your
clothing, consignment stores can even help you make some extra money. Many have
specific directions as how they want the clothes prepared (on a hangar, etc.) A phone call
to the consignment store will give you this information. Furniture consignment shops
may also exist in your community. They can be very specific and are usually looking for
“gently used” items. Read carefully their contract to make sure it is worth your while.
Oftentimes you have to pay for the truck to deliver your furniture to their store.
It is great if you can find a shop that will come to your house and look over your things
and buy outright. Ask for references or ask around town to check their reputation and see
if they are known to be fair in their dealings. Get 2 or 3 of these types of services come
and give you their take before deciding. It is important to remember to keep your
expectations low, so as not to be disappointed. Things are never worth as much as we
hope they are. You can check on eBay.com to see the going prices if you have valuable
items – remember though the price you see there is not what the buyer will probably pay
– but it gives you an idea what the items you want to sell are worth.
Letting go is the way to go! Keep focused on the fact that you need to let go of the past so you can live in the present and have a lighter future!