The Focus this Week

This week I am focusing on preparing for my teleconference on Thursday with a gentleman in Dallas who is also interested in tiny houses, and who hopefully will also be interested in my concept of a tiny house community.  More on that after it happens!

I'm also starting to think about logistics for my "estate" sale.  I can see that it could easily become sort of complicated, but I think I can plan it out to keep it manageable.  I'm all about the planning... lol  I've never done a sale like this before so I am trying to think ahead on all of the issues that will arise.  If you have advice, please, share!  

Here are the things I have thought of so far...

1)  Send out an email to friends and neighbors asking for help before the sale getting items set out and priced, and also to help the day of the sale. I already have a handful of friends who have said they will help - yay! 

2)  See who has tables I can borrow to display items.

3)  Think about traffic flow in my house.  I have four exterior doors, so I'll need to think about which one will be the sale entrance, and which one is the exit with the cashier.  I will also have things outside in the front and backyard, so I need to think about if I want a second point of sale, or if I'll route outdoor people back inside.  (And then there is the whole "no shoes" issue...) 

4)  I need to get some stickers for pricing.  A neighbor suggested using colored dots - each color is a price.  That could be a good idea....

5)  I'll need some packing paper for kitchen items that are sold, and also bags to put things in.  I should send an email out to friends for grocery bags and old newspapers....

6)  I need to have my realtors over to see what furniture they want to remain for showings.

7)  I'll need tape, scissors, "sold" and "not for sale" signs... a calculator... and I guess some bottled water in a cooler and some food for my friends who are helping.  I generally am opposed to bottled water, but in this situation it's probably the easiest route to go.

8)  I need to check on putting an ad in the newspaper.  I'm not sure I want/need to do that...


9)  I should walk through my house and note family items (the candlestick Dad made, for example) and then contact my sisters to see if they want any of those items...)

10)  Craft up some signs to put out, advertising. I believe I need a permit as well.

11)  Figure out a cashier's box, and get some cash and coins to be able to make change.

12)  And then this weekend I'll probably start getting things out of the attic, and out of closets and start sorting what is being sold, kept, thrown away.  I don't have any more house guests scheduled - but I guess I need to see about whether or not there are any house showings expected between now and the estate sale - I guess I can't really trash the house with things to be sold if folks are going to be looking at the house.  Hmmmm...

13)  Make arrangements to board the dog...

I suspect this list is going to grow...

I am looking forward to being "unburdened" of things.... I think it will feel very free-ing.  I'm sure that I will be torn about some items, and I will allow myself leniancy on a few things.  Some things may stay with me for the next 9 months or so in a rental, and then go out the door... I am not a knick-knack person, and most things in my house are already either functional or sentimental, so I feel like I am already a little bit ahead of the game...