what is a diy estate sale?
One recurring conversation I have with my Customers is, "My relative just passed away, we need to sell the house, but it's full of STUFF, and we don't know what to do". My typical response is to give them names of the Estate Sale companies in their local area. These companies facilitate an Estate Sale ("Sale") from start to finish, and they charge a percentage of the proceeds from that sale. It is a lot of work, and those that I recommend do a great job.
But what if you are comfortable hosting a Sale, but need assistance with pricing and setup? What if you don't want to pay a company 30-40% of your gross earnings? This is where we come in.
But what if you are comfortable hosting a Sale, but need assistance with pricing and setup? What if you don't want to pay a company 30-40% of your gross earnings? This is where we come in.
Our services
Initial Consultation and Contract
We charge an hourly rate based upon the scope of the Sale, and the number of people needed for Organization, Set-Up and Pricing. Additional Services can be Added to your Contract, based upon your needs. The following is a general list, it is not restricted to the following:
- We offer a Free Site Consultation where we discuss your needs and goals for the Sale. Once those are agreed upon, we will develop a Contract and a Sale Checklist, and confirm the date for your Sale.
- We Organize and Setup the Sale by room. We use existing fixtures and furniture (even those for sale) to optimize the space available. If additional display fixtures are needed, we offer those rentals as an Add-On to the contract.
- Cleaning and (heavy) Furniture Moving is not included. If you prefer not to clean or move furniture yourself, we can supply you with contacts for those services in your area.
- We Organize Sales to take advantage of the existing layout, and take into consideration the traffic flow of Sale day(s).
- A Staging and Checkout Area is planned, with a listing of the necessary items and Point of Sale options to help facilitate an organized and fluid checkout. Wifi is verified to ensure consistent coverage the day of the Sale, or an alternative is determined.
- Pricing is done simultaneously with Organization, to streamline the process.
- There are different Pricing Structures available for Sales. We will make suggestions based upon your Consultation, and once decided, the Structure will be included in your Contract.
- How we physically price your Inventory will be determined in your personalized Pricing Structure.
- We use different resources for pricing Inventory. We also have a list of contractors who specialize in various categories of items, and they can be brought in to assist in pricing specialty items.
- One word about Ebay. Ebay is a wonderful pricing tool but it is just one factor in pricing Inventory for a Sale. You need to know how to use it correctly. Additional factors weigh in, such as geographic location and demographics. I attend so many family-run Sales where they have relied solely upon Ebay to price their Inventory, and they fail due to inflated expectations and pricing.
- We take into consideration many Pricing factors; you choose the Pricing Structure you are comfortable with, and that will be included in your Contract. We follow this when Pricing your Sale.
We charge an hourly rate based upon the scope of the Sale, and the number of people needed for Organization, Set-Up and Pricing. Additional Services can be Added to your Contract, based upon your needs. The following is a general list, it is not restricted to the following:
- Advertising with Social Media Channels
- Directional Signage - Indoor and Outdoor
- Traffic Flow Cone Placement
- Neighbor/City/County notification as needed
- Portable Display Rental
- Staffing Plan
- Inventory Wrapping/Bagging Materials
EXPERIENCE
I have over 30 years of experience attending Garage and Estate Sales. Initially I ran an Antique Booth in Denver, which I stocked with sourced Inventory from Sales. This was back when we used paper maps & the newspaper to locate them! I was then a Re-purposed Artist for over a decade, sourcing materials for my art at Sales. For the past thirteen years I have owned and operated the Old Trunk Antique Store in the Hood River Valley. We were voted #1 Antique Store in the Gorge for 2025. Ninety-Five percent of my Store Inventory is sourced from Sales. My "picking" territory includes the entire Columbia Gorge region, Portland, Southern Washington and Seattle. I don't purchase much from re-sale Stores, however I do frequent them often to check pricing and trends in the industry. I attend an average of 8-10 Sales per week during our open season of April - November. I price all of my own Inventory.
I developed this DIY Estate Sale business plan as a compliment to my seasonal Store. I love to keep busy, and I believe there is a need for this service. I know my years of experience can help those that want to hold their own Sales, but perhaps need help with the infrastructure.
If you have an upcoming need for my services, please fill out the Contact Form below. I am starting to fill my Calendar for 2026; so don't delay!! I look forward to working with you, and making your DIY Estate Sale process as stress-free as possible!
I developed this DIY Estate Sale business plan as a compliment to my seasonal Store. I love to keep busy, and I believe there is a need for this service. I know my years of experience can help those that want to hold their own Sales, but perhaps need help with the infrastructure.
If you have an upcoming need for my services, please fill out the Contact Form below. I am starting to fill my Calendar for 2026; so don't delay!! I look forward to working with you, and making your DIY Estate Sale process as stress-free as possible!