At some point in our life, we may have to down size or de-clutter the stuff in our home or even dismantle our loved one's home. Knowing the steps to take and what resources exist will guide you in getting rid of "stuff."

Basics Steps to De-clutter

Getting rid of accumulated clutter sounds like a nice theory. This is usually followed by the question, where do I begin? Your road to simplification starts with you setting goals followed by establishing a plan of action. Finally, you need to carry out your plan of action following the strategy that works best for you.

Step 1: Set Goals and Motives

• My overall goal is...
• The reason I want to de-clutter is...

Step 2: Set a Plan of Action

After you have decided that your goals and motives are for de-cluttering, ask yourself these questions:

• What is the first place in my house that I will de-clutter?
• What is the first thing I will do to reduce clutter?
• Where will I take my stuff?

Step 3: Carry Out Your Plan of Action

Carrying out your plan of action for de-cluttering could include any of the following activities:

Streamline necessary activities. This might include using direct deposit for paychecks, automating bill payments, using only 1 or 2 credit cards, simplifying clothing and jewelry choices or using services close to one another.

Eliminate unnecessary activities. Resign from activities you no longer enjoy, learn to say "no" to activities you might later regret and stop watching T.V. shows you don't actually choose to watch.

Reduce the stuff. Have a yard sale, donate unneeded items, dispose of useless items you received as gifts, do not go to other people's yard sales and limit or avoid collecting freebies.

Organize what you keep. Set up files for financial records and statements; have labeled boxes for items to donate, keep and throw away, and keep an inventory of your rooms for the insurance company.

Plan realistically. Allow extra time for doctors appointments, allow for mail delays when you mail your bills, plan for a traffic jam, and allow enough time for telephone calls to government or bureaucratic organizations.

Dismantling a Loved One's Home

Having to plan to dismantle a loved one's property can be just as important as having a plan to de-clutter your home.

Some of the hardest decisions made in life are those made during the death of a loved one. However, it is the non-titled property that is often overlooked when wills are made and estates divided that becomes the question after the death of a loved one. Non-titled property is personal property without a legal document (title) to indicate who officially owns the item. These items may or may not have great financial value, but often have a great deal of sentimental or emotional value.

Many options exist for non-titled property to be distributed. No method is perfect or right for all families. Methods of distribution the exist include: wills, lists, gifts, verbal or someday promises, masking tape / labeling items, private auction, silent auction with the family, public auction, garage / yard sale, estate sale, pilfer items, family distribution, removal or leftover property, throwing away and interstate transfer.

As non-titled property is transferred keep these important ideas in mind.

• There is no perfect method for distributing non-titled property.
• Stay focused on your goals.
• More transfer options are available prior to death.
• Each method of transfer has consequences.
• Be aware of state laws as you plan and carry out non-titled property transfer.

How to Sell Stuff!

Yard, garage, porch, moving, back-to-school sales are all terms that are used to describe a public sale, held by an individual or individuals. Items are priced by the "seller(s)" and displayed in the yard, in the garage, on the porch, or under a tent for the public to see, inspect and, hopefully, buy.

Sellers must remember that shoppers at garage sales are looking for bargains. Thus, prices on items are expected to be low and shoppers will often attempt to negotiate an even lower price with the seller. The wise seller has given thought to the bargaining issue and is prepared to handle the request by stating that all prices are "firm" or the seller should have a bottom amount in mind that they are willing to consider for the sale of an item.

When numerous sellers or an entire community go together to have garage/yard sale the sale is often referred to as a group, community, neighborhood, block or subdivision sale. In theses types of sales, each seller holds their individual sale at the same time as all the others in their specified area. This allows for joint advertising for the seller. Shoppers are afforded the luxury of having many sales to shop in one area.

When a large group sale is held by an organization it may be called a rummage sale or even a flea market. When a sale of this type is held by an organization, sellers may donate items to the organization with all the proceeds going to the organization. Another method in this type of sale is for the organization that is sponsoring the event to charge each seller a flat fee to set up a booth at the event, or the sponsoring organization may expect a percentage of each seller's profits in exchange for booth space provided to the seller. The sponsoring organization handles all the advertising and may or may not provide tables and other amenities to the seller.

Choosing an Appraiser

Before having a sale, it may be necessary to have the items you are selling appraised. An appraisal will help place a value on your precious family belongings. An accredited or certified appraiser is educated and experienced in their field and is usually a member of one of the following professional organizations: International Society of Appraisers and/or American Society of Appraisers.

To make sure you get an accurate appraisal, you need to know how you intend to use the appraisal. Appraisals are used for many reasons such as for insurance reasons, for estate taxes, consumer resale, equitable distribution to heirs, charitable contributions, investment, liquidation, price confirmation, and many other types of values, assigned uses and the market place. The appraiser will work with you to choose the appropriate types of value so you can use the appraisal properly and successfully. When obtaining an appraisal, you should receive it in a formal, type written report that presents the information you need in an organized and complete manner. It is best to obtain a flat rate, hourly fee, or per item charge. Do not accept a percentage of the value of the property appraised.

To locate an accredited or certified appraiser in your geographic area you can contact the following professional appraiser associations: International Society of Appraisers or American Society of Appraisers.

Holding an Estate Sale

Another type of sale that some people choose to utilize when they have larger quantities of items or if they simply prefer to have someone else handle the task is an estate sale. Estate sales take a variety of forms but most commonly a firm such as an auction house, antique dealer, or liquidator comes to the home and removes the items that are to be sold. These items may be placed on an auction house sale or sold via consignment or in antique shops.

Another version of an estate sale is when items are left in the home or location. The auction house, antique dealer or liquidator comes to the home and "tags" each piece with a price. Thus the term "tag sale" is sometimes used to refer to this type of sale. The firm advertises the sale and potential buyers come to the home and walk through the home as they would a store. Items are purchased by buyers, according to the price on the tag.

In most versions of the estate or tag sale the seller must pay a fee and/or a percentage of the total gross sales to the auction house, antique dealer, or liquidator. In another version, the auction house, antiques dealer, or liquidator buys everything the seller wants to sell for a price that he, the seller, and the buyer agree upon. At this point all sold items become the property of the buyer and the buyer in turn can sell them in any manner he deems appropriate.

Preparing for an Auction

Many people sell their possessions at auctions. Besides determining if your property is right for an auction you will need to find and contact an auctioneer. You can get more information about How to find an Auctioneer: Choosing the Right Auctioneer, What it's Worth, What to Expect with Marketing, Type of Sale, Preparing Items for Sale, and Settling Accounts by checking the web site http://www.auctioneers.org/ or by writing or calling the National Auctioneers Association Headquarters.

You can find an auctioneer by doing a search at the National Auctioneers Association's On-line database: http://www.auctioneers.org/ You can also consult the auction ads in the newspaper or the Yellow Pages of your phone book and look under "Auctioneer". The Auction Marketing Institute recommends the following points when selecting an auctioneer:

• Experience: Look for an experienced auctioneer. The more seasoned they are, the better price you will get for your personal property.
• Specialty: Check the auctioneer's specialty to see if it fits what you want to sell.
• References: Check with former clients of the Auctioneer.
• Licensed: Check to see if they are licensed or have permits to operate in your state, county, and/or municipality.
• Professional Affiliation: Check to see if they have a professional affiliation to the National Auctioneers Association and their state affiliations. This association makes sure their members receive the latest information in the auction industry and changes in the market. Plus the NAA members are governed by the code of ethics, which ensures professionalism and protects you the seller, meaning you and the buyer.
• Certification / Accreditation: The Auction Marketing Institute is a not-for-profit professional education organization. They provide educational and designation program opportunities to the auctioneer industry. They offer three (3) designations and consumers need to check the prospective auctioneer's credentials before hiring them: Certified Auctioneers Institute (CAI); Accredited Auctioneer Real Estate (AARE), and Graduate Personal Property Appraiser (GPPA). For more information on these credentials and what they mean, you can write Auction Marketing Institute at the same address as for the National Auctioneers Association, but call them at a different phone number of 913-541-8115, or check at their web site at http://www.auctionmarketing.org.
• Reputation: Check the auctioneer's reputation in the community you are holding the auction.

Once you chose an auctioneer and the type of services and auction you want, a contract will need to be signed. The contract must spell out the auctioneer's responsibilities and yours, too: the auctioneer's commission and expenses; and when you will receive the auction's proceeds. Auctioneers are usually paid on commission, which is usually a certain percentage of the gross proceeds from the auction. Before signing the contract be sure to carefully read the contract and make sure all blank lines in the contract are filled in. If you are not sure about something in the contract, ask the auctioneer questions.

Donating Items to Charity

While auctions, estate sales, garage sales and yard sales are all viable options to get rid of unwanted items, other avenues exist for placing unwanted "stuff". Such options include: churches, charities, the Salvation Army, Good Will and shelters. Another benefit of donating to charity is the charitable tax deduction allowed by the Internal Revenue Service on you income taxes. In fact, you may be able to take a larger deduction than if you sold an item at an auction or garage sale.

You may have other items that are "special" and you would like others to enjoy. Such items might include jewelry, paintings, antique furniture or family treasures. These items could be donated or sold to a museum, art institute, or college for others to enjoy.

Charitable Tax Deductions

Donating items to charities will allow an individual to get rid of accumulated "stuff" and take a tax deduction on their income taxes for donated items – if the taxpayer itemizes their deductions. The Internal Revenue Service allows deductions to be taken for goods donated to charitable organizations. Individuals are wise to get a statement of tax-exempt charitable status from organizations to which they wish to donate items.

A question many people have is "how much do I deduct when donating used items to charities?" The IRS guideline is fair market value (the price an informed and willing seller would get if the item was sold to an informed and willing buyer). Some charities give an appraisal figure, but others do not. In either case, the IRS requires proof of the donation and documentation supporting its appraised value.

Most people underestimate the value of items donated to qualified charities. When donating clothes and other items, remember to:

1. Make an itemized list for your records stating how many shirts, sweaters, etc., were donated
2. Specify the condition of the items donated (fair, good, new...)
3. Get a receipt from the organization

The receipt will list quantity donated (bags of clothes, boxes of toys or household goods) and will specify larger items like furniture or TV's. The receipt will not have a value placed on it. This is why individuals need an itemized list. These donations do add up. Take the time, make a list and estimate the fair market value of each item donated. In this way individuals can maximize their allowable charitable deductions.

Summary

There are many ways for individuals to disseminate unwanted stuff. Starting with the basic steps to de-clutter, making a plan of action for getting rid of stuff and knowing what avenues are available will help people make informed decisions about where their stuff goes. Getting rid of stuff starts with you! Good luck on your de-cluttering adventure.

Written By: Ellen Burton, Karen Chan, Jennifer Hunt, Kathy Rueter
Extension Educators, Consumer and Family Economics
May 2001

Resources:

Chan, Karen. "Finding Sanity in Today's World: De-Cluttering Your Life", University of Illinois 1998.

Minnesota Extension Service. "Who gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate, Transferring Non-Titled Property," March 1996.

Business Accounting and Tax Solutions, Inc. "Taxpayers Guide to Donated Goods," http://www.taxwizzard.com/donated.html , May 2001.

Internal Revenue Service, "Contributions to Charitable Organizations", http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/
May 2001.

International Society of Appraisers. http://www.isa-appraisers.org/. May 2001.

American Society of Appraisers. http://www.appraisers.org/ May 2001.
National Auctioneers Association Headquarters.

National Auctioneer Association. http://www.auctioneers.org/ May 2001.

Salvation Army. http://www.salarmychicago.org/ May 2001.

Charities That Need Your Clutter!
(Source: Good Housekeeping)

Formal Dresses
"I'll never wear that dress again" – pass it onto several nonprofits around the country who hand out formal dresses to teens who otherwise couldn't afford the prom, homecoming, etc. You can mail your gowns to different organizations in different cities. For a list, go to http://www.glassslipperproject.org

Business Clothes
Bring suits, shirts, blouses and nearly new shoes to your local Dress for Success, an organization that outfits low income women for job interviews. Visit http://www.dressforsuccess.org

Computers
If your old PC is a 486 or better, the National Cristina Foundation will match the computer with a needy organization and pick it up from your home. To donate an ancient or nonworking computer, call your local Goodwill at 800-664-6577. The recycling service of IBM will collect and refurbish, if needed, any computer at the cost of $29.99 for home pickup. Call 888-SHOP-IBM reference number 06P7513.

Paperback Books
Books to Prisoners will send books to inmates who request them. Mail paperbacks fourth class to 1004 Turner Way E. Seattle, WA 98112 or call 206-622-0195

Stuffed Animals/Toys
Contact hospitals, police and fire stations (they provide stuffed animals to traumatized kids), orphanages and homeless shelters. Teddy Bears for Tikes (281-335-5434) gives used bears to children hurt in fires or whose homes have burned down.

Eyeglasses
The Lions Club collects eyeglasses and sunglasses for people in developing countries. Drop off old pairs at a Lions Club center (800-74-SIGHT) or any LensCrafters store.

Business Materials Exchange is an information clearinghouse to facilitate the exchange and reuse of materials usually discarded; it promotes the reuse of items so that they will not have to be managed as solid waste. The Exchange is a free service operated in McLean County, Illinois, by the Ecology Action Center. Businesses, not-for-profit organizations, schools, and churches within McLean County are welcome to participate in the Business Materials Exchange. The Ecology Action Center publishes a listing of specific materials that a business or organization has available for exchange. They also list specific items that businesses and organizations need. The listings are published every other month. For more information, call 309-454-3169, or visit http://www.ecologyactioncenter.org

The following charts list local organizations which will accept donations in McLean County, Illinois.
TO MAKE DONATIONS- A Guide – McLean County, Illinois

Thrift Stores

This "guide" is not meant to be comprehensive, but is to serve as a beginning to a donor's search of where to dispose of quality items for the needy in McLean County, Illinois; the compilation of information is offered through "Harvest of Hope", which is a partnership of food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters in McLean County who glean/collect and distribute excess food and other items to the needy. You may reach "Harvest of Hope" by calling Mary at McLean County Farm Service Agency at 309-452-3848, ( extension 100).