Lessons learned from a client

Jun 27, 2018

This is great insight from a client of ours:

Eric and I have been working to let go of significant things from our past – inherited, gifted or no longer wanted. We’ve learned a few things that were surprising:

1. Sterling silver flatware is really only worth melt value. I’ve been lugging my mom’s silver around over the years and insuring it, only to find out it was worth $500.

2. Gold has more value. We turned in old scrap jewelry (broken necklaces, childhood charm bracelet) and also got $500 – more than we thought.

3. Oriental rugs are like a new car once you drive it – the value plummets. Soft market for these rugs these days as millennials don’t want them.

4. Beautiful used watches? Men’s have higher resale value because apparently, men buy used watches. Women’s don’t have as much value because women don’t buy themselves nice watches, generally, and men buy them as gifts but they don’t gift used watches.

5. Old books – took a pile to Powell’s books, including a first edition John Muir book that I somehow got from somewhere and got $30 for the stack.

6. Anything Tiffany has more value than if it wasn’t Tiffany.

My point is this: many of us are holding onto things from the past that used to be heirlooms or treasures. We fear to lose them or having them stolen and lug them around.
In the end, letting go of all this excess baggage is priceless to us. Our kids don’t want it and the time to let it go is now, not leaving it to our kids to deal with someday after we die. Lighten the load – and help your parents do the same if you can.

OLDER NEWER