For anyone who has
ever arranged and run an estate sale, it is no understatement to say it is a
lot of work. It requires weeks of preparation. There is the physical work of sorting,
cleaning, tagging and lugging heavy things from the attic and basement. Then,
perhaps more challenging is the emotional task of sorting through years of
memorabilia that belonged to you or a loved one and deciding what should stay
and what should go. Finally, there
are the questions of whether or not you are doing everything correctly; how
should I price this? Am I displaying these items properly? How can I keep track
of the sales for my trust?
All of these
challenges and more are the reasons more and more people are relying on
companies like Patricia Hughston’s Timeless Treasures. Timeless Treasures is a
professional estate liquidation company that assists folks with all aspects of
estate sales from beginning to end—from the sorting and tagging to the receipts
and clean up.
Owner and operator,
Patricia Hughston has a lifetime of experiences that have
made her an expert in this field of work. Time she shared with her grandmother
who loved antiques developed an interest in the beauty and value of antiques. In
her adulthood she worked as a paralegal for an attorney who handled estates.
She saw how other estate liquidation companies worked and she knew she could do
better. Now she has spent over 20 years working in this industry to help people
successfully liquidate their own estates or estates of loved ones. She is certified
in china, crystal, sterling silver and doll appraisals and is a member of the
Texas Antiques Dealers and Collectors Association.
How is an Estate Sale
Different from a Garage Sale?
In a garage sale
typically the sellers are only selling things they no longer want or need such
as old clothes or home goods. With an estate sale the entire contents of a home
are for sale. This includes
smaller ticket items as well as things like valuable tools, furniture, antiques
and collectibles. Timeless Treasures has also sold very large items such as
cars and boats as part of a client’s estate sale.
Who Has and Estate
Sale?
When most people think of an estate sale
they imagine a family after the loss of a loved that needs to sift through many
years of accumulated items and sell the valuables. While sometimes this is the
case, increasingly it is not. Patricia states that many of her clients are
mature adults holding their own living estate sales. They may be downsizing to
move to a retirement community, to travel without the burden of home ownership
or retirees marrying needing to combine two homes.
Why Do I Need Help
Running an Estate Sale?
To successfully hold
an estate sale it can take anywhere from two to six weeks of preparation.
During this time items need to be moved, priced, tagged and staged. Timeless
Treasures does this with expertise and professionalism. They have the resources
to price the items accurately and without bias. They also provide tables,
tablecloths and display cases to show your treasures in the most positive
light. They keep meticulous receipts of all items sold to track the actual
value of the estate and they can do a comprehensive inventory for trust and
probate purposes.
How Does the Sale
Work?
The sale is held for
three days and all prices are fair and marked for retail, not dealer prices.
After the conclusion of the sale Patricia and Timeless Treasures will continue
working with you to clean up and decide what to do with remaining items.
No matter if you are
holding an estate sale after the loss of a loved one or holding your own in
order to travel the world worry-free, Timeless Treasures can make the sale a
success with little effort on your part. Here are a few tips from Patricia on
working with a professional estate liquidator.
- Do not throw anything away! Those old magazines
might seem like trash to you but after inspection by a professional, they may
turn out to be more like a treasure.
- Shop around. Talk to a few companies and get a
feel for whom you are more comfortable with.
- Check references. Patricia provides references
for all her prospective clients. Anyone worth working with will have at least a
handful for you to contact.
- Do
not sign a contract before you have all your information. Talk to different
companies, read online reviews and call their references before you sign a
contract or write a check.
