So while we're resting up, here are a baker's dozen of tips we learned:
*Moving out may be the easiest way to keep your house clean and accessible while it's on the market. If you have options here, take them -- a trailer; friends or family who will put you up (even for that first month of showings); a short-term rental. In our case, the fifth-wheel was parked on the other side of the fence by our property, letting us access water and electricity from the 'old' house. It also let us clean periodically without getting in the way of would-be buyers.
Interestingly, the eventual buyers were at the first open house. Go figure.
*Eat your fridge and freezer down -- but don't forget the canned goods, either. Canned goods weigh a TON.
*Plan ahead...until you can't. What comes first -- what can wait until later? Lists give you the confidence that you won't forget anything.
*Cut your clothes in half. Do the same with shoes and personal items, as well. What do you usually wear? Those stay...the worn-less-than-monthly items go. Don't forget to keep seasonal items; you'll need them eventually.
*Divide your stuff into four parts: what to keep, what to donate and what to throw away. (If you've got time, a fourth part of what to sell is helpful, and covers unexpected expenses. (See below.) You MUST be ruthless about the "keep" items. (Enlist an honest friend or family member, if you have trouble with this. In our case, it was Daughters #1 and #2.)
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| Books were the hard part -- I would have kept them all. |
*The total bill will always be more than you think. ALWAYS. Therefore, pay attention to even the smallest costs. They may be unexpected: for example, you may have to pay to get rid of your refrigerator, freezer or even television. (Thrift stores don't accept them much anymore, unless they're new and in the box.)
Extra tip: Where to get rid of your mattress and box springs? This is another item thrift shops don't generally accept -- but homeless shelters do. They may even pick them up.
*No-interest credit cards could be worth the risk, for covering renovation and moving costs. Analyze your situation carefully -- are the odds good that you can sell (and close) in the no-interest period the card offers? We used this successfully, but barely. The day after the house closed, we paid off the bill. In full.
*Renting storage space helps -- but only for the short term. Boxes stored there (for one month only!) will give the Brick more room when he takes the fifth-wheel for hunting season. The $100-plus cost was covered by selling our patio set. (Warning: Our rent was only supposed to be about $50. By the time all the sneaky little fees and insurance finished, it was almost $125. We even had to buy our own lock!)
*Don't investment grocery shop anymore, at least not to the extent I used to. Buying extra while it's on sale is a foundational step for the frugal. It's still a great idea -- if you've got the space to store and move it. We didn't -- and don't.
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| Food costumes don't count. |
*Even a few hours of help makes all the difference in the world. Friends arrived and said, "We've got two hours -- what can we do?" This happened a few times, and was invaluable for getting things moved and transferred. (We made at least 3 runs to the storage facility, and 4 donation runs to Goodwill.) Which brings up one of the best things learned:
*Good friends are priceless. So are kids. We were encouraged and helped by them over and over -- even if that help was just for an hour, an afternoon or a day. In fact, we're staying with friends now while the fifth-wheel gets fixed.
They were blase about doing this, but it meant the world to us. Thank you so much.
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