Anonymous wrote:Taking down old wallpaper and painting + replacing carpet will probably help with the smoke smell. Paint close to listing/open house so it smells like fresh paint.

It will still smell like smoke. Almost impossible to get rid of that smell. You'll need to run ozone machines for weeks after the carpet is ripped out and everything is painted. Could it be a teardown? If so, contact builers so you don't have to spend tens of thousands just to sell it.

If you can, outsource. Then figure out if you need to do therapeutic lies or just firm boundaries. She had plenty of time to deal with this before her decline and chose not to so she doesn't get to dictate. You stay calm and professional, but stick to business. Don't give in to any yelling or guilt trips or manipulation if she tries to make you feel bad for not getting top dollar for her junk. You treat her like a highly difficult client-polite, distant, respectful, but firm with boundaries. Do not tolerate any disrespect either. No yelling, just end the conversation and get off phone, leave the visit. You are doing her a favor and appreciation is what you should get.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you therapeutically lie to your mom and just tell her stuff sold for good money, but meanwhile just have GotJunk pick it all up? Unless she has something really unique, nobody wants a 150 year old dresser and china cabinet.

OP here, she was an antique dealer for years and kept the best stuff for herself. She's showed me online auctions, and it seems like stuff goes for more than I would have expected it to. I'm unclear how much prep work we would have to take on for this, but there absolutely is a market for 150 year old dressers and China cabinets.

OP the estate dealers all have on line auctions now. Mom lived in rural Maryland and even in rural Maryland the estate dealer had regular on line auctions. He sold antiques but did not get much money for them. He walked the house and told me the more valuable items. The hot items were Mom's mid century modern dining table set and mid century hi fi cabinet. The other items like antiques from the 1700's and 1800's did not get much money.

I did sell some of the smaller stuff at Alderfer's. They are outside of the Philly area. I drove the smaller stuff up to their facility and got more money than I would have in rural Md. Check out the Alderfer's website.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you therapeutically lie to your mom and just tell her stuff sold for good money, but meanwhile just have GotJunk pick it all up? Unless she has something really unique, nobody wants a 150 year old dresser and china cabinet.

OP here, she was an antique dealer for years and kept the best stuff for herself. She's showed me online auctions, and it seems like stuff goes for more than I would have expected it to. I'm unclear how much prep work we would have to take on for this, but there absolutely is a market for 150 year old dressers and China cabinets.

well, then maybe her antiques are higher quality than most. maybe someone can suggest an antiques dealer. does she know anyone she trusts?

My downsizing friend on Capitol Hill removed what she wanted, then invited the neighbors in to help themselves. Then called Junk in the Trunk. Worked great.

For auction check out wechsler. You can look online any time and see auction results for other people's "antiques". Very informative.