by Toma Haines

 

Perhaps it's the new year, or the fact that I've recently moved, but my motto of the moment is "Give It, Flog It or Throw It Away to Allow Room for Something New!" The Japanese believe you should keep one drawer empty to allow space in your life for new opportunities. Right now, the future feels ripe but my home feels crowded and I'm wondering where I'll store all that potential! As an antiques collector, I have a tendency towards excess and purging my home occasionally is essential to avoid being held captive by my possessions.

Anyone who is a collector from time to time needs to purge their house of unnecessary, no-longer-appealing and underappreciated items. Giving away is easy! Simply find a charity shop accepting donations, remembering to get a receipt for tax time! Ask friends and family if they want an item they've often admired (but you no longer want). Or give a college student a cheap thrill by furnishing their new home with your cast offs. When I married days after graduating from university, family friends saved my first home from being an empty hovel by donating their well-heeled cast offs.

Donating inexpensive items is always easy to do, but sometimes we feel we need to hold onto expensive items like antiques or inherited items - even if we don't like them! Just because something is expensive doesn't mean you have to like it or should keep it! Break free from clutter by giving these items away or - should that shock your senses too much - sell them!

An old fashion garage sale is a great way to flog unwanted furniture and accessories. If you don't have enough items for a sale, place a classified in your local newspaper or on Craig's List (www.craigslist.com) giving details on the special items. If you're computer savvy set up an online store - sell your valuables on www.ebay.com, cutting out the middleman and allowing buyers globally to bid directly on your castoffs.

If setting up an online store seems daunting, call or email local antique dealers to inquire if they are interested in buying your collections or selling them on consignment. Consult an auction house to get estimates and consider selling your goods through them. Research and verify going prices but remember that dealers have to buy these items at a lower price in order to make a profit.

Be cautious. Often we put a higher value on our personal inventory than it is actually worth. If you receive several lower than expected bids - reconsider the actual worth. You make no money keeping an item you don't like. Meanwhile, you gain cash and valuable floor space when flogging them!

Another reality would-be sellers sometimes have to face is some items simply can't be sold. If an item is beyond repair, has lost all charm, and has no value to another, the best home for it might be the local garbage dump!

Last, but not least, it's okay to keep some items you no longer like. We all have items we can't part with for one reason or another. Sentimentality is an excellent reason to keep something in storage. Take for example, my childhood desk - I have no need for it, yet I lug it around the globe with many international moves because of the memories it evokes. When purging your home, set these items aside for 3 months then re-evaluate to determine if this is an item to keep, give away, flog or toss to the trash!

Once you've purged your home, look around with pleasure! Notice how prized pieces stand out when they are not overwhelmed with other lesser pieces and collections. Now all you have to do is perfect your gracious smile so that when visitors look quizzically at your gorgeous piece in the corner and ask "Is that new? I've never noticed it before" you can wink and say, "I haven't bought a thing in ages!"

To read more articles written by The Antiques Diva visit www.antiquesdiva.blogspot.com or www.antiquesdiva.com