A partner’s death leads to a tough task

Dear Amy: This past April, my girlfriend of 10 years passed away. She didn’t have a will or any life insurance. Her brother paid for the cremation. He came to the house to pick up some of his sister’s things. Her daughter also retrieved some items.

I have no problem with any family members receiving anything they want.

My problem is almost the opposite of that: Nobody in the family wants most of her possessions because they don’t have the room in their own homes. They told me I could do what I want with her leftover possessions.

I know that people say, “Just have a garage sale,” but I don’t really know how to do that! I work five days a week. How do I sell this stuff at a fair price?

I’m also worried about people coming to my house and asking about stuff or asking about the price of things. I guess there are a few nice things, but not that much. Can you help me get started?

— Overwhelmed

Dear Overwhelmed: Hosting a yard sale can be rewarding in many ways — but the work is made much easier if you have a friend helping you.

There are also individuals and companies who will organize, price, and handle the selling for a portion of the profit. This might be worthwhile for you.

Before you host your sale, go to some other sales on a Saturday to see how things are organized and priced. If you hear about a “multi-family” sale on a specific weekend, you might plan your sale to happen at the same time. (Shoppers like to go from one sale to the next.)

Hold your sale either on the lawn (put things on tables) or in your open garage, with items NOT for sale covered up or behind tape. Keep the house locked. People who attend garage sales will not ask to enter your house.

Advertise your sale well by putting up colorful signs and posting a local notice on your neighborhood listserv and in the local newspaper. Put price tag stickers on each item — that way you won’t have to answer too many questions. Have a plan for donating items that don’t sell. After your sale, box these items up and take them directly to your local reuse center, Goodwill, or Salvation Army.

I think of yard sales as a great way to recycle items, by sending your extra goods on to a good home.

Your sale could also help to move forward after this big loss in your own life.

Dear Amy: Regarding the issue of keeping photos of prior spouses, my stepmom put a picture of our mother (who was deceased) in my dad’s dressing room.

That gesture made an impression on me and made it easier to love her when I realized how much she loved my father.

— Grateful

Dear Grateful: This was a thoughtful and loving gesture.

Contact Amy via email at: askamy@amydickinson.com