Jerry ,

There is no really good answer to this problem. I am in my early 40s but same ..
no kids... wife not interested in cars.. and we did have to take care of my Mother
in Laws estate after she died of Lou Gehrigs (ALS) and that sucked and it wasnt even
car stuff. So Ive already seen this from the 'cleaner-upper' perspective.

Best advice I can give is to sell now all that you think you can. If you have to 'bribe'
your kids to help that might have to be done.

On everything you still want to keep .. it might help to tag each thing with that it is..
how rare/expensive it might be and a ballpark asking price. .. or just create 1 list with
the info and paint little numbers on each part to identify what it is on the list. That
increases the chance that the kids will treat it all with the right care. Otherwise theyll
likely just crapcan it all in a deal just to be done with it. They WONT take the time
to figure it out but if youve already done all the legwork for them they would likely treat it right.

Another person suggested setting up an arrangement to have a fellow Pontiacer get
involved to take care of it and ensure that your kids dont get overwhelmed and just
toss it all for a pittance..

Sadly when death happens the vultures start circling..

Good Luck

John

Over the past few years I've had to liquidate 3 estates and like you say it is not an easy task.
A couple of things I learned.
No one wants your old furniture unless it's a single heirloom piece, few people even want the nice antiques.
Auctions will get rid of a lot of stuff fast, but expect pennies on the dollar for what you think it's worth.
No one wants any clothes.
You can throw most of the entire kitchen ware away.
No one wants an old used washer-dryer-stove-fridge, etc... give it away if you can.
Ask around enough and someone will take all the tools. Tell them all or none.
If you leave a house empty, offer the mower and trimmers to a neighbor in exchange for cutting the grass.
If there is something with a little value no one will pay you what it's worth, take .25 cents on the dollar and be happy about it. Don't store it in hope of selling it "someday"
No one wants any books, bears, beanie babies or figurines, although some of them sell good at auction.
Bedroom suites are the hardest to sell. Go low $ with good pictures on CL.

If you know enough about certain items you can try to sell them as a lot, but even then it's a royal PITA.
The only things I had decent luck at selling were cars, trucks and boats.


As far as my cars and parts I wrote most everything I have down with notes on how and who to contact to help liquidate it. Some of it would get posted on PY for sell. I'd rather people that would appreciate it get it, even at clearance pricing.

I'm fortunate to have a couple of sons that enjoy cars. That being said, having a will with specific provisions of who gets what is a good idea! Myself, I'm 62 and starting to clean up. Sold the Corvette, gave one 62 GP (easy project to a son and considering selling my other 62 GP project car as it will be a few more years before I can get to it. The 67 goat will stay till the end!

I left some "confessions" in the family trust file. Once my wife sees the dollars, there is no way she'll settle for less.

Flip the script and sleep with one eye open ;)

This is a most excellent idea - thanks! I will also try to add something helpful here. Beyond having a will (critical if you want to have any say in what happens to your stuff), it's a good idea to make it very clear where your "finances" are. What accounts, what banks, who you have your stocks and other investments with, where's your insurance policy, pension, etc etc. Although my wife and I work as a team when it comes to finances, she probably couldn't tell you precisely where everything is. And in a time of loss - or when it's someone else acting as your executor - you want them to be able to find everything with as little stress as possible. People are at their most vulnerable after losing a loved one and they may not be thinking straight, or they can get conned/cheated.

I've witnessed a number of family and friends having to deal with the aftermath of a mess (hoarders, financial records, etc) after someone passes, and I've learned my lesson - I'll never leave a legacy like that for anyone else to have to clean up.

Me Too... Ruggles told me to tell mama every time she asks what something costs, just tell her its 40 bucks. Everything is 40 bucks.

Buddy I wish you were closer, I'd be Johnny on the spot lovin' to help you.

Thinning down stuff feels good. Do it! Forget long distance fun. Find joy in your own backyard. When you cruise around in a cool vintage car, you bring the fun wherever you go and people want to yack at you. You don't have to hang around know it all fools like us to have fun!

tip of the day: take a meditation class. you will be surprised. it is a stress reliever.

set it up in a trust as to what happens to your stuff..have an administrator oversee that and hopefully that may ease your mind. ill have stipulations as to what happens to my nice cars after i pull an elvis--and what is sold and what is on loan to museums etc.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. I'm not particularly worried about the value, I just don't want my kids with the burden of disposing of my stuff. I just went through this with my mother's estate. I was lucky enough to have enough nieces and nephews that needed furniture, etc. to get rid of all of her fixtures. We had to rent a dumpster to clean out her house; clothes, food that was odd or outdated, and just junk that no one wanted. We could have had a yard sale, but no one wanted to fool with it. When my daughter just recently spent 2 months at home taking care of us after the accident she mentioned jokingly of having to clean up our junk when we passed away. That was after she ran across my magazine collection.

when to start downsizing
 

This has been a great thread, I figure you guys are smarter than any 'experts'. The problem is 'when do I start selling off or giving away my stash of GTO and motorcycle parts?' I'm 65, good health and enjoy wrenching, restoring, paint & bodywork. I know my body is showing wear & tear, my back is troublesome.

What clued you guys into realizing it's time to minimize? Was there an incident, the loss of a close friend, poor health... I guess the list could go on for a long way.

I can't imagine not having my tools and workshop, now I'm starting to worry I'm being a hoarder and will leave a burden to my survivors.

Any advice, even bad advice, is appreciated.


I'm concerned....

I came to my senses when I caught myself keeping parts for cars I "might" own someday.

This is rather a deep topic and also somewhat sad as each of us will face come face to face with death the only real question is when....

Pick up any Old Cars Weekly or local newspaper and those estate sales are the results of someone passing that indeed had a lot of "stuff" and the surviving family members are looking for a quick out translation cash it in.

Having turned 66 last fall and will be collecting SS shortly you quickly realize you are on the downside of your life span on earth. Over the years I have carefully collected a variety of items that I have in my home office that have really shot up in value. Having one son who is into cars he knows someday all this will be his and he knows it is very valuable.

Having bought over 300 Turbo Regals I have purchase some where either the owner has passed away and was a customer of mine and the wife sold me the car and in at least 2 cases that come to mind I bought them from owners that were in such bad health they could only watch me from the window of their home as I trailered their Grand National away. It is sad.

More recently one of the major Turbo Buick vendors died unexpectedily and his wife called me to come and see about buying his inventory. A weird feeling comes over you in a situation like this as I bought what I could and also bought a bunch of his personal trinkets that he had in his personal office.

Everyone is on a different clock. As my Dad always said Your health is our wealth.....
Its tough to scale down. I know a guy who is almost 80 years old and he has over 100 cars sitting and in his mind he plans to restore half of them. Most days he can't even walk out in the yard to even view them.

Sometimes its the mind that goes first and logic is long gone....

denniskirban@yahoo.com

I keep tellin the wife I want to be buried in my 66. She has no interest in it and everything she's sold of mine in yard sales she practically gives away. Not gonna happen with the GTO. I'm takin it with me.

So with that said.....
If you decide to sell of your tools, cars, and anything else, get all you can for them now. Then while you're still healthy enough to enjoy it, take that trip you never could afford and see what's out past that place where you live. Do it, there's a whole world out there to see. I've seen most of the lower 48 States and Eastern Canada. I'd love to see the rest that I've missed, even out past the US borders to parts unknown. If you're alone, all the more reason to get out and explore the world. If not, then she's got one hell of a choice to make.... ;)

Boy....a deep subject. I have in my will what happens to my cars and parts. Cars go to auction and sold and $$ goes to Cancer charity. Ditto for parts. I have instructions on who to call to handle sale. I did this years ago before my Cancer ordeal. Being honest there was a couple of times I wondered if I would survive my Cancer experience. In remission but 3 years to go for all clear. My thoughts then were not about the cars & stuff...just living !!! Just saying if it bothers you now have a will/living will. Concentrate on your health man. I can't do what I used to do but happy at what I can still do..;)
Wish you the best Jerry..

My 93 year old father died in June, basically 70 years of tools, household stuff, you name it. Really didn't throw away anything even when my mom passed away 21 years ago.

Her shoes, Nurses uniforms, all her clothes, even the calendar the month she died was still in the bedroom, even a great deal of canned goods and containers of flower, her purse, you name it.

Was a lot of work to clean up all the stuff, took 4 family members 3 weeks to do.

But you know what at the end of day he was my father and always will be.

He got to do it his way, 93 still active, living an independent life, driving everyday, living in the house he built with his tools, blood and sweat and he died in his sleep, no regrets no worries to think about, just a sudden heart attack and he was gone.

Was it a little stinky, dusty, and he should have tossed away a lot of stuff, sure, but you know what as I said earlier he is my Dad so I will honor and respect him always because that is what made him happy, I owe him for so much and that I know he never really knew about or under
stood because he did things the right way in everyday life and how he took care of our family.

I found out along time ago don't judge others especially your parents and you won't be so hard on yourself and in the end does really matter?

I sent him money when I could afford it because he truly appreciated it and what we really ask for in life is to get some mileage out the money we spend anyway.

I am lucky my passions and dreams are shared by boys and family, my oldest has worked for me and my wife for 15 years.

My Stuffffff will go to someone who appreciate its, even my wife has 71 GTO.

The answer is whatever makes you happy, that's the way I did it with my Dad, God rest his soul.

Dennis Kirban, hell of a post brother....

What a thread this has turned out to be!!!!

Tonight my oldest came up to see Lone Survivor with me; as he was going to stay the night and we have a small house, my wife slept on the couch and Michael fell asleep in my bed waiting for Shay and I to return. We got home late and Shay climbed in bed with Michael and they are passed out together in my bed.

I can't sleep yet not tired; I sit hear reading this thread thinking all the deep thoughts, I turn around looking at my boys passed out and I smile.

I'm only 45 but gotta get a plan together. Single with no kids, have a few younger nephews and nieces but don't how they feel about my cars? My only rock solid plan is to give my 23 Model T to local historical society. The GTO is junk right know and probably would get scrapped along with my Nissan Patrol. All the damn Hot Wheels I have are worth pennies on the dollar! I'm going to do some selling at the next swap meet for sure.

My Dad is 85 & my Mom was 86 when she passed 2 years ago, so barring some accident I expect I'll be around for a while. I figure I've got 10 GOOD years left that I can enjoy this hobby, build & race cars, buy/sell/trade cars & parts. The next 10 will get spent selling pretty much all of what I've got so that by the time I'm 70 I'll still have a nice convertible for cruising and maybe a hardtop that scares the **** out of me.

I don't NEED any of it and am not emotionally attached to it other than a couple of cars because of the few friends who owned them ahead of me.

I own a roofing company and I won't even get on a ladder that tall:)