DIY Estate Sale: How We Made $10,000 Before Moving Abroad

From Full House to Four Bags in 48 Hours

Imagine listing your house and receiving an offer on the very first day. It sounds amazing, right? But suddenly you are faced with a pressing question: what do you do with all your stuff?

When we decided to move abroad, we found ourselves exactly in this situation. Rather than hiring an estate sale company, we tackled it ourselves, turning our belongings into cash quickly. Here is how we hosted an estate sale that earned us over $10,000 in a single weekend, without even counting the cars we sold separately.

Why We Decided to Sell Everything

For us, selling rather than storing our items was a straightforward choice. Paying $100 to $200 per month for a storage unit in America for belongings we might never see again felt wasteful. Many expats we have met faced regret after realizing their items sat unused in expensive storage units back home.

Selling it all felt practical and deeply freeing, almost spiritual. We let go of possessions that would otherwise anchor us, enabling a lighter, more flexible life abroad.

DIY vs. Hiring Professionals

Initially, hiring a professional estate sale company seemed tempting. However, these companies typically take 30% to 50% of your earnings and require weeks or even months of lead time. By hosting the sale ourselves, we maximized profits, kept more money, and worked on our own schedule.

We carefully planned our timeline by picking a sale date and working backward. We created a comprehensive checklist, began advertising early, and methodically sorted and priced everything. By the sale weekend, we were organized and ready.

Emotional Attachments and Family Heirlooms

One concern was handling emotionally valuable items like family heirlooms and photographs. To ease this process, we held a family gathering, inviting relatives to claim cherished possessions. This proactive approach allowed sentimental items to remain within the family, simplifying the rest of our sorting and selling.

Setting Up for Success

We cleared one room to serve as a central staging area for items marked for sale, donation, or disposal. Starting from the top of the house, we systematically categorized every item. High-value items were photographed and priced early, helping us build compelling listings online.

We used platforms like EstateSales.net, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and local buy-and-sell groups to attract a sizable crowd. To our amazement, at 7 AM on sale day, eager buyers formed a line outside our home.

Marketing and Merchandising Tips

To attract buyers, we emphasized high-value items such as electronics, artwork, and antiques in our advertising. We rearranged our home to showcase premium items prominently. Detailed photos and engaging descriptions were crucial for driving interest.

A highly effective promotion was offering 20% off when customers purchased five items or more. This encouraged shoppers to add smaller items, helping us clear even seemingly trivial belongings.

Pricing Strategy That Works

We used a simple, color-coded dot pricing system for items under $25, making it easy to adjust prices throughout the sale. Larger items were individually priced, with clear markdowns planned for the second day.

It is important not to price items based on sentimental value or original cost. Items are worth what buyers are willing to pay, and being flexible ensures you move as much as possible.

Surprising Results and Gratifying Moments

Surprisingly, items we expected to be difficult to sell like clothing, shoes, half-used paint cans, and even old 4-H trophies sold quickly. Large furniture items such as sofas and dining sets moved slower than anticipated.

Seeing beloved possessions, like our vintage IBM typewriter, find appreciative new homes was particularly rewarding and provided emotional closure.

Final Thoughts and Our Results

Overall, our DIY estate sale was tremendously successful. We spent about $400 on supplies and earned well over $10,000 from the contents of our house alone, significantly funding our move abroad. We walked away relieved, lighter, and financially better off.

If you are considering a similar move, hosting your own estate sale is manageable, profitable, and rewarding. It accelerated our relocation process, allowing us to move from decision to departure in under 60 days.

Ready to dive deeper into organizing your own estate sale? Check out our comprehensive guide available on our website, Smile Abroad. We are here to support your journey, so reach out anytime with your questions!