10 Things That Sell in the First HOUR at Every Estate Sale (and 5 That Are Still There at the End)

I've walked into a lot of houses where the owner had already started cleaning out before I got there. The good china was wrapped in bubble wrap, and the garage was half emptied into contractor bags at the curb. On sale morning, the crowd waiting on the lawn walked right past that china and headed straight for the garage. After 35 years running estate sales and clearing about 2,000 homes, I can tell you the first hour of a sale has a pattern. Here are the ten things that go first, and the five still sitting there on the last afternoon. In this video: 1. Gold, sterling silver and jewelry 2. Tools 3. Brand-name cookware and small appliances 4. Outdoor and garden things 5. Mid-century modern furniture and lamps 6. The stuff you're about to throw out 7. Vinyl records 8. Vintage kitchenware 9. Small decorative things 10. Smaller practical furniture 11. Still there at the end: formal china and crystal 12. Brown furniture and big case pieces 13. Collector figurines and plates 14. Dated upholstered furniture and entertainment centers 15. Encyclopedias I also cover what to do with the five that don't sell, from markdowns to donation tips. What's sitting in your garage right now that you were sure was junk? Tell me in the comments. Subscribe for what 35 years of pricing other people's houses taught me, before you start filling bags. The first hour of a sale tells you the truth about a house, so walk through yours with somebody who's priced a few, before you wrap a single plate or fill a single bag for the curb. #EstateSale #Downsizing #Decluttering #Antiques