Reviewer Conny Withay:Operating her own business in office management since 1991, Conny is an avid reader and volunteers with the elderly playing her designed The Write Word Game. A cum laude graduate with a degree in art living in the Pacific Northwest, she is married with two sons, two daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren.
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Author: Julie Hall
Publisher: The Estate
Lady Publications
ISBN: 978-0-9892529-8-0
“’Daunting’ is a
good word to describe the downsizing and estate settlement process,”
Julie Hall writes in her book, What Am I Going to Do with All My
Stuff?
At ninety-four pages, this oversized paperback targets those
needing to purge their personal belongings, downsize, or deal with
getting rid of the contents of someone’s possessions. After an
introduction, there are fourteen chapters, followed by a conclusion,
bonus article, and form.
The book begins with four
chapters discerning the value of a possession, noting if it is an
antique, vintage, or collectible. The next several chapters discuss
how to begin, what to keep, and what to discard. Thinning items,
options of selling, finding professional help, and potential
obstacles are evaluated, ending with what to do with inherited
pieces, common mistakes made, and important questions to ask.
Writer
Hill knows her subject having spent decades helping others scale down
and get rid of possessions, and it shows in the way she presents
information: concisely and in an informative manner. I like that
there are many tips and suggestions of what options are available.
She promotes getting rid of the unneeded objects, starting from the
top of the house down with room by room tips, and keeping those
things that truly mean something.
Having recently dealt with
my 94-year-old mother-in-law’s earthly possessions after her death,
I noticed that the majority of the book’s contents I had followed
without much research (I am still dealing with 17 collector’s
dolls). Others who are organized and fastidious may not find much new
information in the pages.
With over twenty-five years
experience as a personal property expert who has assisted thousands
of individuals nationwide in the process of managing possessions,
Hall is known as the Estate Lady. Author of six books and a myriad of
articles, she has a passion for educating heirs, executors, and
professionals regarding personal property issues.
Checklists,
bullet-point lists to do, and fill-in-the-blank charts would be
helpful for those that need line-by-line guidance and reminders.
If
you are facing the emotional and time-consuming task of downsizing or
dividing and eliminating someone’s possessions, this may be a good
source if you are overwhelmed and are considering professional
help.
Thanks to Bookpleasures and the author for furnishing
this complimentary book in exchange for a review based on the
reader’s honest opinion.