Start with room-level inventory
Mixed household estates are easiest to control when every room gets a simple inventory. Use room names, wall photos, drawer photos, and category labels before moving furniture. This prevents valuable smalls from being separated from the larger pieces they belong with.
Furniture checks
- Photograph front, sides, back, underside, drawer joints, labels, hardware, feet, casters, and repairs.
- Measure height, width, depth, seat height, table diameter, and mirror dimensions.
- Record condition honestly: refinishing, veneer loss, breaks, missing pulls, replaced glass, odors, and stability.
- Separate common used furniture from antique, designer, named-maker, or unusual pieces.
Small goods that should not be ignored
Silverplate, hollowware, framed art, mirrors, pottery, porcelain, glass, rugs, clocks, lamps, musical equipment, stereo components, and tools can be more important than the large furniture. Do not let them disappear into unsorted boxes.
Grouping for sale
Group by buyer logic, not by how the house was packed. Display dining items together, tools together, linens together, framed art together, kitchenware together, and outdoor/garden items together. Keep fragile glass, pottery, and porcelain away from crowded walkways.
When to pause for appraisal
Pause when you see labels from known furniture makers, signed art, hand-knotted rugs, sterling marks, early clocks, unusual scales, quality musical instruments, or objects with provenance. A single underpriced item can exceed the value of many ordinary boxes.