Why scan the whole house before deciding?
Because sorting and deciding are different jobs, and mixing them is what makes downsizing exhausting. Walk the rooms and scan: every object gets a photo, a description and a place, and nothing is being decided yet - which is exactly what makes it doable. The house becomes a list you can sort by room, by value, or by 'have not touched it in a decade'.
How do you give the family a real say?
'Come take what you want' hands the job to everyone else's imagination. A shared catalog works better: the family browses the actual shelves from their own homes and marks what they would truly love, and any single item can be sent along as a public web page. Family sharing is part of the Pro and Ultra plans.
How does each object get its verdict?
- Comes along - Filed to its new room before the boxes are even packed
- Goes to family - Shared as a web page, claimed by name, remembered forever
- Gets sold - Look up mode answers 'worth selling?'; publishing to Discogs, Tradera or eBay does the rest (Pro and Ultra, marketplaces vary by country)
- Gets donated - Logged on its way out, so 'whatever happened to...' has an answer
When the practical side needs paper, a PDF export grouped by room gives movers, auction houses and family one clean overview (export is a Pro and Ultra feature). The values shown stay estimates for informational purposes, never professional appraisals.
FAQ
How long does it take to catalog a whole house?
Room by room, less than you fear. A focused hour covers a lot of shelf, and the scanning pace picks up once the habit sets in. Most downsizers spread it over a few weekends - and the calm it buys during the actual move pays that time back with interest.
What about the things nobody wants?
They deserve a verdict too, and the catalog makes it quick: an estimate tells you whether something is worth listing, and everything else can be donated with a clear conscience - logged on its way out, so the record of the home stays complete even as the shelves empty.
Should anything be appraised professionally before the move?
Anything where the estimate surprises you, in either direction. The catalog's values are estimates for informational purposes, never professional appraisals - for art, jewelry, instruments or furniture that might be significant, a professional appraisal before the move protects both the price and the family peace.
