4 Unexpected Things You Can Leave Behind for New Owners
What To Leave Behind When Moving?
You’ve found a buyer for your home and a home for your next stage of life. Congratulations! No rest for the weary, though. Now you have to pack up and move!
We’re not going to lie---moving is a lot of work. It helps to start early and follow a schedule to stay on track.
We have some good news, though. You may not have to move everything in your home. The new owners may be thrilled to inherit or even purchase a surprising number of things you thought you had to move.
BONUS: Selling to the new owners saves you from trying to sell on social media and/or yard sales.
Curtains
You might think that the new owners wouldn’t want to inherit your curtains. After all, people have very particular tastes when it comes to decorating their homes. If the curtains in question are old and worn out, you’d be right. If the curtains are in decent shape and match the paint, you might be wrong.
Think about it. You know the work that goes into finding curtains for your windows. There’s measuring, deciding on style and color, and finding the right hardware. Then you have to climb up and hang them all!
Some people are pretty relaxed about decorating---or don’t like do it at all. If you’ve already gone to the trouble of finding curtains that fit the windows and match the walls, the new owner might love you for saving them all that work.
If the new owner wants your curtains, you just yourself saved a ton of time and work, too.
Paint and Remodeling Materials
They say you can’t take it with you. That’s definitely true for old paint cans. Movers are prohibited from moving certain items, and that includes paint.
You have two choices when it comes to getting rid of paint. First, you can dispose of it properly. For latex paint, use kitty litter to soak up the paint and then toss it in the trash. You can also open the cans and let the paint dry out. As long as you have a spot to safely store the cans, this is a good option.
Oil-based paint is considered hazardous waste and cannot be thrown away in the trash. You need to check with local authorities on their rules for hazardous waste disposal.
Your other choice? You guessed it---ask the new owner if they want you to leave the paint behind. They might want them to touch up scratches and dings in the years to come. (NOTE: Oil-based paints last forever; latex paint can “go bad” after ten or fifteen years.)
If you have done any work on your home, you probably have leftover materials---bathroom or kitchen tiles, flooring, wood trim, etc. The new owners may want these materials as well. Between the paint and the construction materials, you’ll be leaving behind boxes of heavy stuff.
Pool and Game Tables
Another item you can leave behind is your game table. Moving is a good time to reevaluate whether your game table still fits with your lifestyle. Whether you have foosball, a pool table, or an air hockey table, game tables are difficult to move. They first need to be disassembled and require special handling. Moving a game table, especially a pool table, is not a DIY project you want to tackle.
If you are ready to part with your game table, ask the people buying your home if they want to buy it. Game tables are big ticket items, costing anywhere from $500-$2000 and up. Your home’s new owners may be happy to buy yours for a reduced price. Strike a good deal, and you can put some extra change in your pocket. Then, add that money to the hundreds you’ll save in extra moving expenses. Cha-ching!
Exercise Equipment
Exercise equipment is another big ticket, heavy item that will add to your moving expenses. Unless you can leave it behind, that is!
Exercise equipment that is in good shape can be very appealing to the right buyer. If you bought the equipment new, you can get a few hundred dollars for it from the new owner. Factor in the cost of moving exercise equipment, and you’re adding a few hundred dollars back into your budget.
Appliances
Yes, this one is surprising. You’d think that, since they’re essential to living in a house, refrigerators and ovens would be considered part of the house. As part of the house, they should be included in the buying price, right? Not so fast.
Because appliances can be unplugged, they are not considered “fixtures” of the house. Technically, they belong to the seller. (You should make sure ownership of appliances very clear in your paperwork. It can be a gray area, so being fully transparent is best for everyone.)
Just like your curtains, your appliances have already been vetted for style and function. They may not work in your new home. The buyer may be interested in keeping them, though. That’s one less thing for them do.
More than any other item, discussions about appliances should be part of the negotiation process for selling your home. The cost of including them can be significant enough that the buyer wants it added to the mortgage.
There are a lot of reasons to leave some things behind when you move. You can save time and money by doing so. You’ll make your move a whole lot easier, too.
Have a move in your future? Reach out to our moving company to see how we can help!
