This week while Amanda was away on vacation the team decided it would be fun to document a Day in the Life at one of our Estate Liquidations in Los Altos. Kuzak’s Closet has offered Estate Liquidation services ever since Amanda started her business, but only within the last year has the service included a private sale – and they are so fun! What is the general criteria for a Kuzak’s Closet Estate Liquidation? Time crunch, partial contents of a house and everything must go – all in 1 day! The private sale is like a treasure hunt and advertised via our eList so click HERE to be added.
8:00am: Taylor arrives with keys to the house plus coffee and donuts to celebrate Hope’s Birthday. A numbered sign-up list generated by estate sale shoppers is already taped to the door and a chorus of “Good Morning” greets the team as they make their way through the crowd. In the driveway shoppers are sharing snacks and coffee and swapping stories. Once the team has assembled we do a walk-thru of the house to see what is available for purchase and create zone assignments for each of our estate specialists. Every house Kuzak’s Closet liquidates is different and the morning walk-thru is the first time the team has the chance to ooohhh and ahhhh over the contents.
When this particular Estate Liquidation was booked Taylor met the lovely homeowner (96 years old!) and learned that she is moving to a retirement care facility and is ready to part with some of her beloved treasures, which included beautiful antique dolls, books and wonderful furniture hand crafted by her husband many years ago. In the garage we discover there are some boxes in the rafters so Al, Billy, Esse and Yovan set up a ladder and start to pull the boxes down. What is inside? Two beautiful antique chairs, a stack of vintage hats and a Christmas tree. What a find!
9:00am: Al grabs the sign up sheet and lines our shoppers by number. There is a large window at the front of this particular house so after hours of peeking through the windows there is a buzz among the shoppers. No one know what is going to be found! Our Estate Liquidations are like going on a treasure hunt without a map. Hope is assigned to manage the line, because of the size of the house only the first 35 people will be let in. As the doors open Sarah sips a Refreshe seltzer soda (our team addiction) and toasts the opening of the sale. The rest of the team is ready in their zones while Taylor mans the check-out table. The door opens and the first wave of shoppers enter the house. They scatter in each direction, every shopper has their own idea of what they are looking for. Piles start to form and excited sounds come from all areas of the house. Monica clicks pictures on her camera to help us document the day.
9:30am: The first few waves of shoppers have collected their items, paid and are on their way. SOLD signs are taped to many pieces of furniture as our Estate Specialists continue to negotiate prices. Hands are full of items as Taylor tallies purchases and Billy, Esse and Yovan help shoppers to their car. A neighbor buys the piano for his children and agrees to come back in an hour when the guys are readily available to help walk it over to his house. Items from all over the house, garage and shed are being purchased – amazing antiques have been unearthed and shopper’s are excited about their finds. A hat that reminds a shopper of his grandfather has been found in the garage. Vintage postcards have been discovered in a desk drawer. Shoppers pause to marvel at the beautiful handmade grandfather clock being carried out the front door.
10:00am: Shoppers continue to arrive, many interested in skipping the initial crowd but hoping to find something they will enjoy. A box of ornaments is purchased by a regular shopper who loves Christmas so much, she has dedicated her front room to decorations all year round. A book collector has discovered a high school year book from the 1950’s and is inspired by the hair styles. Someone is even interested in purchasing the book shelves so Yvon and Esse work to remove them from the wall. Outside shoppers are clustered around their cars comparing finds, many making plans to grab breakfast down the street. Taylor is continually asked the same question, “When is your next sale?”.
11:00am: Doors close. The team regroups to start the clean-up process. Hope and Sarah start to collect books and small items to be taken for donation while the guys load the few remaining pieces of furniture that did not sell; a desk, two fabric reclining chairs and four antique straight-back chairs. Taylor delivers the furniture to Hope Services and is greeted by the intake Manager who says Kuzak’s Closet always brings the nicest items – we are so lucky to work with such positive people!
noon: the books and small items for donation are loaded on a truck for delivery. Al, Billy, Esse and Yovan start to sort items to be recycled and thrown away. Recyclable items like metal and electronics are loaded on one truck for delivery while trash goes on another. Now that the rooms are empty Sarah and Hope begin to sweep and vacuum. Taylor does an initial walk thru of each room checking closets and cabinets to make sure that every nook and cranny has been emptied. Upon inspection the original architectural drawings for the house are discovered, they are left in the kitchen for the family/real estate agent.
1:00pm: The house is empty and the team part ways. Billy and Esse with a load of trash to the dump. Yovan with a load of metal and electronics for the recycle center. Sarah with two pieces of furniture to deliver on her way home. Hope is planning to attend a book sale, she and Sarah discuss lunch options in downtown Mountain View. Al and Monica are en route to meet another client and take photos of a car we will be selling out of the estate. Taylor takes the small items and books to be donated.
2:00pm: Billy, Esse and Taylor meet back at the house. Billy and Esse are delivering some larger pieces of furniture on their way home and need to load the truck. Taylor does the official final walk-thru inspection checking inside-and-out, locks all of the windows and doors and calls the family/real estate agent to let them know the Estate Liquidation is complete. After a mere 6 hours the house is now empty and ready for the next phase. Yet another great day in Silicon Valley!
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