“Every object in that house meant something. Our job is to make sure it still does.”
Margaret Ellison · Lead Coordinator · Portland, Oregon & the Willamette Valley
No obligation · In-home consultation · Response within 24 hours
Five phases. No surprises.
Most families have never done this before. Here is exactly what happens, in order, and what other families said about each step.
The walk-through that makes everything feel possible.
We spend ninety minutes in the house together — not appraising, not rushing. We're learning the rooms, the categories, the stories. You tell us which things go with family. We take notes on everything else.
- Full-home inventory walkthrough at no charge
- Honest estimate of net proceeds before you commit
- Service area confirmation (zip code first, always)
- Contract signed only after you feel ready
I kept apologizing for the state of the house. Margaret said, "This is exactly what we're here for." I cried in the kitchen. She handed me a tissue and kept taking notes. That was the moment I knew we'd be okay.
Diane Kowalski
Daughter, Portland OR
Grandmother's Hummel figurines have a market. We know it.
Twenty years of regional sales data. Access to auction comparables. We price to sell on day one — not to sit on a table through Sunday. Every category gets its own strategy: furniture, jewelry, tools, linens, art.
- Category-by-category pricing strategy
- Online research for collectibles, silver, vintage items
- Markdown schedule built in from the start
- Jewelry and valuables handled with separate care
“I've referred Downsized to three probate clients now. The pricing is defensible in court, the documentation is thorough, and the net proceeds have consistently exceeded what families expected. Margaret is the kind of vendor that makes my job easier.”
Robert Achebe
Probate Attorney, Multnomah County
A dining set under portable spotlights sells itself.
We bring the equipment: folding tables, portable lighting, signage, pricing tags, security mirrors. The house becomes a curated shop. Furniture stays in place — staging around it creates natural traffic flow and keeps buyers moving through every room.
- Full setup team — you don't lift a thing
- Portable lighting for basements, garages, dim rooms
- Signage and directional flow mapped in advance
- Jewelry and small valuables in locked display cases
“We couldn't believe it was the same living room. The staging made forty years of furniture look like a showroom.”
Tom & Carol Brandt
Downsizing, Lake Oswego OR
Three days. A crowd. A house that empties with dignity.
We manage the doors, the cash, the questions, the negotiations. You don't have to be there — most families aren't, and that's completely fine. We send you a text when the dining set sells. We send you the final report Sunday evening.
- Friday–Sunday format, 9am–3pm each day
- Trained staff manage all buyer interactions
- Cash, Venmo, and card accepted
- Live inventory updates available on request
The living room sold out in ninety minutes. I got a text from Margaret at 10:47am. I was sitting in my car in the parking lot of a coffee shop, crying happy tears.
Susan Park
Executor, Clark County WA
What doesn't sell doesn't become your problem.
Post-sale, we coordinate donation pickup, haul-away, and — if you need it — a broom-clean. The house can be listed or handed over to the facility within a week of the sale closing. We've done this with court deadlines. We know how to move.
- Donation coordination with local nonprofits
- Haul-away for unsold items (quoted separately)
- Broom-clean option available
- Final accounting delivered within 5 business days
We had a court deadline on a Thursday. The sale ran the weekend before. By Tuesday, the house was empty and the check was in my hand. I didn't think that was possible. It was.
James Okonkwo
Estate Executor, Salem OR
Let’s see the house together.
A walk-through takes ninety minutes and costs nothing. We’ll give you an honest estimate before you decide anything.
Not ready to book? That’s okay.
Download our free Estate Sale Checklist — the same guide we hand to every family on their first walk-through.
What’s inside
- What to keep vs. sell vs. donate — the decision framework
- How to handle jewelry, silver, and valuables before the sale
- The 6 things that slow down estate sales (and how to avoid them)
- Timeline guide: 60 days, 30 days, and 2 weeks before sale day
- Questions to ask any estate sale company before signing
- What happens to items that don't sell
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