Let me start here: I didn’t just sell a few things. I sold everything. Not metaphorically. Not in a minimalist, "I donated several bags to Goodwill" kind of way.
I’m talking car, couch, cast iron pans, plates, purses, pumps—all of it. And I did it in five weekends flat—except my house. That took a few months longer than expected.
This is the story of how I organized a full-blown, self-run estate sale to fund my life abroad—and what I learned along the way.
What made me do it?
The short version? I was done. Done with the weight of stuff. Done with the expectations that came with it. And done with a life that no longer fit me.
I had already decided to move abroad, and I knew I wasn’t going to pay for storage. I also wasn’t going to drag 20 years of belongings across borders.
So I committed to something big: selling it all, funding my move, and starting over with intention. I kept just two suitcases and one storage box of clothing and sentimental items.
One of those suitcases is my travel companion; the other stays tucked away. I stored my important documents in a safe deposit box, use a friend’s address for anything official, and set up a virtual mailbox to manage the rest.
Offloading that much responsibility? It felt incredible.
Struggling to Let Go? You’re Not Alone.
Let’s be real: selling everything is not just a logistical process—it’s an emotional one. Many of us, especially Black women who’ve worked hard to build our homes and lives, feel deeply connected to our belongings. They represent memories, milestones, even parts of our identity.
If you’re hesitant to let go because you still want to feel rooted, I hear you. Some of us store things because we think, “What if I come back?” or “What if I regret this?” And that’s valid.
But here’s what I learned:
☑︎ Storage is expensive. Monthly fees add up quickly, and if you’re abroad long-term, that’s money you could be using to explore, invest, or enjoy your new life.
☑︎ Things age and deteriorate. Furniture warps. Clothes go out of style. Electronics become obsolete. By the time you come back, your things might not feel worth the cost.
☑︎ You might change. That person who built the old home? She’s evolving. Your needs, tastes, and preferences may shift in ways that make your old items feel like artifacts, not essentials.
If there are truly irreplaceable items—family heirlooms, sentimental keepsakes—by all means, keep them. But keep them intentionally, not out of fear. Choose a few items to store or pass on. And consider this: letting go of the rest might be the very thing that creates space for the next, better chapter.
Five weekends. One system. No burnout (well, almost).
I created a very organized process to keep myself sane and get results:
☑︎ Sales ran Friday–Sunday, 2.5 hours per day
☑︎ I categorized everything: one weekend was kitchenware, another was clothes and accessories, another was for personal items, and furniture came last
☑︎ I used Google Drive to host photos, pricing lists, and videos for my buyers
☑︎ I had email sign-up sheets at every sale so I could alert people about what was coming next
☑︎ I built anticipation through Nextdoor, Facebook Marketplace, and neighborhood groups
I promoted like a marketer—because, well, I am one
I did most of this on my own, with weekly setup help from a handyman who came every Wednesday. And I mean it when I say: this looked like a boutique pop-up, not a garage sale. We had rows, signs, prices, and categories.
I built a system, and it was a vibe. Grab it right here 👋
Why I didn’t hire a company
Trust me, I tried. But I couldn’t find one I could feel confident in. One had bad reviews (and barely any). Another lowballed everything. Another sent me a contract that looked like it was made in WordArt circa 1999.
I needed to maximize what I got, not just get rid of stuff. So I decided I’d do better by running it myself. And I did so, successfully.
6 Things I Learned from Managing My Own Estate Sale
1. Don’t hire an estate sale company unless you absolutely need to.
If you do, research the heck out of them. Ask about their pricing structure, how they advertise, what kind of buyers they attract, and how they protect your earnings.
2. Price your items fairly, but don’t give things away.
I used tools like Google Lens to do price comparisons. For higher-ticket items, I set pricing mid- to high-range if they were in excellent condition. Spoiler: a lot of my stuff was.
3. Build an email list from Day One.
I told buyers to DM me their email if they wanted to know what I’d be selling next. I also had a sign-up sheet at every sale. That list? It became gold. Some folks were waiting outside the garage before we opened.
4. Take lots of photos and videos.
I uploaded visuals to Google Drive, then shared the link with my email list. I grouped items by category so people could preview before showing up. Some came just for what they saw in the video.
5. Get someone to help you.
My handyman showed up every Wednesday to help with the physical setup. You can trade help for lunch, cash, or that fancy purse your cousin’s been eyeing. Just don’t try to do it all alone.
6. Save the furniture for last.
You’ll need somewhere to sleep and sit during the sales weeks. Plus, bigger-ticket items attract more serious buyers—ones who may want to buy in bulk. I had someone walk through my house and buy multiple full sets.
I didn’t just sell stuff—I sold the version of me that needed it
I’m a woman who once measured success by what I owned. I let that version go, piece by piece, over five weekends. And I replaced her with someone lighter, freer, and focused on building a life that fit me.
Today, I work from my laptop, live where the weather loves my body, and no longer wonder why I had four can openers.
Want help selling your things and funding your move?
I created two resources to help with just that:
The Organize & Sell Strategic Planner and Templates, a full system to streamline your process, build anticipation, and get attendees chomping at the bit to claim your best items. I’m talking “line up at your door early” level hype. It's a digital guide that walks you through:
☑︎ Sorting and pricing your belongings
☑︎ Creating listings that attract competing buyers
☑︎ Organizing your sales and setup
☑︎ Promoting like a pro (email, video, visuals, all of it)
Grab my Organize &Sell system right here.
You don’t need permission to create a life that feels like yours. But if you need help, I’m right here.
Rooting for your financial, location, and time freedom,
Marcia Hylton, aka Marcia Unbound
Move-Abroad Advisor
P.S. Curious about why I made such a big move? I recently shared more of my story in a feature with Business Insider. It’s raw, real, and all about what led me to sell it all and start over abroad. You can read it here.
