Even though Linda hired the auction house to handle the sale of many of her parents’ items, she was surprised to learn that there was still a great deal of work and responsibility associated with auctioning items off for sale. 

She has several words of wisdom.

• Record information (heirlooms/stories/times/dates/locations) on your parents’ belongings when they are still well enough to share this information with you.  It assists the auctioneer when listing and promoting the items.
• Be realistic about the value of used furniture (even if it is walnut or cherry, etc).  Auctioneers will be upbeat and optimistic prior to the event.  But, you should assume that the item will likely sell for very little money.
• A responsible party should attend the auction(s) to assess the honesty of the sale/ the follow-through/the detail.
• Take a buddy for distraction and moral support.
• Be prepared for the onslaught of emotions from others who purchase items out of sentimentality for your loved ones.  Linda equates it to being almost like a mini funeral.
• Offer to help with tasks during the auction to help reduce excess fees.  Linda explained that people will buy a box of items and take out the one thing they want and leave the rest.  By Linda reorganizing items herself throughout the day, she was able to save herself some substantial administrative fees.
• Be prepared for the sense of loss you may feel in selling items of importance to your loved ones.  
• Stay through the entire sale.  Unless you want to pay a fee, you should arrange to collect/handle any unused items at the conclusion of the sale.

It is not unusual to have unsold items at the conclusion of an auction.  Linda recommends that a representative be present at the end of the auction to clean up and to evaluate what should be kept in the family and what should be donated to others.  Linda suggests:

• donating unsold household items to charities such as the Salvation Army in hopes of helping the less fortunate (collect a receipt for a tax deduction)
• donating items of special meaning directly to individuals or organizations that you know will appreciate them.  For example, Linda donated walkers to the area rest home, religious books to her parents’ church, popular novels to the local library, etc.
• selling valuable items on eBay
• restoring furniture that did not sell for your own future use

Note:  if the sale is held at a location outside of your home, you may be assessed for a dumpster (sometimes called a “tipping” fee) and incur additional labor costs if the staff of the auction house is left to discard your unsold items. 

According to Linda, as difficult as it is to auction off items of a loved one,  ”it is also helpful and cathartic to see your organization/work and all the stuff go to interested parties.”

Well, an incredibly heartwarming story has come out of all of the heartbreak in Haiti.  According to a NBC News Today Show online article, an American Dad was working for a mission organization in Haity “making a film about the impact of poverty on the people of Haiti.  He and a colleague… had just returned to the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince” when the earthquake hit.

The online article explains that “thanks to the iPhone first-aid app he’d downloaded, he knew how to fashion a bandage and tourniquet for his leg and to stop the bleeding from his head wound.  The app also warned him not to fall asleep if he felt he was going into shock, so he set his cell phone’s alarm clock to go off every 20 minutes.  And then for 65 hours, he waited for whatever fate had in store for him.”

An AdAge article today reports that the American Heart Association has reaped the benefits of this amazing story.  Sales of their app have skyrocketed in recent days.

Health professionals have recently been encouraging Americans to walk 10,000 steps a day.

The American Heart Association provides a great online pamphlet with tips on starting your own walking program.  The pdf pamphlet provides information on:

• How to get started
• Basic stretches
• What to wear
• When to Walk
• What to eat (including a fantastic recipe for an edamam and penne salad with feta)
• Heat safety tips

Dr. Michael Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz, the YOU docs, provide walkers with a fantastic walking tool on their Real Age website.  the tool allows walkers to set a goal and then to track their progress on an interactive calendar.  Users are even able to invite friends to use the tool via the Real You website.

Dr. Roizen and Dr. Oz’s site also has a great area dedicated to fitness with fitness videos showing you how to get started walking, the best pedometers to help you track your mileage and the best walking shoes.