The Big Downsize - its difficult

My wife and I started moving my 90-year-old mother from her 3,800 S.F. home of 17 years into a 850 s.f. One Bedroom, Assisted living apartment today. Her house is chock-full of period antiques and high quality reproductions and it just isn't going to fit. I have a very good eye for seeing space and visualizing pieces in it, and maintaining spatial proportions that comes with years of being in the furniture business. Mom wants to take most everything - no way. For example, she has three Lowboys.....and she wants to take all three. I said to her "The only way you can put all three in there is if you stack them atop one another to the ceiling". We did manage to get (4) oriental rugs in there today (I forgot how heavy those are) so that was good, but she is having a difficult time processing that it will not all go, and that what will stay behind might not fetch the money she thinks it may be worth.

Much of "The Good Stuff" that won't go - and it will be quite a few pieces - will come to my store for sale. In particular will be a George Beshore Hanging Corner Cupboard that is a rarity, and there is no place to hang it. Then of course, there are old TV sets worth nothing and computer furniture also worth nothing to dispose of along with most the stuff in the basement. And I have to get her to give up here 96" Baker Williamsburg Camelback because its too long and we need an 80" sofa in there - at least if we intend to fit the Secretary Desk in the room. Will work through it all though, my ace delivery team of Jim and Tommy will be doing all the heavy lifting this coming Saturday. Wish us luck!

Good luck, Duane!

That is always a tough experience. Good luck and make the best of it!

I hope the move with your Mother went as well as it could. It's tough for elderly folks to give up their home and possessions. I dread the day my mother has to go to assisted living.

When it rains, it pours. Two days after my mother was moved in last week, my 93-year-old father in the Memory Care unit fell and broke his hip (Sept 1). So it's been hospitals and operations since that Friday night. Poor guy, doesn't even know what is happening to him, and can't even tell the doctors his name. But they replaced his hip this past Monday and we just got him transferred to a skilled nursing facility yesterday for recovery and physical therapy. At least its in the same facility we moved my mother to, so its a 8-minute walk for her to go see him now instead of needing a car ride as before. I can't believe he survived the operation, he's looking pretty bad these days.

Sorry you have had so much to endure. Your parents are lucky to have a son who makes sure they are taken care of-- not everybody does that nowdays. My father is deceased and my Mother is 80 and fortunately she is sharp as a tack and in good health. I had a dear elderly friend who passed away 2 weeks ago at 97 years of age. What's amazing is she still lived alone in her home, took care of her business, and drove to the grocery. Her mind was as sharp as a tack. She was only sick one week but she was getting to the place she was going to have to go to a facility. I'm grateful that she was able to stay home, but that is definitely the exception.

Duane,

I certainly don't want to intrude, but just wanted to pass along the name of a highly regarded dementia expert who is the Director of the Memory and Alzheimer's Treatment Center at Johns Hopkins in case you want another opinion regarding your dad's condition after he recovers:

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profi...ntine-lyketsos

Dr. Collie - I'm a big George Beshore fan, do you have any more items going up for sale anytime soon?

Best regards,
A.

George's furniture was exceptional, you probably saw the auction for several Beshore pieces that was over at Jeffery Evans last weekend. His pieces rarely come up for sale - about as often as a '73 Porsche 911 RS (Which Jerry Seinfeld calls a "Dead Guy's Car" as they only come up for sale when the owner dies).

There is none in the store for sale and none expected, sorry. I have a Beshore Hanging Corner Cupboard and Glass Door Flat Wall Cupboard at home along with a two Chippendale mirrors but don't plan to sell them for anything approaching a reasonable price, at least while I am in the house I currently reside. George made me some special ones since I was a dealer for him.

Ok thanks for the response. I did participate in the auction and was lucky enough to get a few pieces, but unfortunately there were a few that got away. Lesson learned!