Today’s Estate Sale Profiles features Kim and Claire, founders of Xcntric Estate Sales based out of the Chicagoland area. Estate Sales are a sensitive business and required the utmost professionalism when conducting them. We are excited to be able to present some of the best, and share their background and a day in the life of an Estate Sale Professional. Check out their story:
Xcntric Estate Sales started business in 2009. Our passion and experience of things from the past lead us to create our company. We found that most people felt their estate was never truly an “estate” because they thought it had to be filled with valuables, antiques etc. and most of the time that is not the case. From teepees to mansions (and everyone in between), they all qualify to have an estate sale when left with belongings of a loved one or moving/downsizing and not being able to take everything with them.
Our firm is an Illinois licensed business, bonded and insured company along with a member of the Better Business Bureau which assists our clients in making the decision of who to elect to host their sale. We believe these credentials along with our extensive list of referrals helps put our clients mind at ease when picking and choosing a specialist.
We take great pride in our work and showcasing our clients possessions by carefully planning their estate sale thru methodical layout and organization. We most enjoy the stories the families share with us about the items they have collected over the years and how they acquired them. The “thrill of the hunt” always seems to be more exciting to them than the actual possession of the item.
Although our days can be long and strenuous we always find ourselves laughing and having fun while we are working and sorting thru things. It helps keep the momentum and work environment positive and upbeat. Our greatest find to date were some older original etchings that “eagle eye” Claire found in a secret panel of a vintage wardrobe trunk. Our motto is leave no stone unturned because folks back in the day hid things for whatever reason and our job is to find it for the family then decide which is the best way to sell it in order to maximize the proceeds for the family and their estate.
For us, we not only love what we do but we are driven by the passion to make sure many of these collections of the past get recycled and enjoyed by someone starting a collection or someone missing a piece from their current collection. The everyday items instead of being tossed away helps reduce waste and will be repurposed by families during these challenging times. We feel we make a difference for two reasons: We have liquidated our clients estate and generated income for the items they or their family members worked hard for over the years; along with watching our customers leave the sale with a smile on their face with a “new to me” item to brag about.
-Kimberly & Claire
Xcntric Estate Sales