Heeter: Celebrating Ali And Her Trusty Mom At Durham Sale

By SUSAN DROMEY HEETER, InDepth NH

Above, recent estate sale in Durham SUSAN DROMEY HEETER photo

DURHAM, NH — Every once in a while I witness someone doing a job with grace, dignity and perseverance and I feel the need to write and celebrate.

Today I celebrate Ali Hathaway of Compass Rose Concierge whose bio on Facebook reads,

“Organization/decluttering projects, moving in/out, downsizing, emptying/staging/selling/donating contents of homes and hosting estate sales! CRC provides qualified tradesmen/resources as needed! We are here to help facilitate and bring you peace of mind!”

As a Budget Vogue fashionista, I tend to frequent thrift shops but every once in a while, I’ll land in an estate sale. I tend not to be an estate sale groupie, but for Compass Rose Concierge, I’m a bit of a stalker. Perhaps you may join in my obsession, Budget Voguers, for there is nothing so exhilarating as someone who can organize, manage and execute a life well lived, a house overly stocked, a sale run so seamlessly there ought to be a standing ovation.

Last week, I met Ali at a sale she was hosting in Durham. The woman who lived there, like a lot of us, loved to shop, loved clothes, enjoyed and made use of her home as a place for her goodies. And she had a lot of goodies, an abundance of dolls, clothes, Italian pottery, china, cleaning supplies and books.

In my travels, I’ve seen a good deal of stuff but, whew, this was more than I’d seen in one home. Ever. As Ali showed me around the estate, I gasped at the collections, not just the mountains of goods, the alps of stuff. And Ali and her trusty Mom, Maddy, were organizing, labeling. We talked and I asked what Ali would like people to know prior to having a sale or going to one. She mentioned the following:

An estate sale doesn’t mean someone has died, over 90% of people having estate sales are simply downsizing or moving.

• Get over your belief that simply because something is emotionally important to you, its sale value should be equally as relevant. Personal items we think are worth more than they are rarely are.

Your kids don’t want your stuff. Ever.

Go through paperwork now – most everything is on line. You can throw out those tax receipts from 1982.

If you do hire someone to hold an estate sale for you, trust them. They are professionals.

The last suggestion above does require homework. One of the reasons I admire Ali’s work is that I witness integrity and wisdom; traits that can be hard to find. She goes through the nitty gritty, touches everything to ensure it’s not something needed to be kept. She charges hourly rather than taking a percentage. Her prices are reasonable and at all of her sales there is a free pile. She’s honest but not cutthroat. There are no early birds nor previewers allowed. She sets a fair game and follows the rules. Oh, and she does not post pictures, showing up early and waiting in line is what counts.

Ali began Compass Rose Concierge in 2014 and each year her company has evolved into becoming more a service than a business. It’s evident there is no judgment but rather an insight into someone’s life. Ali mentioned getting to know her clients “through their stuff.” Talking with her invited compassion rather than criticism, kindness over nastiness. Humanity over all.

And, inevitably, while estate sales are all about stuff, there is something to be said about realizing there is a life behind a free pile, years of celebrations behind the mountains of Christmas decor, memories behind every door. If you are something of an anthropologist, a voyeur, a re-seller, a collector, estate sales are a Budget Vogue delight. And this weekend, Compass Rose Concierge will be hosting one in Newburyport. To find out more, check out

https://compassroseconciergellc.com/.

Susan Dromey Heeter writes from Newmarket and often from the road where she celebrates thrift shops and delights in FREE signs on the side of the road. She writes of all things frugal and fun, second hand as opposed to Amazon deliveries. Follow Susan @BudgetVogue63 on Instagram. Dromey Heeter ADORES reader responses, stories and questions. She can also be reached at dromeyheeter@gmail.com.

This story was originally published by InDepth NH.