LOCAL SERVICES

Carolina Village offers independent living, assisted living and skilled care all on the same campus.

• Utilizing specialized knowledge in reverse mortgages, 401(k) accounts and IRAs for a real estate transaction. • Connecting with a network of movers, attorneys, CPAs, home inspectors and other experts to help with navigating the process. For more about REALTORS® with the SRES® designation and how to find one, visit SRES.org.

DOWNSIZING HOUSEHOLD POSSESSIONS BEFORE A MOVE

Preparing for a move can also mean realizing you have more possessions than you need or want. Downsizing can be daunting but there are professionals who can help and lots of tips for tackling the job yourself. Professional organizers and move managers specialize in sorting and organizing, managing paperwork and documentation, selling items, coordinating the donation of possessions to charity and arranging packing and moving. Two resources for finding such professionals are the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers at NASMM.com and Find My Organizer at FindMyOrganizer.com. To begin downsizing, honestly evaluate what items you need and currently use in your life and think about what you really will – or won’t – need in your next home. Categorize items as ones to “keep,” “sell or donate,” “see if a family member wants” or “throw out.” Use color-coded stickers to indicate which category an item falls into or put items into different designated piles during the sorting process. Because it’s easy to become overwhelmed, pace yourself, enlist the help of friends and loved ones or a professional organizer or move manager, and consider limiting sorting and purging sessions to no more than two hours at a time. If you have possessions you think friends and loved ones would like, invite them over to take items for themselves, perhaps at a “downsizing party.” Consider contacting local nonprofit thrift stores and other charities about your donations which may be tax-deductible. Many organizations will come to your home to pick up furniture and other household items if they are in good condition. Start with downsizing by: • Getting rid of clothing and accessories you haven’t worn in years. • Purging books, magazines, CDs, albums, DVDs and VHS tapes. • Clearing out multiple pieces of furniture, especially ones that are large and bulky. • Disposing of unused exercise equipment, tools, kitchen appliances and other devices. • Weeding out holiday and other decorations. • Passing on keepsakes, old photos and mementos to family members. • G oing through paperwork, digitizing important documents and shredding files that are outdated or no longer needed. • E mptying off-site storage facilities.

Aging Resources is your onestop resource for everything you need to manage the many issues of aging and caregiving of the elderly in Western North Carolina. Within its pages, you’ll find concise, up-to-date information on elder housing choices in the area, home-care assistance, legal issues, financial considerations, and more. The magazine is free and available throughout the area. View it Online at AgingResourcesWNC.com

JEWELRY ASSET MANAGEMENT SERVICES

When it comes to estate settlements, the handling of jewelry collections can be one of the most sensitive and involved aspects of the process. The assistance of a professional jeweler in the management of those valuable assets can ensure their most efficient and equitable disposition at the appropriate time.

Joe Cottrell is a Graduate Gemologist who has been in the jewelry business since 1980. The son of a Master Jeweler and expert hand engraver, he apprenticed under his father and has been involved in every facet of the trade, including design and fabrication, repair, appraisal, buying and sales. Since selling his Asheville-based retail store in 2005, he has been consulting and marketing for the jewelry industry.

Joe’s comprehensive range of jewelry asset management services includes:

- Separating precious metal jewelry from costume pieces - Identifying those pieces which may be repaired and/or restored to wear and enjoy versus those which have more value as scarp materials - Identifying which pieces should be formally appraised and which type of appraisal would be most beneficial - Reviewing any current appraisals and insured values to determine if those pieces are over or under insured - Offering suggestions for new designs created from existing pieces - Assisting in the selling of unwanted pieces to help ensure maximum return

As with any professional service, effective jewelry asset management is the result of knowledge, experience and organization. Trust Joe Cottrell to provide the assistance you need for the most successful results. Like fine jewelry, expert advice is always a good investment.