Beyond the Signboard with Amy Bennett
Welcome to Beyond the Signboard; where you get the opportunity to learn all there is to know about your real estate journey from professionals who are passionate about property.
Beyond the Signboard with Amy Bennett
Eco-Friendly Estate Management with Belinda Massey from Move On Consciously
This episode dives into the emotional intricacies of downsizing from a loved one's home with Belinda Massey of Move On Consciously. We explore the balance between practical and emotional aspects of moving, along with the importance of preserving memories while letting go of belongings for a sustainable future.
• Understanding the emotional impact of downsizing
• The journey from accounting to compassionate moving services
• Honour memories and find value in old belongings
• Environmental commitment through redistributing items
• Strategies for a seamless transition process
• Addressing misconceptions and emotional ties to possessions
• Using social media to effectively sell and share items
• Real-life experiences and lessons learned from personal journeys
• The future of Move On Consciously and its community impact
Welcome to Beyond the Signboard, where you get the opportunity to learn all there is to know about your real estate journey from professionals who are passionate about property. I'm Amy Bennett, your host, and I look forward to providing you with education, inspiration and a behind-the-scenes look at the world of real estate. Hi everyone, it's Amy Bennett here from the Beyond the Signboard podcast, delighted to welcome my guest, belinda Massey from Move On Consciously. Thank you for having me, amy, my pleasure. You, I just said off air, you're so brave.
Belinda Massey:Just, we only had the pleasure of meeting last week and I roped you in straight away. Oh, it's the podcast. Once I listened to it, it's definitely one that I want to be on. It's lovely. Thank you for having me.
Amy Bennett:My pleasure. Before we get stuck into it, I have just picked up this beautiful note about your business, which I think is absolutely sums up who you are. So Move On Consciously is a heartfelt initiative inspired by a personal journey of compassion and practicality. You say here imagine your parent moving into aged care after a fall, or passing away, leaving their fully furnished home vacant. What you do is an absolute gift. We're going to delve into what's led you to where you are, the passion for what you do and obviously, hopefully some education as well, so that people really consider their own move and also a little bit of pre-planning, I think is going to be probably something we discuss.
Belinda Massey:Yes, for sure. It's always healthy to think about, I guess, those next steps and so your podcast so far, listening to Kim and moving and so forth, and there's just so much in it. Yes, and I'm happy to be part of people's journeys in that way. It's nice to be able to help.
Amy Bennett:Yeah, it's amazing because I think also too, you know, certainly my experience in you know, both pharmacy background and then now helping people to downsize is we don't want to think about that yet, do we we? You know, so often, you know you'd be the same with clients. Like you say, it's when someone's had a fall, or you know, ultimately the rubber hits the road and they need to sell it's often an event that leads them or their loved ones to having to do it.
Belinda Massey:In my experience it's usually been an event that's usually not happy. Yes, that's driven them to having to then sell all of their items, which is always a little bit sad, because people have had things for 30-plus years. They love their things and it's the job of the descendants or the loved ones to then move them on, and they don't want to say they don't want them, but that's the truth quite often. Practicality is we don't often want a lot of the things that people have in their home.
Amy Bennett:Absolutely. So we're going to learn your personal journey as well as to how this all started. I know that you were really instrumental in your mum's estate as well, but before we get there, I know you have a very interesting story, with a lot of travelling the globe and your background. So take us back to Belinda at school if you don't mind. And, yeah, how you've got to where you are now.
Belinda Massey:So, yeah, the first 25 years of my career have all been in accounting and I've loved accounting. Like accounting has been, it's taken me around the world. Yes, so I've spent the first 15 or 20 years here in Australia in accounting. I worked for Mars Pet Care and I worked for Amcor Flexible, so they were both great companies, big companies that gave me great grounding in how to work with part of teams, how to work individually and autonomously, and I went to live for two years in New Zealand and we opened a new plant and bought a, and so that was just great experience. Then we came back to Australia, my husband and I. We had some kids, but then we decided we wanted to travel a bit more once the kids were a bit bigger.
Amy Bennett:And he's in a similar field. He is. He's an accountant as well. Yes, oh, how is that? Two accountants, it's good really. You get each other, you get each other.
Belinda Massey:You get what some of the pressures are and when some of the technicalities.
Belinda Massey:I understand which is nice it is nice to be able to talk shop, as they say yes, but yeah. So we were really grateful to get the opportunity, through my husband's work, to travel to the UK for two years and then straight after that we went to the USA for three years and I was able to change jobs. I was a consultant in accountancy for a while. I did two stints as the accountant for software start-ups and that was really, really fascinating like having an entrepreneur sitting right there that's invested millions in his business and growing it and growing it and it's just the energy of a start-up.
Belinda Massey:That's amazing. It was amazing, after coming from a really solid, huge corporation, that I would be in in Australia and I've also had the pleasure of just going part-time. So I've been a part-time accountant for the last well, I guess my kid's 19,. So the last 15 years or so I've been part-time.
Amy Bennett:And that was important to you, wasn't it? To spend time with the boys.
Belinda Massey:It was. I mean, we were in a position to be able to do so and we're just amazing that I was able to do so. Just amazing that I was able to do so. And yeah, it's been great like being able to have my time to myself and being autonomous Like accountancy. Thank God it's not like people are dying in accountancy.
Belinda Massey:Yes, people can wait for a report, so yeah, I worked certain days or certain hours and I was flexible and they were flexible and it was yeah, it's a win-win. I've enjoyed my especially even like in the 25 years that I've been working the ability to work from home and the openness from companies to let you do that and have that flexibility.
Amy Bennett:That's transitioned and changed or always been there.
Belinda Massey:Well, it's just slowly come, especially when I went part-time. Yes, as soon as you sort of do that, it's very much a give and take. Sometimes they'll want for extra, sometimes you'll want a day off, and it's just much more flexible. And computers have just changed in that time Zero online, zero being able to log into things. Accounting has changed in the 25 years so that you can do it from home.
Amy Bennett:So where did you study accountancy?
Belinda Massey:RMIT in Melbourne.
Amy Bennett:Amazing. So was that? I'm just thinking. 25 years ago were you studying on a computer, or? Yeah, I had my own computer at home.
Belinda Massey:Okay, yes, I bought my computer in year 12. Yes, yeah, I used to work for KFC all throughout high school, so I bought my own computer, which, I must you know, it was a 360 something or other back then. And you know big, huge, you know huge computer on a big desk?
Amy Bennett:Yeah, probably not even fire up nowadays. Would they even fire up nowadays, would they? It would be somewhere in landfill.
Belinda Massey:Yeah, that computer has been, or maybe hopefully being recycled, I don't know, but yeah.
Amy Bennett:And then because I actually went all the way to grade 12 with accountancy and it's really interesting. Whenever I think of it, I think of my teacher back then. She would always say to me about how loud I was on the calculator. But obviously we used to draw up our own profit and loss statements and everything like that, so I actually never learned accountancy on computers. I then had several roles that saw me doing things like Xero and look, I'm a real nerd for finance accountancy Isn't this funny? But one of my favourite things about Xero was reconciling at the start of every day.
Belinda Massey:I loved it too, the bank reconciliation. It's just satisfactory. It's so satisfying to get everything reconciled. It's a very black and white type of thing Is it done or it's not done? Yes, and it gives you that satisfaction.
Amy Bennett:Done, yeah, and even investigating the why it hasn't reconciled. For those that haven't had experience or know what we're talking about, so essentially, in the morning you would have a, you would log into Xero, you would have a transaction log and, intuitively, it would almost you know know where the funds were going.
Belinda Massey:It will suggest, based on the name of the supplier or things, or it has rules now that just you can just press OK, apply the rules.
Amy Bennett:Yes, it's sort of like Homer Simpson with the little duck.
Belinda Massey:Yes, it's like yeah, when you set it up properly and a lot of things, there's so many things recurring. It's very sad it's just the ones that are non-recurring that you then have to find out what's going on. Yeah, it keeps you so in touch with the business. You're so in touch with what's going on.
Amy Bennett:So automation's important then, has that that you've seen as a positive in the industry?
Belinda Massey:Oh, absolutely Great it's a great positive Automation, in my opinion. Essentially, it's taking the grunt work out of accountancy, yeah, and it's making it more interesting for everyone because you don't have to be journaling hardly at all. I think I did one journal a month to accrue things for most businesses and maybe one or two others. But yeah, it's very automated and so you spend your time analysing where they're spending the money and what they're doing and forecasting. It makes it more interesting.
Amy Bennett:It's really an advisor position, isn't it? And I think that's you know. It's a really interesting thing we always talk about and that's why I enjoy the podcast so much is really drilling down and, I guess, getting a little bit more than surface level with someone's journey. So those skills obviously have held you in good stead and taken you through. So how do we go from accountancy to what you're doing now at Move On Consciously?
Belinda Massey:Oh, it is an interesting, a little bit of an interesting journey actually, like when I moved to the Sunshine Coast. It's the first, probably, place I've lived in, and we talked to my husband about this when we first moved here, because a lot of the buildings are quite new, like a lot of the buildings, like living in Melbourne, for instance, yes, and where I lived in the US and the UK the buildings had been there since I don't know since, like the 1920s a lot of the homes that we've lived in, whereas having new buildings here and people are knocking down, rebuilding I'm sort of getting used to seeing skips a lot, so we, we walk our dog, yes, and there's so many, a lot of skips in our area where you sort of go okay, well, the house has been knocked down. That's perfectly understandable, but then I'm a bit nosy. I'm just naturally nosy yes.
Belinda Massey:So you'd see skips in front of houses. I like inquisitive.
Amy Bennett:I think that's good.
Belinda Massey:Very inquisitive positive ladder. So you know, I started seeing skips full of household items and I noticed it a few times and I'd sort of look at it and go, wow, like there's a ladder on top of that skip, that's a, you know, and it's like a perfectly good ladder and there's just things. You sort of go. Why is there so many household items? And then it occurred to me that there's so many retirees on the coast and that's heavy in retirees and a lot of retirees don't have family that live here. They have families that live, you know move away from work?
Belinda Massey:Yeah, move away from work, or the person's moved here to retire so their family's never been here. And I started to realise, and I came to an understanding of that yeah, sometimes people come down for the week and they just have to empty the home. They'll take what they need and then they have to empty it. And have to empty the home. They'll take what they need and then they have to empty it, and the quickest and most efficient way for them to do that is to hire a skip, yeah.
Belinda Massey:And then I sort of went, oh, that's what's going on and I sort of thought, well, what else is the alternative? What is the alternative for these people? And I worked out there really isn't. There's one or two people. So I called a place. There's a national place that will do it, okay, and there's a national place that will take things from the home and move them all to Brisbane and sell them centrally from there. But there's no one.
Amy Bennett:That was doing what I am now doing and were they taking everything Belinda, or were they kind of cherry?
Belinda Massey:picking.
Amy Bennett:Yeah, cherry picking. I think this is probably. That's probably what everybody's perception is, or, you know. So often we'll hear oh, you know, this charity will only take X, y and Z. So really you are well kind of skip ahead to where you are, but ultimately you're going to allow, you know, basically in generally a four week process you can basically return a empty home to the family. The real estate agent for that next chapter, that's right.
Belinda Massey:So I don't move anything, I don't take it away, I don't have a truck. I stay at the home and I'm selling constantly from the home. So I go back every second day at least, and I have Facebook marketplace that I sell by. I also donate a lot of things to charities as I go and I also give things away to people who come to get things from Facebook Marketplace. So, for instance, household items such as even like stuff in the pantry. If someone comes to get something, I'll say, hey, would you like some coffee? We've got a bunch of coffee, amazing.
Amy Bennett:You know how people buy things on specials. There's always four of something. Yes, tea bags.
Belinda Massey:Right, people get things on special and they'll have like, so, like, would you like some tea? And they're like, oh you sure. And I'm like, yeah, no, no, no, I'll let them know. No, this person doesn't need them anymore. So if you'd like some, tea bags, just please take them, and they're like, oh, thank you. And people are always, quite often they're happy to take a little bit extra.
Amy Bennett:It's like a bargain, it's like, oh, an added bonus for them, because that's the most important thing for you, isn't? It? Is that you know making sure that, if it can be repurposed, you know, and tell me your catchphrase, and we've repeated it a few times today already.
Belinda Massey:Thank you, so yeah, so I sort of spent a little bit of time when I was starting the business thinking how am I going to sort of market a little bit or how am I going to be online and social media, and so I came up with the hashtag not in a skip. So one of the people I run with at Parkrun, her sister, came down from Brisbane and they had to hire a skip as well. She said I wish I'd known about you because it made me cry how much went into the skip.
Amy Bennett:Well, even you've just had some conversations with our team, who you're literally like an angel to them. Now that ability to help, and that's why it was really important for me to share your message.
Belinda Massey:I think people intrinsically don't want to throw away good things. People don't Absolutely. Nobody wants to take a good chair or a good dining table and just put it into a skip. But people are forced into those positions by just not knowing an alternative.
Amy Bennett:So that's here, and I think time as well, time pressure or, like you say, not knowing where to turn. So where does this, I guess, care for the environment and passion for that as well, because that really is at your core and that's really evident.
Belinda Massey:Yeah, look, it's funny because you went to school. Well, you're younger than me, but when I went to school the environment wasn't something we learnt about. I just didn't learn about it Like it wasn't. I don't even know that. I'd heard the word in primary school and high school and then even at university. It really wasn't something that I was educated in, accountancy. But when I had children and they started going to school, it was taught to them in primary, like in grade prep, and I was like, oh, and my sister got into it a little bit, she's into biology and plants and so forth, so she's sort of rubbish. You know, trying to reduce reuse. Yes, the first time I heard about those things I went, oh, okay, isn't that amazing.
Amy Bennett:I can't even fathom that. That wouldn't have been taught. But you were saying your son came home and asked about solar. Yes he came home and said Mum, do we?
Belinda Massey:have solar panels and we didn't. We didn't have solar panels and I sort of went no, we don't. And he said well, we should get them. And I sort of went oh, was this in prep, in like one or two.
Amy Bennett:That's amazing, isn't it?
Belinda Massey:And he just sort of put me on the spot.
Amy Bennett:And I went. Why?
Belinda Massey:don't we have them, why haven't I made that step? And so you know, return, yeah, of course. And my husband when I look back on it, it's not to say he was short sighted, but he didn't see the environmental extraneous.
Amy Bennett:It was a financial benefit. It was a financial.
Belinda Massey:He said well, we're going to be here for a few more years.
Belinda Massey:We already knew we were probably going to go travel. He said so we won't get the benefit. Yeah, and it took a while. For me, that will be a capital asset. It will be an asset that will lower their bills for the rest of this house's life. Yeah, so it doesn't matter about just us getting the return on whatever it is we spend. It will be an environmental benefit and a monetary benefit for the person who buys the house. So, yeah, don't think short term Like the environment's a long period of time. Yeah, so we did get solar and then we got it for the next two houses. Yeah, then he saw it because people like the aerialist agents said to him yeah, people are starting to see those as a benefit.
Amy Bennett:Isn't that amazing just to think, even that teacher educating, you know that may have been something that was a passion for them. Now I heard that you had actually also made an impact. So we got to meet each other through another member of the Caloundra Chamber of Commerce and she actually told me that you had made a change in their coffee catch-ups, which was to BYO a coffee cup.
Belinda Massey:I try. Yeah, I'm still trying. It's a work in progress. Yeah, Look, I do find the coffee catch-up cups like the amount of, yeah, single-use coffee cups here on the coast. I feel like it's a problem. I feel like it's going to be the next eventually charge for. And yeah, when you're going to have a coffee at a coffee catch-up. I feel like I've tried to sort of say, you know, give photos or prizes for the ones with the most fun Funky cup or something.
Belinda Massey:Keep cup, yeah. So trying to encourage people to use their keep cup because it's one of those next things you know, next step of trying to be more environmentally.
Amy Bennett:Well, it's all the little things, isn't it? That adds up. So, isn't it that adds up? So you'll laugh, because I made my own coffee at home this morning and it was in an insulated cup and I love cold coffee and I thought I'll keep the lid off so that it doesn't stay warm and I ended up wearing that today. So I am dressed in a cafe latte.
Amy Bennett:You cannot tell Thank you, but it was ironic because I thought, gosh, I was trying to do the right thing, maybe subconsciously because you were coming, but you're right, and it's all those little things that make a difference. So I think, ultimately, your quest for the environmental component is so admirable and certainly my experience with helping people to downsize, transitional selling is very much my heart and soul. You know, I certainly like to help people. I did an appraisal yesterday for an older gentleman and he said, look, I want to put this table on marketplace and didn't know how to navigate that. So I think all of these things being able to help people navigate that process and certainly that's just one component of a whole process of leaving your home and moving to a new property. So you know, it's amazing that you can offer that service and I know we've spoken about you know your ideal scenario is you know, give me a certain amount of time, so let's go back to your family's experience, because that really was a compelling story that I felt.
Belinda Massey:Thank you, yeah, that was another thing at the same time as I was sort of walking around in Sunshine Coast going look at all these skips so my mother had a fall. She had a fall and she's now, very unfortunately, in a wheelchair and she's had to go directly into aged care. She was in hospital for a period of time until they could get her into aged care. And when I said that my sister's in Melbourne so my sisters and my mum are all in Melbourne so that happened about June 2, 3 years ago, I can't remember exactly and I was still working here on the coast so I was busy with my own life. But then I resigned from that job in November and I said to my sisters, how's mum's house going? Because at the time when it happened I went with my sisters and we took out the jewellery out of the home and we emptied the fridge and just did a few little things like that, yeah, and I just had the understanding that they would slowly empty the homes Gradually.
Amy Bennett:Do that, yeah, yeah, especially once she went into care.
Belinda Massey:Once she got into care it was clear she wasn't coming back to the home and I guess for a few months there it was all. Everything was up in the air. But once she was safely in the home, I just assumed they would do that. And they said to me look, belinda, we both work full-time jobs. When do we have the time to do that? Like it's enough, just keeping the garden of mum's house, fine, and taking it along. And they said, with the aged care stuff you have to do with money and so forth, they have two years to do it.
Belinda Massey:I said, yeah, but you're not going to leave a home for that long, surely? And leave a home for that long, surely? And I said we'll get to it, we will get to it. And I said, look, how about I come up and I'll do it. So I'd already been selling my own personal stuff and my kids. You know, every time the kids grow out of stuff I'd been selling on Facebook Marketplace for a few years. So you know, I went up there and I had a two-week holiday around Christmas time. I spent three days at the house. At the end and the house was empty.
Amy Bennett:It's amazing, isn't it? And I think you know you really encapsulated it where sometimes, if you've got more time, or it's even overwhelming where to start respecting the items. But you know, certainly from when we've met previously, you've got a passion for what you do. But I think also you've got determination and you can really do it as a process-driven exercise and obviously with the accounting background as well, you can obviously articulate, you know, cost-benefit analysis of the situation.
Belinda Massey:Yeah, it's interesting how that does play into it, because my sisters like one of them came for the day and she said I'll help you. And after about an hour she sort of sat down and she said this is overwhelming, belinda, I just need to take a break. Yes, and I was like we've got to do, look at the photograph, let's get through all of this room today. Yeah, and she was just yeah, she was feeling overwhelmed and I sort of went and I guess I can divorce. I mean, I am a practical person. I guess the accountancy breakdown just says well, this is a piece of furniture, mum's fine, mum doesn't need this furniture anymore and we've just got to. You know, I don't want to leave this as a problem for my sisters that just sit here and sit here. So, yeah, I'm able to just go. Yeah, this is a piece of furniture. It's not something that mum needs anymore and none of us need it, so let's just move it. And one thing I do get really enjoyment out of is seeing the people come and collect them.
Belinda Massey:Seeing those people like there were bunk beds in mum's top. Mum had a little townhouse. She hadn't used those bunk beds for years. She hadn't been in the top level of her house.
Belinda Massey:So she just had one room downstairs with a bathroom and the kitchen and everything. She had two rooms upstairs. And then, like seeing this couple that got this bunk beds for their kids and like this is going to be so great, and I was like, yeah, that is, this is going to be a great thing. You know your kids are going to love this. It's a really nice bunkers set of beds good quality solid wood, and I'm just so happy and it's like a lot of people who come to get the items.
Amy Bennett:So, yeah, I see that it's like treasure hunting, isn't it? And I know we spoke about that. We both got a love of op shops and I'd certainly grow up in a family of collectors and I know my mum collects Dembeware and I always think when she finds something, you know whether it's at a collector armour or an op shop or marketplace. You know the joy it brings. So, yeah, we have all of these treasures, don't we? Hidden away in cupboards and things that are never used.
Belinda Massey:And, yeah, my mum even had stuff which really actually made me sad because I hadn't been. I think I'd seen my mum out a lot. Yes, I'd seen her with my sisters, so I hadn't been to her home for probably two years and she had stuff that was in the garage that she just moved to the garage, yes, so like she could barely get out of her car, there was dinner, there was, you know, a sideboard no-transcript. I should have spent more time at her home and helped her to downsize, because she was surrounded by a lot of things Stuff isn't it.
Belinda Massey:Yeah, stuff, stuff, that wasn't probably draining her as well.
Amy Bennett:Such a good point because I think that there's real magic in that, that it's that not yeah, not waiting until that moment is actually looking at. You know, I'm a bit of a collector, but I'm also a minimalist, so I kind of go. You know, a bit like you, I'm very analytical. So does this serve me? Would somebody else find enjoyment? I certainly done that with clothes over the years as well. You know, if somebody would find joy from it, or you know it's a size I'm never going to get back into or anything, you know there'll be somebody that loves that. So I think there's definitely magic in that. Is that. You know, that's what I'm hoping your. You know, coming on the podcast just inspires people to have a look at what they've got around them. So if you weren't doing what you were doing, what else would you do? It's funny, I'd probably.
Belinda Massey:I mean, what you were doing, what else would you do? It's funny. I probably I mean realistically I'd probably still be in accounting, yes, but if I wasn't doing this, I think I do like volunteering, I do like helping people. So I did work in an op shop for six months while I was sort of between up and I quit my job and I came back to Sunshine Coast before I really got into this, creating my own business, which was a bit of a mind thing, for me because I'd never done that.
Belinda Massey:I'd always the security of working for someone else and getting a paycheck, of course. So, yeah, I worked for an op shop and I really there's a few gaps in all sorts of places and, like op shops get so many things that, like you said, your mum collects den beer. Yes, so when you know what people collect, yes, and you could, like, I know some op shops are quite with it and they'll have someone who puts things on Facebook marketplace or puts things on eBay.
Amy Bennett:Ah, there you go, but a lot of them don't have that person who's got that.
Belinda Massey:You know that essentially phone or computer literacy, whatever you want to call it that can really find those items and whack them on and get a better price because you apply rather than just waiting for someone to walk through.
Amy Bennett:Of course, someone to walk through. It'll move much faster if you put it on online. Well, that's a really good evolution of that as well. I didn't realise that they did that.
Belinda Massey:Yeah, some of them do, some of them do, but I mean, each one is different, of course, of what they're, you know, the head officers, each one is a little bit different, but I love the idea of getting that, you know, of encouraging op shops and working with op shops to do more of that sort of thing as a volunteer, even, because I mean, it's just Absolutely.
Amy Bennett:Gosh, it would have been interesting the treasures that came in. Though it is, it is always interesting.
Belinda Massey:And some of them come in in like terrible condition and sometimes they don't have the time, like it must be. I only did a little bit of the sorting. I was usually on the front like bringing clothes out, people who are sorting. I'm glad I didn't do that job because it must be so hard. They have to make decisions to throw a lot of things. That's right, yeah, and it just has to be done in an op shop because you get a lot of stuff.
Amy Bennett:So I think it's hard. Let's chat about the condition of items, because I know that was something interesting that I found, because there is a bit of, I guess, an oversaturation or a perception that op shops sort of say no to X, y and Z. So what's your experience been and, I guess, why have you chosen Marketplace as a platform to sell?
Belinda Massey:So my experience has been that, yes, op shops are like I've in two houses that I felt like things weren't moving fast enough. I've called and the ladies, a lot of the people who are my clients, are very happy.
Belinda Massey:They know that I do this, that I try to get op shops to take them if I can't move them and they've said, look, you know, we've got a truck every two weeks that comes out here or whatever, but we've got a full warehouse and they have to send the photos. Yes, and if there's anything that's really amiss and certain bed types, certain bed types, they only want beds that are on the bases. Most of them will not take beds that are on slats for some reason, and I'm not sure what that policy is for, but really it has to be in great condition for them to take it, because it has to. They want to move through. Of course that's their business. Yeah, and most of the places that I've been to, particularly if someone's been elderly- the couch might have a stain.
Belinda Massey:The couch might have a stain, the couch might have a scratch, it'll have pen marks or something. It's a life well lived, right. Yeah and they might have had that for 10 years plus. And one of the couches I managed to sell. I was amazed I actually managed to sell it for $100. It actually had a hole in the it was quite a new one, but I don't know if a rat or an animal had eaten a hole in it. Yes, hole in it, and she just used a cushion to cover it up.
Amy Bennett:Yeah, there you go.
Belinda Massey:So yeah, people don't want to necessarily upgrade all the time there's a buyer for everything, but there is a buyer for everything and honestly, it looked totally fine.
Amy Bennett:I was very clear.
Belinda Massey:This is it, but the rest of the couch is awesome. You know 100. And someone came and grabbed it for 100. I was like thank goodness I don't have to take that to the tip. I've only managed to get them to take one couch, and it's interesting because this couch was a two-seater, a three-seater and two single-seaters, and I managed to sell the two singles, I managed to sell the two-seater, but I couldn't move the three-seater. There's no one, and so, yeah, luckily the op shop did take that one. That's the only time I've managed to get an op shop to say yes To bigger furniture, To. And it was a velvet green couch, it was retro and cool.
Amy Bennett:There's a small market for that. Right, there's a small market for that, and so I know I always ask people what are some misconceptions or myths you know in their business. So do you want to share? You know one of yours.
Belinda Massey:Absolutely so. A lot of the people who ask me to do it sort of say they have some experience on Facebook Marketplace but they find that it's just overwhelming how many scammers or how many people waste their you know. It can be a big waste. It can be a waste of time. People say is this available? Yes, yes, it is, and then nothing. And you know, at the end of the day, people are online. They sometimes just don't respond at all or they muck you around.
Amy Bennett:Can I interject there?
Belinda Massey:and just add.
Amy Bennett:So interesting that you say that, because I used to always hit that is it available and I'm happy to put my hand up with this because I didn't know that you could save the item. So I would hit the is it available, so that it sat in my inbox not knowing that there was a save function. So it was only that I somebody said to me their frustration with people saying is it available and I said, well, that's how I save an item. Oh, I did not know that. There you go. So I quite often, you know, like I would always hit that, but just really wanting to come back to it Anyway, I digress Interesting to know.
Belinda Massey:I did not know that.
Amy Bennett:But scamming so interesting. So pay ID, I know, is something that you feel sometimes people think is a scam.
Belinda Massey:Yes, so I'm an accountant by background, really. So pay ID is offered by all of the banks and all it is is linking your phone number or your email. I always encourage people to do a phone number to one of your bank accounts and that means, once you've created that one-to-one link, that someone can pay through their normal bank to mobile and it will actually say, once they type in my mobile number, you're paying, be a Massey, you're paying. So they get that confirmation. It's instant, isn't it? It's instant confirmation before they then check yep, I'll pay that person. Whereas a bank transfer some people are comfortable with bank transfers and I say well, that requires you to type in normally six. Hopefully it's copy and paste, yes, but if you're typing it in six numbers plus nine numbers, there's no confirmation. You've gotten it right, correct? So, anyway, pay ID, don't get me wrong. Some people I mean scammers can use things, yes, but pay ID people say I don't have it. Well, do you have a bank account?
Amy Bennett:Yes, you have.
Belinda Massey:It really is secure and you could definitely use it, and I particularly particularly for bigger items of furniture. If someone says to me can you keep that for me till Saturday? Yes, and I've got four weeks to clear this house. Yes, Well, today's Tuesday. You want me to clear it to Saturday? Why don't you pay me like $5 or $10? They're just skinning the game so that I know you'll definitely come and collect it.
Belinda Massey:Yeah, great, ask them to do it through PayID. And I've had to educate a lot of people. They've said what's that? Like, I'm not used to that and I'm like, please, I'm not a scammer, bear with me, it's just through your normal bank and I have to go and tour the pro. But I reckon 80% of the time they'll give it a go for $5.
Belinda Massey:That's great, and you're changing lives all the time and I actually think financial capability and I call it financial capability because things are just changing all the time and we're relying on our phone more- and more, the more we can have our financial capability at a level that's keeping up, then, as we age, we won't be left behind.
Amy Bennett:That's profound, that's really Financial independence for women particularly, I'm so passionate.
Amy Bennett:My grandma's Danish and I remember we would always go with her passbook to the post office to draw cash out and just with the language barrier it was always really difficult and, yes, her getting a bank card was just so overwhelming. So I'm big on that as well. But that's a good little myth to dispel, which is great. All right, let's have a chat. So we know what you love about your role. We know what you have done to get to where you are. Where is the business now? So chat through, I guess, where you are now and where you want to grow the business to.
Belinda Massey:It's interesting. A lot of people say to me do I want to grow the business? And at the moment I've done nine houses in about a year and a half? Amazing, I'd like to get to the point where I'm doing about ten houses a year, although I could probably go up to 14 and still be coming, because they do take about four weeks. Yes, and you're just one home at a time.
Belinda Massey:Well, no, I can do one for two weeks and then start another one I can have two on the go, but they have to be close together Like I want. The Clounder Rise Retirement Village is one that I've done two villas at the same time.
Amy Bennett:And I hear that you're highly recommended from them. One of our colleagues just got your details from them, which is great.
Belinda Massey:Yeah, it's so lovely to hear that I'm starting to be recommended. It's so humbling to say that I'm being recommended because I try to do a great job and I try to be kind to the community that I'm in and make sure that they're aware of what I'm doing. And you know, just be friendly, of course.
Amy Bennett:Well, it makes sense, doesn't it? I mean, it's the same when I was just saying to you off air that one of my clients is travelling and so they had a lot of pot plants that weren't required by the buyer. So I put them on a community board last night more so as a giveaway and I think I said to you I had 15 messages and my clients were wrapped that somebody's going to love and care for them and they'll continue to grow and flourish. So it is a really lovely ability to be able to do that.
Belinda Massey:It is Passing something on to someone who will love it and someone who really wants it enough to come pick it up. Yes, it's a great feeling. It is a great feeling Like, come pick it up. It's a great feeling. It is a great feeling. I've always found, without exception, that people are pretty grateful and pretty nice and they tell you a bit of the story about what they're going to do with it or why they want it, and it's just. You know, people's stories are fascinating. They always are.
Amy Bennett:It's so lovely. I have to ask what's the most obscure thing that you've found, or something that's taken you by surprise?
Belinda Massey:Absolutely so. In one of the homes that I was clearing out, the gentleman who owned the villa. He had been the carer of his mother previously, so I knew the story. And when I was clearing out his kitchen items I sometimes put Tupperware on just to see if it will move, but for whatever reason it doesn't. I usually end up taking it to the op shop.
Belinda Massey:But at the back of the kitchen on one of the second or third last days, I found a casserole dish and it was a Corningware casserole dish and I remember my mother used to have them. I recognised it. I said, oh yeah, it's good. But I didn't even really know what it was worth. And I looked at it and it was in pretty much perfect condition, like it looked, like it had never been used. So I took a. I do what I always do to and this is a tip for all of the listeners out there the Google photo frame. So you take a photo. You just get the item, take a photo of it and search and it will tell you, especially for well-known items such as corny wear, what it's worth.
Amy Bennett:Amazing and you take lots of photos, right oh?
Belinda Massey:my goodness, I take, of course to put them on Facebook Marketplace. People want to see left, right and centre, every single angle Measure centre, every single angle, measurements, measurements, yeah, all of that stuff before you. So I walk around with a bum bag.
Amy Bennett:I love it. I love the physicality of my job.
Belinda Massey:actually I'm constantly on my knees, going from up, going from high.
Amy Bennett:And what else do you need to put in an ad to effectively sell the product? Sorry, we've deviated.
Belinda Massey:So yeah, to effectively sell a product you've got to pull all your measurements, you've got to put any imperfections. Ah, good point. People will say is there any imperfections? Yes, and it's like no, I've got to be careful, because it's like if they're the first time by or whatever, yes, I would always put if there's an imperfection, if I know this is what it looks like and I've taken a photo of every angle and some people don't even know to click on it, they'll just contact straight from the first little.
Belinda Massey:What do you call it? A thumbnail? Thumbnail, yes, but I said you know, scroll through the photos, you'll see every angle. I was like there's only 10. Yes, there's only 10 angles. You have to be careful. I try not to include anything else in the home.
Amy Bennett:Yeah, I loved that you said that you would really kind of have a bit of a working zone.
Belinda Massey:Yeah, and I try to. You know I move them so they're on their own because you don't want to look like it's crowded. Yes, and if you can possibly avoid it, do not photograph things in the garage. Always move them, even if they've been in the garage for a few years. Move them back into the house, dust them off and then photograph them, because people don't like buying from a garage. I love it. Good tip. And then I just put in the title I always check what it's normally sold as Wonderful.
Belinda Massey:So for instance yeah, like for instance, a desk. You know you put desk and you put solid or wood. Yes, like, just make it easy for people to know exactly what it is, yeah, and if it's got a brand or a model number, definitely whack that into the description and then in description. People for whatever reason, don't trust when they see there's usually a map. But I always put pick up and then I put the suburb Amazing. Put the suburb exactly where it is. Maybe people will still text and say where am I picking?
Amy Bennett:up yes.
Belinda Massey:Is this from Noorana?
Amy Bennett:or whatever. It's amazing, isn't it? And I think, well, it's the psychology of selling. It's an interesting thing. But that's some gold hints and tips.
Belinda Massey:Yeah, I think people, the dimensions are very important. People always have a space they want to put it in, so you've got to give those dimensions.
Amy Bennett:Look, I think it's an absolute non-negotiable. We always have a measuring tape at properties. We'll laminate a sign that has the fridge dimensions. You know all of those things are so important Always measurements on a floor plan and a site plan. So it's just really about helping people during the process and obviously that expedites the sales process for you and therefore for your clients. Speaking of, I guess, the revenue or the benefit for your clients, I know one of the things that my team asked you was actually about whether you charge a percentage of the sales or how you're remunerated for your service. Absolutely.
Belinda Massey:So I do not charge a percentage fee and the reason being is that I often give things away and that's just part of the process. So I don't want to be locked into having to get the best price, because what I sell is an empty home, so I don't always get the price, and I made it very clear to the clients look, you may get. If you had all the time in the world, you could do this and maybe get a better price, correct? But you're giving me four weeks, so I'm going to try to make your item both stand out from the photos and everything, but also it's got to be a little bit cheaper than everything else, because I want people to come to your item, not the 10 others that are out there on Facebook. Great, so that excitement level.
Amy Bennett:Yeah, and it's got to be a little bit cheaper. Yeah, everyone win, don't they? I mean we're, you know, we are intrinsically.
Belinda Massey:That's how we're marketed to now isn't a sale or a bargain price on face of marketplace is very important and time as well.
Amy Bennett:So you know, if you're warana, I want to go. Okay. Well, in my mind this is my nerdy brain it's like, okay, well, that's going to be 10 minutes there, 10 minutes back. You know when is the convenient time. So you know that's important. So fixed fee is great.
Belinda Massey:So, yeah, so I charge a fixed fee based on basically how big the house is and what level of items there are. Like some people, like you said, are minimalist and it's quite easier to. It's a bit easier to move those sorts of homes because there's just less there. Others have a lot of stuff covering lots of surfaces and it will just take time to go through that. So, yeah, I price based on roughly how long I think, roughly how long it will take me and I also try to make sure because I'm a growing business and I'm a business that wants to get referrals I always try to make sure that the customer ends off better off, amazing.
Belinda Massey:So what I find is I've gotten pretty good now at sort of guessing what value I'll get for the furniture and the items. So I think, okay, well, if I'm going to get, let's say, I think maybe $2,000 from selling all of those items, but I'll try to charge $1,500 if it's a small one bedroom or two bedroom but if it's a bigger, because I have to charge more, like $2,000 or $2,500, but they will usually end up with $4,000 or $5,000. So they always end up with money over the top because I try to say look, you're not going to charge, you won't have, I'll save you time because it'll cost you no time at all. Yes, you won't have to dump anything, because that comes out of usually what I. Of course I just do that off. Usually right at the end there might be something that needs to go, but I'll say I will arrange that for you out of. I really take care of that, and the house is empty and you just get the money over the top.
Amy Bennett:Such a stress-free process. It is.
Belinda Massey:And all I have to do is sell is pay me the 50% of my fee up front, and then I just collect and collect and collect Ah perfect, yeah, and then I pay myself essentially that second half and then the rest just goes to them and I start remitting them the money, Usually after three weeks. I've had one person who was a little bit strapped for cash and said can you just give me some now? I was like, of course you can, I'm still selling. But yeah, I'll send you what I've got over the top already. And then I make a final payment at the end of it and say all done, your house is empty. Every two or three days I send them the spreadsheet of how I'm going with collections I love it.
Amy Bennett:You're like, okay, well, I need to make that. Yeah, that's wonderful. And look, sometimes it doesn't happen and sometimes that's not somebody's motivation. I mean, you know you can't put a price on the stress that you're relieving with people in this and and so often you know, it's not necessarily just the resident but their family as well, and you know, I know how precious time is for people.
Belinda Massey:It is. It really is like the time to go because at the end of the day, someone's got to have to go through the items. Right, even if you throw them in a skip, you have to go through them and you want someone trusted to go through them because they can find those items of value, whether it be the jewellery that's in the shoe box or the corningware that's in the back of the kitchen. You don't want someone just picking that up and throwing that out. So by getting me to do it, you really know that I'll generally find the value. I mean, I won't always find everything, you know, there might be something that I might miss and give it to the op shop, but hopefully the clients themselves have an idea.
Amy Bennett:What's in the home, yeah, but I mean it's, it's funny you say about casserole dishes and I probably shouldn't say this on a published podcast, but I know my mum has a little secret stash of cash somewhere in her home which she has told me. But I always think heaven help her if something happened to me as well, that somebody would get the best surprise. Did you say about you found jewellery in a shoebox?
Belinda Massey:Yeah, jewellery in a shoebox. Yeah, it was just in a little envelope and I was like oh, look at that.
Amy Bennett:Yeah, look, we have all of these treasures.
Belinda Massey:Yes, people have things like that. I've never found anything under a mattress, yet that's not a favourite anymore. No, that's not a favourite.
Amy Bennett:In a manhole is some of the things that I've had. People have forgotten to have a look in the attic, so no doubt there'll be many stories. I'm sure you'll have a podcast that you'll be able to do with the stories you could tell. So what you do is absolutely amazing, but let's get to know you a little bit more. So what is your dream holiday destination? Belinda.
Belinda Massey:So my dream holiday is Copenhagen and Monaco. Those two places in just. I've never been there. And it's the royal benton, it's the history. I love history. Yes, and I'm not a huge fan of the English monarchy anymore. I noticed you didn't include them, but no, I have been to the UK so that's probably why it's not the dream job of one anymore because I've been to all those castles, but I do love a good castle.
Amy Bennett:I love this and history. It's interesting, isn't it? Because we're such a new country. So I mentioned to you off air that I'm Danish and had the privilege of going through Princess Mary's I guess castle palace before she moved in, and that was amazing back in, I think, 2010. And it was lovely to see tributes of Australia there. So I'm very much a Danish royalist. My gran, my best amour, loved our Queen Marguerite and she's obviously passed on and abdicated for her son.
Belinda Massey:Isn't that amazing that she did that. It's such a show of confidence in her son and I wish the Queen, like you know, charles and all that, if she had done that and shown that little confidence in her child, because I think Queen Marguerite is a modern woman who's like yeah.
Amy Bennett:I'm done Absolutely. So lots to be learned. And Monaco, well interesting. A lot of history there. Obviously, grace Kelly.
Belinda Massey:Yeah, grace Kelly is just when I was young, I just thought she was just the most beautiful woman and just you know the story. It's a bit like the Queen Mary. I mean she was a star sort of already. Yes, it's, I was a huge fan. I've read a few autobiographies Amazing. I know just biographies of Grace Kelly, and she's a beautiful lady.
Amy Bennett:Well, you all go off to your palaces, which is lovely. Belinda, tell us what was the best day of your life.
Belinda Massey:I've got to be a traditionalist here and I've got two kids.
Amy Bennett:Yes, absolutely.
Belinda Massey:Two best days. Two best days yes, two best days. Giving birth healthily and happily, without too much intervention, very healthily. For me, it was just a huge, huge day. I was super happy with my body and with what I was able to achieve with my two healthy children.
Amy Bennett:What an accomplishment Is that something that you did preparation for? Is it something you were mindful of ahead of the birth?
Belinda Massey:Yeah, I mean, I read the books. What to Expect when You're Expecting?
Amy Bennett:I did the right stuff.
Belinda Massey:I didn't eat cheese or salami or anything for nine months. I did all the right things. It's just that sense of responsibility, you know, of your husband carrying that child. Yes, and yeah, I was definitely. I wasn't rowdy. I used to think, oh, things are going to go wrong. So I think I was quite anxious leading up to it. So I was just super glad when it all went well.
Amy Bennett:And now the boys.
Belinda Massey:Yeah, they're both healthy individuals. One's out in Melbourne doing first year of uni, so that's great. He's now off being a citizen.
Amy Bennett:Yes and second is a genius, I believe oh.
Belinda Massey:I'm not going to bring my own. He's a very bright boy and I'm very proud of him.
Amy Bennett:I'm saying that because he was a very, very lovely feedback from my podcast. I just thought I'd give him a little shout out for that.
Belinda Massey:He's a good kid. Wonderful, he's a great kid.
Amy Bennett:Belinda, what do you enjoy? Your favourite meal and drinks?
Belinda Massey:My favourite meal is definitely Indian. I do love a good sauce and my favourite restaurant is in. It's funny, it's in Malula Bar. I've been there several times. Yeah, and a lot of people, I think, skip, I think, locals. Several times. Yeah, and a lot of people, I think, skip, I think locals, yes, I think, sometimes skip Malula Bar because it's maybe touristy or whatever, but the Shalimar which I think now I think they've changed names actually that one in the corner right near the surf club.
Belinda Massey:I knew you were going to say that I've heard that's amazing, it is really good and they've recently like they're upgrading their furniture and they're sort of spru at renovating a little bit. Just the look of the place, so it's getting more modern and, yeah, they just got a great meal.
Amy Bennett:Nice, authentic Indian.
Belinda Massey:I haven't ever been to India to know. But, I do really like that one. I've got great sauces great. What's your go-to curry? My son always ordered butter chicken. I like a different one every time. Honestly, I really like to. I've been there about four times and I just try to do a different one every time. Try to working my way through.
Amy Bennett:I like it. That's awesome. I do. I love it. I've had nothing this bad. So when I met my husband, I was amazed because he only had the same dish at Indian and the same dish at Thai. So I think that's really awesome. And mild, medium or spicy.
Belinda Massey:Mild to medium.
Amy Bennett:I like it, that's good.
Belinda Massey:My son sometimes goes spicy and I try it, but it's yeah, no maltame.
Amy Bennett:I've graduated to medium now. Yeah, medium I can cope with most of the time. Anything more than that's pretty intense Go-to drink.
Belinda Massey:Probably lemon lime bitters. Oh, that's a nice one.
Amy Bennett:It's a traditional. We need that here on the Sunshine Coast, don't we Refreshing?
Belinda Massey:Refreshing exactly without having regrets the next day, and Without having regrets the next day and in a keep cup, I try to always go to a place that just served me in a glass. Yes, I always look, I did get a glass of water today.
Amy Bennett:I didn't get one of our bottles of water, so you've influenced me.
Belinda Massey:Look how beautiful that water is too. It is Sometimes you can get. I do get joy out of having my own container and the containers that I think they get served.
Amy Bennett:Yes, it's funny, I do get joy out of having my own container and the containers that I think they get served. Yes, that's the difference. It's funny. I'm very much accessories with my drinks, so it'll be like a bit of grated ginger or mint leaves or ice or lime wedges Nothing boring for me.
Belinda Massey:I was saying the other day, I have yet to purchase, I've never purchased real ginger. Ah, I'm a pretty traditional Australian cook. Yes, I love ginger. Ah, I'm such a like, I'm not a. I'm a pretty traditional Australian cook. Yes, I love ginger. I have ginger in a jar in my fridge? Yeah, but I've never I've really got to expand my cooking repertoire, I'm just not a very experimental cook.
Amy Bennett:So I think your number one destination from here is the ginger factory at Yandina. I have been there.
Belinda Massey:I do like their candy, I like their cordial, but yeah, I've never gotten a bit of ginger and grated it. Oh, it's going to change your life.
Amy Bennett:Yep stir fries. Oh, I love grated ginger, but definitely in a refreshing drink is really lovely. So there you go. That's your challenge. And, belinda, to end our lovely conversation, which has just been obviously a blessing. I'm so grateful for the service that you offer the community, looking forward to us being able to collaborate. Especially with my passion for downsizing, I know you're going to be a gift that continues to give my clients and the world. So, in that note, I'm going to leave you to end with your favourite quote or saying Thank you, Amy.
Belinda Massey:My favourite quote is God helps those who help themselves. Beautiful, Absolutely. Thank you so much for having me and for making me feel so welcome. It's been a pleasure.
Amy Bennett:It really has my pleasure. You didn't end, you didn't.
Belinda Massey:No nerves, I did, I did I definitely did, but you're just such a friendly welcoming person.
Amy Bennett:Oh, my pleasure. Well, thank you for being with us here on Beyond the Signboard, belinda Massey from Move On Consciously, thank you. Thank you for listening to this episode of Beyond the Signboard. We trust you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed making it for you. If there are any topics you want covered in the future, make sure you reach out and let us know. Also, feedback and suggestions are appreciated almost as much as likes, shares and downloads.