The Great Stuff Transfer Is Real—And It's Coming Your Way
The Great Wealth Transfer is usually framed as the passing of trillions of dollars in assets and real estate from Baby Boomers to Millennials. But as a personal property appraiser and collections manager, I see a different transfer unfolding: The Great Stuff Transfer.
It's the passing of a lifetime's worth of possessions: furniture, art, jewelry, collectibles, electronics, heirlooms, and everything in between. While financial assets make headlines, these personal belongings often become the “inheritance” families must navigate.
Over the years, I've seen estates ranging from modest homes to multimillion-dollar properties. From the street, everything looked in control, but inside, I often found multiple generations of accumulated belongings, "aspirational clutter," and homes that had become overwhelming. Adult children and executors are then left to sort, donate, sell, and dispose of everything while grieving.
The struggle, and the heartbreak, are real.
Coverage in outlets like Bloomberg¹ and Business Insider,² along with a wave of social media videos from digital creators such as @nickfoxradio³ and @madison.lovelle,⁴ has made this reality impossible to ignore. Adult children are sharing their shock and frustration at processing their inheritance. Their stories reveal that excessive accumulation, and sometimes hoarding, is far more common than many people realize, and they've spawned online communities offering support, practical advice, and use humor to reduce the stigma.
The best time to address these issues is before they become a crisis. Consider this your sign to start the conversation.
Encourage your parents or loved ones to begin decluttering their storage units and downsizing their home while they're healthy and able to make decisions. Simplifying a home over time is far easier than leaving an entire household for family members to manage after a medical emergency or death. A certified professional organizer can help sort and declutter belongings. An estate planning or elder law attorney can prepare wills and trusts. There are also estate liquidators and junk removal services to call on.
Build your team before you need one. Talk to your peers and ask for professional recommendations—you'll likely find they're going through the same thing, or already have.
One of the biggest misconceptions people have about antiques and collectibles is that "old" means "valuable." It rarely does. Common furniture, glass, china, books, and memorabilia once represented success and were perceived to appreciate in value. But changing lifestyles, shifting trends, mass production, frozen housing market, and an oversupplied secondary market have all driven demand down. Some items in good condition still carry significant value—the key is knowing which ones.
In estate planning, a qualified personal property appraiser can identify alternative assets with meaningful market value to support asset sales and the equitable distribution of property among heirs. Appraisers also provide guidance on non-cash charitable contributions to qualified organizations and prepare USPAP-compliant appraisal reports required for IRS Form 8283.
Professional appraisal services are also essential following the death of a loved one, when an executor or personal representative may be required to file a federal estate tax return. That filing requires USPAP-compliant appraisals to substantiate the fair market values reported on IRS Form 706 and, where applicable, any required state estate tax return.
The Great Stuff Transfer is inevitable. Whether it becomes a burden or a meaningful legacy depends on the conversations we have, the actions we take, and the decisions we make today. Most importantly, planning ahead is one of the greatest gifts you can leave your family and loved ones for tomorrow.
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“Boomers Are Passing Down Fortunes,” Bloomberg, November 13, 2025, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-11-14/millennials-gen-x-set-to-inherit-boomers-antique-collectible-fortunes.
“The Boomer Inheritance Economy gets weird,” Business Insider, November 19, 2025, https://www.businessinsider.com/boomers-stuff-avalanche-millennial-children-inheritance-tough-conversations-homes-2025-11.
Nick Fox. Instagram profile, @nickfoxradio. https://www.instagram.com/nickfoxradio/.
Madison Lovelle. Instagram profile, @madison.lovelle. https://www.instagram.com/madison.lovelle/.