My mom taught me to tell the truth. Orion’s Attic is built on that foundation.
When you contact Orion’s Attic, you probably expect us to explain our estate liquidation solutions. We start with a different question: What’s the right solution for you? Sometimes that means hiring Orion’s Attic. Sometimes it means recommending another company or organization. If you do hire us, it means treating your money the same way we would treat our own. We believe the right solution is more important than the profitable one, and that philosophy guides every recommendation we make.
There’s a reason for that. When I brought my then-fiancée, now my wife, home to meet my mother, she pulled her aside and said, “There’s one thing you need to know about my son if you’re thinking about spending the rest of your life with him. He would much rather tell you the truth and hurt your feelings than tell you a lie. And some of his truths can be doozies!”
My mom understood me better than anyone. Years later, I realized she wasn’t just describing me. She was describing the company my wife and I would build together.
Finding the Right Fit
My wife and I often say we’ve been blessed in business and in life. Because of that, we don’t believe every project belongs at Orion’s Attic. We believe every person deserves the right solution.
Sometimes another company can accomplish your goals more economically. Sometimes another organization is simply a better fit. Sometimes we recognize that we’re simply not the right fit for each other.
That happened recently when I met with a homeowner in Kensington, Maryland. She had a large, complicated project and accepted my labor estimate of about $15,000 without hesitation. As we talked, though, one of her expectations didn’t align with the way Orion’s Attic operates. I realized there was a strong chance neither of us would enjoy working together.
Turning down a $15,000 project isn’t something most business owners would celebrate. We didn’t hesitate because we believed it wouldn’t lead to a successful relationship for either of us. I explained why we weren’t the right fit and suggested other options she could explore. Doing what’s right for everyone is always the better decision.
Delivering the Right Solution
If we decide we’re the right fit for each other, another level of decision-making begins.
Every recommendation we make inside your home starts with the same question: What leaves you in the best overall financial position? We don’t evaluate an item by what it might sell for alone. We consider labor, transportation, timing, and every other cost that affects your bottom line.
During one Washington, D.C., project, we identified several items that could have gone to an auction house. Our crew was already transporting donated household contents to a donation center. After running the numbers, we determined that making a separate trip to the auction house would cost more in labor and transportation than those items were likely to bring at auction. We recommended adding those items to the donation load because it left the homeowner in a better financial position.
We reached a similar conclusion during another Washington, D.C., project. At first glance, several pieces appeared to be authentic Scandinavian mid-century furniture from the 1950s. A closer inspection showed they were well-made American reproductions from the 1970s. That changed the expected value completely. Once we factored in the additional labor and transportation, taking those pieces to an auction house no longer made financial sense. We recommended a different solution because it left the homeowner in a better financial position.
The Right Solution Comes First
Whether we’re helping you decide if Orion’s Attic is the right company or making hundreds of decisions after a project begins, our goal never changes.
We want to help you reach the best possible outcome.
Sometimes that means recommending Orion’s Attic. Sometimes it means recommending another company or organization. Sometimes it means telling you something you may not want to hear.
We believe you deserve the right solution, even when it isn’t the most profitable solution for Orion’s Attic. Whether that means recommending Orion’s Attic, recommending someone else, or telling you something you weren’t expecting to hear, we’ll always start with the right solution. That’s how we’ve always treated your money the same way we would treat our own.
Need Help Liquidating an Estate or Downsizing?
Contact Orion’s Attic today to learn how we can make the process easier. Be sure to check out our YouTube channel at Orion’s Attic TV, too.
Learn more about liquidating estates in our Estate Liquidation and Downsizing Guide.
About Orion’s Attic
Orion’s Attic is a full-service estate liquidation, downsizing, and home cleanout company based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Founded in 2011, we complete more than 100 full-home estate liquidation and cleanout projects each year, helping families through complex transitions in a professional, stress-free way.
We also buy gold coins, silver coins, sterling silver flatware, and fine jewelry.
As a “green choice” estate liquidation and estate solutions company, we prioritize donation, reuse, recycling, and responsible disposal whenever possible.
Where we serve — Maryland, DC, Northern Virginia
We serve Montgomery County (Ashton, Aspen Hill, Barnesville, Bethesda, Boyds, Cabin John, Chevy Chase, Colesville, Derwood, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Glen Echo, Laytonsville, Montgomery Village, Olney, Potomac, Rockville, Silver Spring, Spencerville, Takoma Park, Wheaton), Frederick County, Howard County (Columbia, Ellicott City), Prince George’s County (College Park, Greenbelt, Hyattsville), Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia.
