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More than 125,000 readers throughout Greater Baltimore
OCTOBER 2025
Vincent Lancisi plans his exit
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How to get rid of what your kids don’t want
Talk to family first That’s why it’s important to have conversations with your children or other family members about which of your items they might want now or in the future. This also gives you an opportunity to let the next generation know what things have sentimental or monetary value. “Don’t leave your things for your kids to go through. Ask them what they want and go through it together to donate stuff to make a fun process,” said Kathleen Caulfield Meyer of Coakley Realty in Rockville, Maryland, who has created a
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program for seniors who are downsizing. “For most people who have lived in their home for a very long time, the big question is where to start,” Meyer said.
Identify items worth selling Just because your adult children aren’t interested in your belongings doesn’t mean they’re worthless. The key to cashing in on items that you’re ready to part with is knowing which are worth trying to sell and the best way to sell them for top dollar. In general, it’s worth trying to sell things that are expensive and in good condition, Wilson said. This includes artwork, antiques, furniture, high-end rugs and jewelry. Vintage toys, clothing and electronics such as tape decks and turntables are currently selling well among younger generations, said Sarah Hersh, co-owner of Ben Hersh Estate Sales in Cherry Hill, N.J. Musical instruments such as guitars also are popular. Collectibles are hit or miss. The market for sports memorabilia, comic books and coins is strong compared with the market for stamp collections. Most mass-produced figurines are hard to sell. Crystal, china and silver-plated platters or serveware aren’t popular either, Wilson said. Upright pianos can be the most difficult to unload. “If it’s not a pristine Steinway, start looking for a home for it today, even if you’re not moving,” Hersh said. In fact, you’ll likely have to offer to pay the cost of moving a piano to get someone to take it.
Adjust your expectations Get an idea of what people are willing to pay before you sell anything. Prepare for the amount to be significantly lower than the original purchase price. If you’ve worked with an interior designer in the past, that person might help you get a sense of what your items are worth. You could contact antique dealers, but they might charge a fee for reviewing your items.
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PHOTO BY JACQUELINE MACOU/PIXABAY
By Cameron Huddleston Charlie Gary’s late wife, Susan, had a passion for restoring old homes. She also loved fine antique furniture and oriental rugs. “Over the years, she accumulated lots of it,” Gary said. When Gary sold the house, he was forced to face the elephant — or the antiques — in the room: “I said, ‘What are we going to do with this stuff?’” That’s a question 70 million baby boomers are likely asking themselves as they think about downsizing. Boomers own the largest share of houses in the U.S. with three or more bedrooms, according to a report by real estate company Redfin. Although most older adults want to age in place, 44% expect to relocate at some point, according to AARP. The obvious choice for boomers looking to unload belongings is to pass them on to their adult children. But the next generation isn’t necessarily eager to get Mom and Dad’s china, crystal, silver or collectibles. “These adult children already have their own stuff,” said Amy Wilson, founder of Estate Transitions, a project management company in Louisville that helps people redistribute belongings when downsizing. “They don’t have room for more.”
When you’re decluttering, you may find it hard to convince your family members to take your prized possessions. A professional downsizing specialist can help.
Websites such as eBay, AptDeco.com and Chairish.com can help you see how much items similar to yours are selling for.
Best ways to sell There are several avenues to sell your stuff, including consignment shops and estate sales. Furniture and home decor in good condition are relatively easy to sell through a local consignment store. Send pictures of the items you want to sell so the store can vet them. (Some stores will pick up items from your home for a fee.) Typically, consignment stores will keep 50% of the sale price, Wilson said. With online furniture consignment stores such as AptDeco and Chairish, you can take photos of your items and list them for free on the sites. AptDeco will pick up your items and deliver them to buyers; it keeps 30% of the sale price. Chairish also provides pickup and delivery, but it keeps 40% of sales. You can also plan an estate sale. They’re no longer just for wealthy families with a
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lot of antiques, Hersh said. “Now it’s an anything-goes marketplace,” she said. “As long as you have enough stuff, almost anyone can qualify for an estate sale.” You can expect highquality items to sell for about one-third of what you paid for them.
Downsizing specialists Hiring someone to assist you is ideal if you have several high-end items and are willing to pay an expert to create an inventory of them, assess their value and help you get the best price possible. This sort of service can also be a good fit if your age and health will make it difficult to manage the sale of your items on your own. Ask a real estate agent for a recommendation to find professionals who help with downsizing, Wilson said. Retirement communities may also provide a list of services. In Baltimore, some local downsizing specialists include: No More Piles, Senior See DOWNSIZING, page B-2
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A collaborative outlook
The youngest in a Boston family of seven, Lancisi learned early that being the voice of quiet persuasion helps stand out in the crowd while sustaining energy for the long haul. He reapplied that knowledge years later while studying theater at Boston College and later Catholic University, where he earned an MFA in directing, all the while dreaming of establishing a small, professional theater company in an artistic niche that wasn’t being filled. He found that space in Baltimore. Everyman’s story began in 1990 in Saint John’s Church in Charles Village. Lancisi, fresh out of graduate school, launched a fledgling troupe there with no budget to speak of and little insulation. During the company’s inaugural production, Lancisi handed out blankets so patrons could keep warm. From those makeshift beginnings Lancisi grew his vision of an actor-centered company rooted in accessibility. He insisted on affordable tickets to “great stories, well told” — the theater’s motto. This set Everyman apart in a city already crowded with theaters. As Lancisi likes to say, “Theater is a col-
BALTIMORE BEACON — OCTOBER 2025
PHOTO COURTESY OF EVERYMAN THEATRE
By Tina Collins Vincent M. “Vinny” Lancisi has never been one for grand flourishes. For more than three decades, the founder and artistic director of Baltimore’s Everyman Theatre has preferred the steady rhythm of rehearsal rooms and the slow craft of building a talented ensemble. The recent announcement of Lancisi’s retirement at the end of the 2025-26 season, which is the 35th anniversary of the theater he founded, drops the curtain on a remarkable voice in Baltimore’s cultural life. Although Lancisi will direct two of Everyman’s six plays this season, he will step away next June after a career that transformed a scrappy startup in a drafty church into one of the city’s most enduring artistic institutions. “Now I start a new journey where I discover what life is like if I don’t have to go to work every day,” Lancisi told the Beacon. “The keys to a happy retirement are to celebrate the go-go years during the slowgo years before the no-go years.”
I N S I D E …
Vincent Lancisi founded Everyman Theatre in 1990 in a chilly Baltimore church. He plans to retire in June at the end of its 35th season — but not before directing two more plays. “Theater matters when it is shared,” he said.
laboration — a long conversation with the city you serve.” That philosophy imbues every aspect of Everyman productions, which aren’t for an elite few, but for the community that gathers in its seats and unites when the lights go down. “Theater shows that we still seek each other out, need public discourse, share a common condition,” Lancisi said. “In fact, studies have shown the heart rates of the audience members and the actors sync during a performance. That is how powerful theater is.” Inspired by classic repertory models, Lancisi built a resident company of artists that remains a rarity in regional theater. Actors can return, grow and connect with audiences over time. “I set out to create a group of profession-
al actors and designers who could see Everyman as their artistic home. They didn’t have to go off to New York or L.A. to make a living practicing their craft; they could stay right here in the Baltimore/D.C. area, and they could consistently have work throughout the season at Everyman,” he said in a 2014 interview. “Our audiences love seeing how our actors can transform from one role to the next.”
A turning point
Over the next two decades, Everyman inched from survival to stability. There were lean years and whispered doubts, but Lancisi proved as adept at fundraising and diplomacy as at directing. See EVERYMAN THEATRE, page 12
ARTS & STYLE
Baltimore writer Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson’s first book focuses on a Maryland fashion designer whose influence is alive and well today page 11
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