I am often asked what to do with belongings when a loved one passes away.  The “when” is different for everyone.  You will know when it is time.   When you are ready to make some space, it will be freeing for you. You want to cherish the memory of your loved one, so keep the items that will do just that and remind you of that loved one.

Who will be up to the task?  Just you?  Or are siblings involved?  Communication is key.  Everyone has their own pace for this task as they cope with loss.  There is no hurry if there is room to store items until you are ready.  I did not have time, however, so I probably kept more than necessary at first.  Then a few months passed and when I was ready the task was easy.  Plus, we needed the space in our garage, so I knew it was time.  Come to an agreement with other family members that nothing will be thrown out until everyone has had an opportunity to go through the belongings.

Elect one person to be in charge of documents and paperwork as this can be overwhelming all by itself.  Save all shredding for a load to be picked up by a shredding service.  It is not that expensive and will save you valuable time.  Shredders will shred hard-drives and CD’s… staples and paper clips too!

There are five categories for items: save for me, save for others, sell, donate, and throw away.  Set up a “ground zero” in an area to work from.

Sometimes a photo is better than the object.  Take a lot of items and condense… like several blankets made into one quilt.  USE the items you choose to keep.  Don’t store them in cardboard boxes in the garage or pay for storage.  Integrate them into your daily life and the memory will be enjoyed.