Once a loved one passes away often times you are faced with a home full of stuff to sort through and redistribute. This task can be daunting and joyful at the same time. There are 7 things for you to keep in mind when you are cleaning out after a loss.
The first thing is that you should take your time to go through the items. Unless you are under a time crunch to sell a home for financial reasons, then be patient with the process. Going through a lifetime of a loved ones things can be emotionally and physically draining and you need to allow yourself time to walk through this process. This is a marathon not a sprint.
Take someone with you who can appreciate the items that you are sorting. A few years ago as my sister and I faced selling our Mother’s home, she often met me there on our weekends to work. We could sit and sort through the items in each room together. The memories that we shared are priceless. We cried and laughed which is healing honestly.
The third key to keep in mind when cleaning out after a loss
is have an impartial party help in the process. While my sister and I sat in our memory lane moments, my husband was able to take on task to move us along quickly. He could help settle if something was a necessary item or a donate item.
Another impartial party is a company who runs Estate Sales. Once we had been through the home we hired an Estate Sale company. They came in and sold the items that we were not taking. Estate Sales can bring a family income that is needed and unexpected if you are willing to part with items.
For the fourth key in cleaning out after a loss, you need to have a system. Each room zone needs a Keep, Donate, and Throw Away pile. You begin in each room with with system. Have a box, wrapping, tape, sharpie for your Keep box and pack it as you go. The donate box once it is filled needs to go to Estate Sale pile or immediately at the end of the work day go to the donation location.
There are several places in our area that accept items for donation.Sanctuary Village Shoppe or Salvation Army Just take a minute to Google your area for donation centers. We even located some that will pick up donations which is a huge help when you are covered up in a cleaning out project.
Taking pictures of items that you can not keep, but have a sentimental value to you.
You will recall memories attached to rooms, places in the yard, or certain items, and it is perfectly acceptable to have a picture to remind you of that moment in time. Some items hold more value in our minds that they really are worth or we have room to hold on to so it is good to be able to let them go.
We would often tell Mom as we went to her home over the years and ended up in a cleaning out project that
“Memories are in our hearts, not in things”.
Sallie Belle Howell
My children will laugh when they read that statement. As I write this post, my home is filled with items that I held on to because of their sentimental value to me. My husband and I have found these items to be useful for the most part, and as our nest has emptied I am looking to do another clean sweep out.
The sixth key when cleaning out is the opposite of what I just said to you about purging items. Some of the items in your loved ones home are of value financially. You should check with jewelers, eBay, other antique dealers to see the worth of an item before you place it on a curb. There items from antique books, dolls, furniture, signs, cars and more that people are willing to pay money for and you have the item they need.
Lastly, the thing to keep in mind when cleaning out after the loss of your loved one
is that keep box you might bring home and store for a year or two. When you are ready to revisit these boxes, you need to put on your BIG GIRL PANTIES and go back in for another purge day. One the first clean out your loss was still very raw and close. Now that you have had time to pass it will help you to eliminate anything that is unnecessary clutter. (Again you hear the laughter of my children)
There are 7 things I suggest for cleaning out after a loss, but I am certain that you can help think of more ideas. Have you experienced a clean out project after a loss? What are your tips-please share them?! I still have purging to do.