This must be one of the most challenging aspects of clearing a property after someone has died. Amidst the sea of belongings, sentimental items hold a special place in our hearts making it difficult to decide how to handle them. There are some strategies you can employ to help you navigate your way through dealing with their belongings.
Try Starting To Clear Things That Don't Have Sentimental Attachment
If you can make some steps towards clearing the property it can give you a boost to feel like you're making some headway. It always helps to draw up a bit of a plan of action and I'd recommend starting with areas or rooms that are less likely to have you emotionally stumbling at the first block. The bathroom, kitchen or even the garden shed can often be a target to get going on. It's less likely that you'll feel the weight of emotional burden in deciding on what to do with a cheese grater. These room's contents can normally be subject to more practical considerations of things that can be used by yourself, donated to someone else who may need it, sold or recycled.
Involve Family & Friends
It's not always possible or desirable but it can be an opportunity for shared experiences and connections. Reach out to anyone who may want to be involved. Sharing the responsibility can lighten the emotional burden and provide opportunity for reminiscing. You'll probably find that people associate their closest most cherished memories with very different items. It's not always the things of greatest monetary value that people want to hold onto. When several people are involved it's important to ensure clear communication and respect for each other's emotions and decisions.
Consider sharing things out, lending items to family members or close friends in a kind of 'time share' arrangement for a certain period of time. It could help avoid any disputes that might arise.
Try To Take An Objective Approach
Sentimental items often evoke strong emotions, making it challenging to make clear decisions. Try to approach each item with a little objectivity. Ask yourself a few questions : Does this hold really significant personal meaning ? Does it sit well with your current lifestyle and space you have? Will it bring me joy in the future or serve a purpose moving forward ?
Considering practicality and value can help you make choices that align with your heart and bring you comfort. Memories might be triggered by physical things but they really live in your heart.
In my experience, often items loose their potency once they actually leave the home they were originally part of. If you're finding it hard to part with things you could try the approach of bringing the object home with you and see how you feel about it in a few months time. But use it ... have it around you ... enjoy it. Don't simply keep it in a box in the garage, else chances are it will be there in 5 years and it will have simply become part of your clutter.
Donate, Sell or Repurpose
If you know you're loved one was an avid collector or held a lot of information they gathered on specific subjects, you could always consider selling or donating their treasures. If the collection doesn't hold personal value to you, then putting it in the hands of someone who'd really appreciate them is a great way of honouring their memory and ensures that these items continue to be treasured in the future whether that's to a private collector or a museum.
Creating a new momento by repurposing items can also be another option to consider, like a quilt made from their favourite clothes. Smaller items could be collected to make up a memory box or even mounted in a box frame like a sort of collage with photographs. Having items like this can also be useful to help younger members of the family to talk about the person who's died, to keep memories alive and in turn help them to process their grief.
Honouring Their Life & Legacy
Clearing a loved one's house is not just about the physical belongings, it's about the things that also embody their life. There's a weight of responsibility that comes with it so give yourself some space and acknowledge that it's perfectly okay and normal to feel overwhelmed at times. Dealing with such sentimental items is never easy and it's a deeply emotional and personal process.
By carefully navigating through it, we can honour the memory of the person that has passed away, find solace in cherished memories and create a meaningful legacy that can be passed down the generations.
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