Excavating the family stuff is not a job for the faint of heart. I truly struggle with it. Not because I’m particularly sentimental about stuff – I’m not. I sold a cassette tape holder my grandmother gave me just before she died. I still remember the guy who bought it. He told he was going to gut the insides and make a tool box out of it. My mother seemed like she didn’t want me to sell it because she kept asking me if I was sure. I was completely sure and remember feeling kind of enthusiastic that it was getting a new usable life. I had moved on to CD’s and that cassette holder, as beautiful as it was, was going to sit in my closet, empty and collecting dust.
Other Stuff
Plenty of people that hold onto stuff for all sorts of reasons. Some attach sentimental memories to things and some just feel the need be surrounded by their things. I’m the other kind. So it will probably sound funny to you that I struggle to clean out other people’s stuff. I’ve been working on organizing my in-laws stuff for over two years now and sometimes I find it hard to let go.
I have a few things I received after my father’s parents passed that truly mean a lot to me. In comparison I don’t have much more than memories to hold on to after the death of my mother’s parents. In fact I remember quite bluntly being told I was a grandchild and had very little say in the whole matter. Maybe that’s where some of my need to be thorough comes from. To make sure that the one person in the family that would like something, gets it.
Recently I found a box full of year books that belonged to someone else entirely. My mother in law doesn’t remember how or why she has them. I sent a request out on social media in hopes of finding their rightful owners. Unfortunately I learned he passed away a few years ago. Currently I’m searching for a family member that may want them. And if not I will forward them to the counties historian. I couldn’t in my heart throw them away without investigating.
Suggestion About Family Stuff
If I could be so bold to make a suggestion. If you’re holding onto something for someone, give it to them now. You never know when something could get lost, broken or stolen. Or at the very least let your family know your intentions. It will certainly help with organizing the family stuff in the event of your death.
And if there is something that holds sentimental for you, ask for it. Trust me, far bolder requests have been made of people. Maybe you’ll learn that it has already been claimed or that it was meant for you all along. Or that nobody thought anyone would want it and it was headed to the trash heap.
There are far worse things than having a tough conversation now. The family stuff may thank you for it!
Blueskies,
Tami