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[house_cat]

Five years ago, I had the task of singlehandedly emptying my mom and dad's house - 62 years of marriage and lots and lots of stuff.  My mom was clean and organized, but they had a large house and lots of storage space.

The experience of cleaning out their home taught me that most of our treasures turn out to be someone else's trash. I vowed at that time that my children would not be left in such an overwhelming situation.  

I'm just shy of 60 years old and hoping to have some good years left - but I keep my possessions pared down and organized.

Are you mindful of what will happen to your home and possessions when you are gone?

[Nightowlz]

My dad has already passed down things & cleaned out his stuff. I don't think he wants anyone going thru it.

We have slowly but surely been doing that. I told DH he needed to get rid of all the cwap in the attic. If he dies before me I'm not going up there. I want to move when he retires so need to get rid of what we don't need as we won't be moving it. It will make it easier down the road.

[Sweet_Serenity]

Excellent question..like you choose to live unclutted lifestyle. My one and only Son has been given heirlooms from long ago family. Gifted my expensive rings and watch being held for GD. When I pass easy peasy sorting belongings. Less is more the older I get including clothes makeup.

[alicedee]

Yes, I am mindful of it now that I'm in my 60s.  I find myself getting rid of more and more things.  The next project I'm going to tackle is photos.....realistically, no one is going to want the boxes of pictures I have (the many that are just "ok").  I'm going to sort out just the best and pare it down to one box that the kids can go through some day and take what they want.  Remember the days of "double prints"?  How many duplicate bad pictures does one need to keep!!!

[nana59]

I, too, had to clean out my parents home.  At this stage of my life, age 67, when my children or grandkids express an interest in something that I have, they take it home with them....I enjoy seeing the happiness it brings them....and I have peace knowing where some of my possessions "end up!"

[I am still oxox]

No not as yet - we are 62 with no children, we do expect to move from here once he retired and then maybe to assisted lving when the time comes.

[TheMemphisVette]

and the young to do not value old stuff as we did.  it is a new world.

[Pook]

I found it healing for my sister and me when we went through my father's stuff after his death.  All the memories and stories and stuff we found out about that we never knew!  Others I know have also said this was a time of healing and bringing siblings together.  If we had not wanted to do this then we could have easily just brought in an auction company to do this and auction everything off.  We didn't care about money and just wanted to sell the house as is.  

For me - well I don't care about what happens to my possesions when I'm gone.  I won't be around to care! 

[Mary Bailey]

When my MIL passed away her husband asked us to go through her stuff to see if we wanted anything.  I took family photos for DH.

Then I came home read love letters from my exboyfried one last time and disposed of it.  Very passionate.  I didn't want anyone else to read it, ever.

Everything else is a little at at time.

[Kkins]

House cat, you raise an important issue.

My mom, with whom I lived after my divorce, passed away nearly three years ago at aged 83 after a brief illness.  She began sorting through things in her late seventies telling me she didn't want to leave with me with a mess.  She was so right!  

I, too, am nearing 60 and will be doing a purge.  Since I am childless, I am not sure who will be stuck with dealig with my stuff, but I don't want to leave a huge mess of stuff.