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[mimomof4]

Thank You for thinking about those who will need to clean out your home.  As someone who cleaned out a relatives home last year I would have appreciated her taking us up on our suggestions of getting dumpster or a family clean out day ahead of time. I found drawers of schoolwork from elementary through high school, an entire cabinet AAA trip booklets, bank statements and checks from over 40 years.  I was angry, frustrated and saddened that someone filled their home with this stuff instead of simply getting rid of it.

I'm guessing your family won't be surprised by the Lock and Lock and Yarn.  The journals will likely be  a surprise.

[haddon9]

I just went through this with my mother's condo in Florida!  It was really difficult doing this long distance. Mom passed away two years ago and at the time we went through all of her papers, photos and a few collectibles.

My brother and I decided to put it up for sale but we only had two weeks.  When we got down there I had not realized that so much was still there.  What was sad was all of the stuff we ended up just giving away. 

We got a collector to come over to check out her things and he purchased about a dozen Wedgwood pieces along with four Lladro figurines and a few other odds and ends.  We got a minimal amount for them.

He knew of a woman who purchased china.  We had a full set for twelve plus a completer set which was made in Occupied Japan. The collector didn't want it since they were swamped with similar pieces.  People are just not buying these pieces right now.

We ended up giving the china away to a cleaning woman working in the building.  She also took a ton of other things like some crystal, a tea set, many, many other odds and ends.

My brother also has a friend of his who lives in the area and she came over and took an almost new toaster oven, antique chair, set of snack tables and a small flat screen TV.  

We also donated a lot to Goodwill which was nearby.

I ended up shipping home five large boxes of items....some of the Wedgwood, some antique crystal bowls, etc. .....yet at the same time I am trying to clean out many things I have stored of my own.

I kept thinking if my mother knew just how her things were given away she would have been mortified!

[Reilley]

It's just my sister and me, 72 years old.  We had a garage sale last year and made over 3k !  I made many trips to the Salvation Army with bags of clean clothing.  We had so many QVC purchases that we had to have when we purchased them and decided to sale at a rediculous price but what was the use of storing them?  Many garden tools, D&B, UGGS, Very nice dishes, kitchen pans, HSN carts on wheels which we had used a lot.  People asked if they could go in our back yard and befor you know it, things that we hadn't planned to sale, sold!  This included a gazebo, garden furniture, etc.  this one guy I am pretty sure had his own business and took down the gazebo himself and even came back the next day.  yes we sold at some cheap prices but they were good quality.  But we now have a very "clean" back and front yard.  We also have no other family left so there was no need to leave things to other folks. All customers said that we had very nice things and everything was very organized in the garage and driveway.  Our plan is to move.  Yes it is a bummer not to have anyone special to leave things to folks but then life goes on.  No pity!

[SilleeMee]

I don't have family so my stuff will be sold at an estate sale. What you see is what you get. No plans on cleaning out anything. 

[Carolina925]

I have no children; I've left request to just let one of our thrift shop agencies to come in and clear out what they think they can make money from. I've downsized considerably in the last few years and have only things that I really love but they don't mean anything to anyone else.  If anyone comes to my home and sincerely makes a statement that they like something, I'll gift it to them. Too bad I don't have all that money I spent on things I thought were important.

[catter70]

I have stuff, but have pretty much stopped buying more stuff. Now my sister is a whole different animal. She's just like my dad. She is always buying clothes and stuff. If not that, will stop along the road if there's something left out for garbage that she thinks she can use. I always tell her I hope I go first cos I don't want to have to go thru all that stuff. We're both in our 70's. We did our Mom's stuff and kept a few things, gave a lot away and donated or tossed the rest. She had paperwork she and my dad had saved from the 60's. She passed in 2014.

[ECBG]

@house_cat 

I just wish to say your journals sound interesting!  I imagine your baking history is chronicled.   I am sure your grand daughter will cherish your journals one day!

[RetRN]

Thankfully I have never been into material things. They mean nothing to others and I would never burden someone with having to clean out my belongings that nowadays have little to no value. I will never understand how people can be so apathetic and leave someone else to deal with their stuff after they pass. 

[Icegoddess]

We cleaned out my parents' home a few years ago and truthfully, I would've loved to have a dumpster.  So much junk, but also it was fun in a way when we would uncover a memory.  And usually, the memory came from some innocuous item that still, more than likely, went into the trash.  

I do feel sorry for the thought of my daughter having to clean out all this stuff, but as someone else said, I'm not going to throw out things just to make it easy for her after I'm gone, which could be tomorrow or 20 years from now.  Hey, she gets a house out of the deal. 

[CAcableGirl2]

I'm trying to downsize and sell off all the extras now since my plan is to move in about a year.  It's a long process, and will end up moving a lot of items that I enjoy and want to keep at my new place.

It's so expensive to move across the country, and when you see how much it costs, it really motivates you to get rid of stuff, since you can buy new for the same $ as to move it.

I went to a recent estate sale and the house was full of items.  Some nice, some "junk", and after speaking with one of the lades putting it on, it was really kind of sad.  She said the the kids didn't want ANYTHING, not birth certificates, marriage certificates, family pictures, NOTHING.  Nothing sentimental or from their parents.  When my Dad passed at 91 years old, my son got his fish knives that he used as a teenager when he was fishing.  They are at least 70 years old and in nice shape.  Just a couple of small knives in a leather holder.  If my Dad held on to them for 70+ years, I knew they were special to him, and now they are special to his grandson.

I'm hoping that the kids from that estate sale had already taken the things they wanted, but if they really wanted nothing like the lady said, it's kind of sad to me.