When you get old. :(

[marlinspike]

It's hard. My friend and her sons were left with disposing of her ex husbands possessions when he died. He was a bit of a hoarder and they'd already cleared 2 flats when he'd moved previously. They sold some things but lots of good stuff went in the skip. It was sad to see decent things not being charity donated or free cycled but having done it twice already they just needed to move on asap.

Watch things like The Yorkshire Auction House tv show and you'll see how hard it is on families to leave them with mountains of stuff to clear.

 

[Greeves246]

 

[arther dailey]

Unless it affects you I guess you won't understand to be fair.

must admit I dont suffer so badly , and wish you all the best as health is such a precious comodity to us all .Don t read that wrong , I have nt "cleared" a lot of my dads tools and possesions from when he passed 35 years ago , now in the situation where mum has passed and I will have to force myself to clear most of it , but will keep some/most of the bits they thought so much of , as they say one mans poison is anothers honey ..well something along those lines , and I am indeed loathe to part with what is a huge part of my life history.
so yes in truth I understand completly , for me it will be decide to part with say furniture firrst , get that sorted , have a break then when up to it face the next lot..slowly slowly bring the change in. Each to his own eh. all the very best .well thats the plan anyways

 

[marlinspike]

Clearing relatives personal possessions involves a huge amount of emotional labour. Even if you're chucking most of it it's still a daunting task. We did the easy, obvious things first - furniture as you say - kitchen stuff, clothes and bedding. You have to do it gradually and work yourself up to the documents, photos, and smaller personal stuff. I admire those who can easily detach from childhood memories.

 

[badabec]

A couple of weeks ago I bought some large vacuum storage bags for under the bed.
Today I did what I should have done ages ago. I've now chucked out all the old duvets, pillows and cushions that were going to go in them.
Pointless keeping old carp you wouldn't bother using again anyway.
They all so cheap now, just chuck the old ones away.

I had enough of a job when my brother died. He too was a hoarder, but clothes, antiques, Hornby and antiquarian books. After the auction houses, charity shops etc I used a clearance firm for the final clearout.
I kept nothing, except a Snap-On ratchet screwdriver. I don't need three so that one will go to my older son.

 

[bricol]

You might have stuff that is still in good condition, well looked after, useful . . . but unless someone wants it, it's useless. Dark wood furniture - my mum's dining table, chairs, sideboard etc - was her mums before that. Auctions won't take it as the £2.30 it might make isn't worth the hassle, charities won't as as no-one will take it. Won't fit my house . . . so it kept us warm via the stove. I don't feel too bad as I know my grandad burnt a lot of furniture when they moved from the farm into a 30's semi when they retired.

As for family history . . . if it's spent the last half-century in a loft, in cupboard and it's only come to light as you empty the place . . . then its a bit pointless keeping it if you aren't going to use or see it. Although I must admit I haven't yet chucked my granny's sunday school prizes from the early years of the 20th century. My sister doesn't want them, and to her kids who never met her, they are just old books . . .

 

[Morrisman]

I think this is what they call Swedish Death Cleaning. You clear out your junk and sort your finances and papers so that everything is easy for your kids to manage. My dad was an accidental minimalist, as in too tight to buy much, but he sensibly moved all his savings into one place and got his affairs in order so when the time came there was little in the way of house clearing or finances to be done.

In laws were a different matter. So many books, dvds, videos, paperwork. It took months. It has made me look at my own clutter in an entirely different way - I realise it's all just stuff and nobody wants 99% of your crap. Clear it now - enjoy the items that really matter to you and later the kids will know what was precious and meant something rather than trying to work out what you loved or what was just there because you hadn't got round to chucking it.

I remember the sheer volume of my parents life time collecting stuff simply went to the tip, as there was so much, and nobody really wanted any of it.
I took several car loads of it to charity shops, but even they were picky, so I’d detour to the tip on the way home.

Nice furniture, almost impossible to get rid of. My mum had a great big wooden display cabinet type thing, cost a fortune 30 years ago, I let it go for £50 as nobody wanted it, or they did but couldn’t transport it.

Eventually I paid a man with a van to come and take everything that was left. I thought he might save some, sell some, but no, everything got smashed up and thrown in the van.

It grieves me that my own collection of eccentric oddities, carvings, mementos from years traveling around the globe, might also go that way. My daughter gets my house when I go, so it’s not like she’ll actually need to clear it to sell. She lives in rental now but will be moving home with me eventually, as I will inevitably start to need help doing the basics of life.

There’s no IKEA in my place, almost everything is handmade in some far flung corner of the globe. I’d be gutted if I thought it would end up at the tip.

 

[badabec]

I’d be gutted if I thought it would end up at the tip.

That's the beauty of being dead, you won't know.

 

[Robotstar5]

When my mum went into residential care we decided to rent her house out to contribute towards the fees so me and my sisters went through the house removing anything worth saving, tried a couple of charity shops but they weren't interested so we got someone in to clear the lot to the tip.

 

[minimutly]

That's the beauty of being dead, you won't know.

The worse things were wedding anniversary mugs and such things, put away in a cupboard, then binned..
I will never allow Mrs mm but anyone that like that again..

 

[marlinspike]

Charity shops are increasingly picky. They won't take sofas without the fire label (understandable), won't take tables without chairs, many won't take clothes that are out of season because they don't have storage.
It's much harder to get rid of stuff than you think.

 

[Greeves246]

Friend drives a collections van for a charity shop and they weigh in books fo pulping by the thousand.

 

[Beanwood]

It's this one. I bought it used.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Goodbye-Things-Minimalist-Fumio-Sasaki-ebook/dp/B06XKNCCR6?ref_=ast_author_mpb

It's a slim volume but interesting. It's more about how he became happier with less than how to declutter.

It's not really about how to tidy up - for that you want Marie Kondo. Currently £1.99 on Kindle.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Effective-Clutter/dp/B01LWUHP5J/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=1M548S52PEAH5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xZn3maKUnzu66o-AUMNMbXidl2WIJH8tyfoopLQTk3aHOaGBnv4OUBQAUzy7NQTc3i1C3gSbusIXXUQsk_S3mIQ_70r4AB0MjBmQmIVxQj6IJ4nM5QB49KuO8LprBT9EzBbW9G3MBRi_xXrk9PlQPCftcXF-PNOaHFMxqbhoQI775R-x2v33U0xaG8Mh6W3hpuRc_dWBtGw371ihSQ5XDA.12tJZmVD7X5_V8OP8UcvK8jETBMkebZbH4-6QTePBT0&dib_tag=se&keywords=marie+kondo+life+changing+magic+of+tidying+up&qid=1738265948&sprefix=marie+kindo%2Caps%2C188&sr=8-1

Or buy it used, delivered for £3:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0091955106/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xZn3maKUnzu66o-AUMNMbXidl2WIJH8tyfoopLQTk3aHOaGBnv4OUBQAUzy7NQTc3i1C3gSbusIXXUQsk_S3mIQ_70r4AB0MjBmQmIVxQj6IJ4nM5QB49KuO8LprBT9EzBbW9G3MBRi_xXrk9PlQPCftcXF-PNOaHFMxqbhoQI775R-x2v33U0xaG8Mh6W3hpuRc_dWBtGw371ihSQ5XDA.12tJZmVD7X5_V8OP8UcvK8jETBMkebZbH4-6QTePBT0&qid=1738265948&sr=8-1

Or get it from the library so you can return it once read..

 

[jsf55]

My Mrs bought a cupboard too keep glasses and alcohol in that we don't drink or use thankfully it got in the way !

 

[badabec]

Nothing is for 'best'.
My cousin had a living room that no-one was allowed to go in. Brand new carpet, new furniture but no, you weren't allowed in.

 

[Robotstar5]

When my mum went into residential care we decided to rent her house out to contribute towards the fees so me and my sisters went through the house removing anything worth saving, tried a couple of charity shops but they weren't interested so we got someone in to clear the lot to the tip.

Just found a pic showing the contents of the shed that went to the tip, nice wooden chest but I had no where to put it

 

[Robotstar5]

Nothing is for 'best'.
My cousin had a living room that no-one was allowed to go in. Brand new carpet, new furniture but no, you weren't allowed in.

Probably a period thing, my Nan had a front room that no one was allowed to go into, all life took place in the big kitchen at the back of the house.

 

[Morrisman]

Charity shops are increasingly picky. They won't take sofas without the fire label (understandable), won't take tables without chairs, many won't take clothes that are out of season because they don't have storage.
It's much harder to get rid of stuff than you think.

Friend drives a collections van for a charity shop and they weigh in books fo pulping by the thousand.

We have really turned into a wasteful throwaway society.

 

[addjunkie]

Just found a pic showing the contents of the shed that went to the tip, nice wooden chest but I had no where to put it

View attachment 483103

We have really turned into a wasteful throwaway society.

We have, but in days gone by much of that wood in the above picture would have been recycled to heat the house!

 

[northwest]

You wouldn't believe the stuff that is now getting in my way (well actually you lot would) currently it is a little Warco Rolls, Guillotine, Folder thingy and a Dive compressor. I really need to put them somewhere they are not in the way!