Nothing will be more emotionally straining than when you lose a loved one. Once things have settled a bit you may have to contend with sorting through belongings or even selling the family home. Here are a few ideas to help you deal with the project in your own time.
Review the Will
Some people make the mistake of beginning to clear away belongings without double checking the will. Once you have a complete inventory of any items in the will take care of those items first and contact the people in question or have the lawyer do it for you. You can then make a list of the remaining items so you know what you are up against.
Deal with Your Grief
Give yourself time to deal with your grief before you try to tackle entering the person’s home and being faced with so many memories. Once you have times to come to terms with the death, bring someone along who you feel close to so that you have someone to lean on when you visit the home. If it is a parent you have lost have siblings join you so you can take the time to sort through items together and see if there is anything that has sentimental value that they might want to keep.
Use Labels and Charities
If family does not get along you might want to include the lawyer who handled the will to manage any disputes. Go through the home and label items with people’s names who are taking them, things that will be kept to offer to family and friends and things that can be tossed. Then speak to family members and see if anyone is interested in coming by to claim any of the items in good condition. Tell them it is first come first served before a certain date. Anything that is left can then be donated to charity or you could even sell them to go towards funeral or lawyer costs. Don’t forget about non-perishable foods that can also be donated to local food banks.
When you are at the mortuary in San Diego families use you don’t want to worry about anything but mourning the lost of your loved one. Once that is behind you it will be easier to deal with the details of their belongings.
