Losing someone you love will never be easy. You have to change your life and live with the fact that he or she will never be with you again. Although it is hard, it’s never impossible to get your life together again. But before you do, it’s important to take care of the belongings of your loved one first. Doing so will help you move on faster from your loss. Shown below are some tips on how to do just that.
Compose Yourself And Gather Supplies For The Task
The first thing you must realize is that it could take months before you are emotionally capable of tackling a project which ranks among one of life’s most stressful experiences so prepare yourself mentally because cleaning out a deceased loved one’s home is never easy. Before you begin the process, take a deep breath and pace yourself as you prepare to clean out the bedroom or closet of someone you love who has passed on and make sure to gather supplies necessary to complete the daunting task taking small comfort in knowing that ultimately you will get through the experience. Acquire plenty of boxes and use permanent markers to label them, “Keep,” “Discard/Trash,” and “Donate,”. Also, get gloves, and garbage bags. You will want to ask friends and family to come support and help you with this difficult step along the grieving process. You will need to schedule a day without interruptions, setting aside time for breaks and assembling snacks and beverages for everyone involved before you begin as well as getting a good night’s rest before the experience.
Allow Yourself As Much Time As You Need To Grieve
The amount of time needed between the death of a loved one and the ability to decide what to do with the personal belongings that may hold such dear memories of the deceased will vary based on many factors, including the relationship of the loss, such as friends and acquaintances versus family and spouse or partner. Never let others judge or insult you for how long or little time period passes before you feel ready to take on the burden of handling the belongings of a loved one who recently passed away. The professionals at https://www.truelegacyhomes.com/estate-liquidators/ suggest that adequate time be taken before offloading property of the deceased. If there are no external pressures that require rapid closure, such as selling a home, wait until you feel strong enough to handle the onslaught of memories that come with the task of parting with items that hold cherished memories of a life lost.
Create Order and Harmony During Time of Heartbreak
Find a special place to hold or display the treasured objects you keep to remember your loved one with honor and then find the strength to dispose of those things that aren’t either immediately useful or sentimentally important to you. As you sort through things and set them aside, make sure not to allow boxes to become mingled with keepsakes and heirlooms. To avoid feeling compelled to sort through everything again just to make sure nothing is lost, strive to only handle everything once by clearly labeling which bags and boxes you will donate to which charity or friends and family.
It’s a Task Not Your Job
If a relative or close friend of the deceased has requested something in particular, like a book, vase, sporting equipment or work of art pass it along if you wish and you feel it may help them deal with the grieving process and try to mail or deliver it personally that same day. However, if you are unsure of who to send unsolicited or unrequested items to for safekeeping and honoring the memory of the deceased, realize that if you haven’t sent the item after a week, you should think about donating it to charity and take solace in knowing that the universe will find the right person who needs the items you give away.
Set Concrete Limits of How Much to Keep
Tackle the project in steps by creating limits in specific categories, such as collections, books, clothing, gym equipment, records, and electronic equipment it will be easier for you to choose what is most important and keep you from feeling overwhelmed with sheer quantities of all the stuff surrounding you in the process.
Finally, make sure to realize that handling the belongings of a loved one who passed away is both exhausting and traumatic so don’t try to do it all at once and don’t feel guilty about donating or discarding things. Remember it’s not your job to find a happy home for everything left behind by anyone, it’s a task so try to get it over with as soon as possible so that you can go on living your own life without sweating the small stuff. Always keep in mind that just as each relationship is unique, so too is each journey of grief and loss. In the end, what’s most important is the cherished memories you keep of your lost loved one, not the material things they acquired along their journey.
