Decuttering After Loss
Organization and Action Steps to Organize and Declutter After a Loss
When someone has passed away, letting go of their things can be difficult. There are practical steps, however, to let go of things and make the process smoother and faster. It sounds sad, but it needs to be done. Having a family member or best friend, even a professional, help clean out someone’s house with respect is a great gift. Keep only the things that give you happy memories. Look to The Uncluttered Life’s Declutter Deck® for tips and tricks about home organization.
Organization
There is no set amount of time to wait before decluttering after a loss. Sometimes there may be a deadline if the house needs to be listed on the market or an apartment was leased and the lease is going to expire.
You don’t want to keep things of the person who passed away. You want to keep the connection to them. This is where some people get confused.
Keeping the things of a loved one will not fix past grudges, childhood wounds or bring them back.
Something is worth only as much as what someone will pay for it. Just because the item or furniture, for example, is old doesn’t make it valuable.
Everyone grieves differently. Try not to take things personally. A person facing a loss is dealing with a lot of mixed emotions.
Action Steps
If the spouse continues to live in the home, get rid of medical things as quickly as possible. It’s better to remember someone as healthy than sick in their final days.
Don’t fight with family over items that someone may want to keep. The fight is not about things. People are in pain and grieving and this comes out in different ways.
Get your estate in order and decide who you are giving what to to avoid family arguments.
Try to donate or give away to friends as much as possible. But, do not overwhelm friends who might feel obligated to take things. Give one or two things unless otherwise asked.
Don’t do the decluttering process alone. Get help. Sometimes this requires professional help. Have a goal and set a timeline. Who will be doing what aspect of each function?
Sometimes a storage unit is necessary, but give yourself a timeline to sort things out. It’s best not to keep too much and pay monthly for a storage unit.