What To Do With a Loved One's Possessions After They Pass Away

What do you do when a loved one sadly passes away leaving behind a house full of possessions? It can be difficult to know where to start –and it will likely feel as though everything holds sentimental value. We don’t want you to feel lost when deciding what to do with a loved one’s possessions, so we’ve written this article to help.

1. Don’t feel rushed to go through their possessions - take your time and make decisions when you are ready

After a loved one passes, it can be tempting to immediately go through their possessions and sort through their belongings. However, it is important to give yourself time to grieve and process the loss before tackling this task. Sifting through a lifetime of memories can be overwhelming, and it is often best to wait until you are feeling more level-headed. In addition, rushing to clear out your loved one’s things can lead to decisions that you may later regret.

It is often best to take your time and consider each item carefully. This way, you can make sure that you are making decisions that you will be happy with in the future. So, if you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, remember to take your time before sorting through their possessions.

2. If you just need the possessions out of your house, a storage unit might help

It isn’t unusual when grieving to take the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach with a loved one's possessions. It can be difficult seeing their things around your home, but perhaps you aren’t quite ready to sort their possessions for good.

In this situation, we’d recommend renting a temporary storage unit so you can keep the items there until you are ready to deal with them. This gives you the chance to sort through your loved one’s belongings at your own pace, without having to worry about them taking up space in your mind or in your home.

Furthermore, storing the items can protect them for longer so the items are kept in good condition.

But be careful – you don’t want to pay for a unit that you’ll never want to empty out again. It is sensible to put a maximum time limit in your mind of how long you will need the unit for. Once you’re ready, you can proceed to sort the items however you see fit.

3. Ask friends or family for help

It’s important to remember that you don’t have to sort through a loved one's possessions on your own. There are several reasons why it can be helpful to ask friends and family for help.

It can provide a much-needed sense of support and connection during a difficult time. The encouragement and emotional support that friends and family members can offer you will make the task far less daunting.

On a more practical level, they can help with the physical tasks of moving things around at a time where you may feel yourself lacking energy. Your friends and family can really help keep things moving forward through this difficult time.

Finally, sharing this process with friends and family can be a way to honour your loved one’s memory by sharing their belongings with those who knew them best.

So if you’re struggling with the idea of clearing out your loved one’s possessions, don’t be scared of asking friends and family for their help.

4. Sort through everything and create piles of keep, donate and sell

Once you are ready to start clearing a loved one’s possessions, make a start by creating three piles: items to keep, items to donate, and items to sell.

As you sort through each item, think about whether it holds sentimental value, whether it is functional or usable, or whether it could be sold for a good price. Remember, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask other family members for their opinions – they may have different memories or attachments to certain items.

Once you’ve sorted everything into piles, take some time to check through your “keep” pile one more time and decide what you actually need to keep and what can be stored away, sold or donated. Be honest with yourself; if you’re not going to use or display and item, it may hold you back in the future.

Take your donation pile to the appropriate charity at your earliest convenience. Donating items is a great way to honour your loved one’s memory while also helping others in need.

Similarly, your sell pile also puts your loved one’s old items to good use, honouring their memory whilst also financially contributing at a difficult time. Many customers use SellMyThings to quickly and easily sell their loved one’s old possessions as they may not be in the right headspace to use a peer-to-peer site such as eBay.

Whatever pile your loved one’s possessions end up in, remember that there is no wrong answer – whatever brings you peace is the right choice.

5. Create a memorial area in your home where you can display photos and other memorabilia

By now you will have a range of items left which are sentimentally valuable to you, perhaps they help you to feel a special connection to the loved one who has passed away.

One idea is to create an area in your home for these items to be kept, alongside photos of happy moments with the person you have lost. This can help you to keep memories alive for longer and bring you comfort when you are struggling.

Remember, items don’t have to be valuable to hold sentimental value. Your family and friends would never judge you for the items you decide to keep. Ultimately, if something brings you comfort, it is perfect for the memorial area in your home.

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In conclusion, losing a loved one is one of the hardest experiences a person can go through – sometimes possessions left behind bring comfort, and other times they need clearing out earlier. We hope this article helps you to understand your feelings and preferences through this period of time.

Please remember there are many resources available to help you through grief. You can find support from charities such as Sue Ryder and speak to others who are struggling in their Bereavement Community, available here. Always remember there are people there who can offer you support, and please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you’ve found this article useful.

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