How to Sort Through a Deceased Person’s Belongings.
Talk about an overwhelming process! When you go through a parent or other loved one's belongings, not only are there memories hiding behind every corner, grief can make decision making really hard. Here are a few tips for getting started.
1. Enlist a friend or other family member - someone you feel comfortable with and can cry in front of, but who will also bring you food. I can’t emphasize this point strongly enough. It is immensely important to have someone you can chat with while going through your loved one’s belongings. If you don’t do anything else on this list, do this one. Read more about “Tips for Being More Organized” on our blog page now!
2. Start by throwing out anything that is obviously garbage.
3. If there are any family members who are the same size as the deceased, let them go through the clothes to see if there is anything they would like to keep. After that, consider donating their clothes to that charity.
4. Take breaks! Unless there is a rush because the deceased lived in an apartment and you want to clear their space before the end of the month, take your time.
5. Drink water and eat. (Something that gets forgotten a lot after a loss)
6. Have a tote that you can put things in that are highly sentimental. It's a tricky balance between keeping what is important to you and keeping too much. Err on keeping too much for now. You can always get rid of it tomorrow, but by seeing it all together in a tote, you can see how much you are keeping.
Going through a deceased person's belongings can be ROUGH, but it can also be a great way to process your grief, come to terms with your loss, remember a lot of memories, and acknowledge the life that was lived.
If you are scared of going through your deceased loved one's belongings or if doing so has made you realized you need to talk, please don't hesitate to reach out. We are here to support your grief journey without pressure, judgment, or rush. Call our grief counselling expert and begin your healing now!