"Death" cleaning

[medtran49]

I never knew this kind of cleaning out/sorting through things had a name until just recently when I was looking for plastic boxes/bins and wire baskets so I could clean out and organize our pantry and refrigerators/freezers and came across the name. It's recommended that you do this periodically starting in your mid 60s so you don’t leave a huge mess for your family to do when you pass, and so that a grieving spouse doesn't have to deal with it.

While working on the above, I got to thinking about all of Craig's tools and such, some of which are quite specialized due to his former line of work, which he can no longer do due to physical and mental issues. I have no idea what some of the tools are or how much they are worth, though I do know some were quite expensive. I mentioned our progress in the hobby thread and will copy that below. We've still got a lot to do with his stuff. After we're done with his stuff, I'm really going to work on going through my dollhouse stuff and organizing, which I have already been working on some. I also want to make a spreadsheet of the furniture and some of the other things because true to scale, quality dollhouse items can be quite pricey, and Craig or my girls would have no clue.

However, the pantry and the 2 refrigerator/freezers are done as of today. Nearly everything is in bins/boxes or baskets sorted by type so we don't have to bend over while looking for things, just pull out the bin/basket, look for what we need, then slide it back in. All I have left is the deep freeze, which I have very, very slowly been using food from and not putting anything in. My goal is to get rid of the deep freeze because we don't make food in quantity anymore and I don't like getting down in it, it's a chest type, to look for food because the cold makes my hands ache really bad.

Copied from other thread.

We've been doing some "death" cleaning, albeit very reluctantly for Craig because he's a bit of a hoarder, and I found a couple of old dollhouse needlework projects, a small tapestry and a rug for a large salon.

Still can't get Craig to get rid of things he'll no longer need. He has 3 large sets of mechanics tools that are almost all complete. There is a whole 12+ piece set of very large wrenches he'll never use again, plus a multitude of odds and ends tools as fill ins, most of which I have no idea what they are or how much they are worth. I did manage to get him to admit that he's not going to use the remainder of the pecan wood, logs with bark, that I brought home from Mississippi years ago for his BBQ, and there was a LOT of it left because my cousins-in-law loaded up my vehicle. He'd have to split and quarter the logs, plus remove some of the bark to use in the smoker and he's just not going to do that now.

I told him I'm not telling him to throw anything away or sell it, but to be honest with himself about whether he was ever going to use something again. It's working with some things, not so much others.

So, has anyone else done this type of cleaning or have any interest in doing so?

 

[karadekoolaid]

I had to go through my mum's bungalow when she passed. Absolutely astounded at what I found and, unfortunately, mostly useless for today's generation. Piles of blankets, curtains, a Doll's House, lampshades, old hall carpets, bedspreads and loads of crocheted items which were in glass frames. All went to (a) the charity shops or (b) to the dustbin/garbage. Two drawers full of perfumed/decorated stationery, lined envelopes, fountain pens... out. An entire cupboard full of sheet music and musical scores, some of which I managed to give away to my old university, but most of which went to OXFAM. Loads of stuff in the garage which my dad used for carpentry - given away. Piles of books, including some 19th century poetry books - OXFAM. Beautiful, hand illustrated children's books from the 1920s, 30s and 40s - no-one interested, and I even took them to specialist bookshops in London.
Such a shame, but that's the 2020s for you.

 

[JAS_OH1]

I've been thinking along these lines for awhile now to keep DH's children from having to deal with all of this when we die. There is just so much of good value that I'm sure they've no idea about the value of, and they don't like it when I bring up "when we die". So we need to scale it down for sure. Thank you for posting this.

 

[rascal]

I've been thinking along these lines for awhile now to keep DH's children from having to deal with all of this when we die. There is just so much of good value that I'm sure they've no idea about the value of, and they don't like it when I bring up "when we die". So we need to scale it down for sure. Thank you for posting this.

Weve just made our plans to be cremated and ashes to go with wifes ashes at John's rd cemetery.
When my mum died we rang salvation army to take everything. We took mementos.
The sallies looked after us as kids and it was our way of thanking them.
As medtran49 says I know Craig's diving stuff will be valuable so I have no idea. I personally have been slowly emptying my garage of stuff when space allows in the bin


Russ

 

[medtran49]

As medtran49 says I know Craig's diving stuff will be valuable so I have no idea. I personally have been slowly emptying my garage of stuff when space allows in the bin


Russ

It's not really his diving stuff, as most of it is obsolete now, though there are a few things, including both of our fin sets oddly enough, that are worth money because they were and are coveted even since back in the day, and are no longer made. And, our spear guns of course.

His tools for working on air compressors on mega yachts for ultra rich folks are the things I was writing about. You don't do cheap in materials or tools when working for those kinds of folks if you want repeat and new customers.

 

[Lullabelle]

My dad got rid of a lot of his stuff when they left the house and moved into a flat with limited space so when he passed it was pretty straight forward, a few trinkets left over from when mum passed but nothing much else mostly clothes.

 

[medtran49]

Never heard it called that before, seems a bit of a morbid title for sorting out your stuff.

I thought so too, but it seems to be a "thing" now. And, let's be honest, once you get into your mid 60s or later, that's exactly what it is.

 

[Lullabelle]

I thought so too, but it seems to be a "thing" now. And, let's be honest, once you get into your mid 60s or later, that's exactly what it is.

Last year we had a big clear out of all of our stuff, we were pretty brutal about it and intend to keep it up, only keep what we use/need otherwise it goes..charities did very well by us.

There does seem to be a lot of 'specialists' giving their own name/spin on this subject, at the end of the day it all boils down to 'getting rid of stuff you don't need'.

 

[Rocklobster]

When I bought my mother’s house I inherited it’s contents. At first I thought everything was valuable due to the fact of the sentimental value. Nobody in my family wanted anything. Maybe the odd little thing but that was about all. I couldn’t bring myself to throwing anything out at first but as time went by I started to realize that a lot of it was just useless and I could even hear my mother saying “ just give it away or throw it out” . She’d be the first one to admit it. Lol!

Once we hit our 60’s and beyond our adult kids have their own a houses full of junk.

 

[Lullabelle]

When I bought my mother’s house I inherited it’s contents. At first I thought everything was valuable due to the fact of the sentimental value. Nobody in my family wanted anything. Maybe the odd little thing but that was about all. I couldn’t bring myself to throwing anything out at first but as time went by I started to realize that a lot of it was just useless and I could even hear my mother saying “ just give it away or throw it out” . She’d be the first one to admit it. Lol!

Once we hit our 60’s and beyond our adult kids have their own a houses full of junk.

We don't have kids but we do have 2 nieces so we want to leave as little as possible for them to sort out when the time comes.