Tips for Sorting Through a Deceased Loved One’s Things

Updated on August 11, 2023
Tips for Sorting Through a Deceased Loved One's Things

It’s never easy facing the possessions of a lost loved one, especially if it was a recent loss. Yet, it’s necessary to preserve special items and essential assets. Pictures, videos, and other sentimental objects are worth keeping.

The possessions of a lost loved one are valuable. They can remind you of their personality and style. Sorting through their things can be very difficult, but it can also be quite cathartic.

There are still things you can learn about someone even if they’re gone. You may find new objects you didn’t know they had and feel more connected to them. To help you out, here are our tips for sorting through a deceased loved one’s things.

Go at a Relaxed Pace

You shouldn’t rush the process or feel pressure to look through their things. Instead, take a leisurely approach when you sort through their stuff. You have plenty of time to gather your thoughts when going through this process.

It’s beneficial to take it slow if your loved one has many possessions. There may be dozens of boxes for you to sort through. After all, it’s easy to accrue many objects through a lifetime.

If there’s a ton of stuff, take a piecemeal approach. You can take a day or two to look through the small stuff and then move on to the bigger things.

Back Up Photos and Videos

The chances are high that you’ll want to keep photos or videos you find. That’s one of the most powerful ways to remember someone and never forget their face.

VHS tapes, DVDs, and pictures all have lifespans. But digital files never expire, which is why you should consider digitally backing up these old photos and videos. Doing so will ensure that they stick around forever.

Don’t Force Yourself To Keep Everything

It’s normal to feel a bit guilty when throwing some things out, but it’s important not to feel this way. You only have a limited amount of storage space at your home, and you can’t keep it all. For this reason, don’t hesitate to get rid of anything that you don’t want or need. To make this process slightly easier, you could hire a removal company like this rubbish removal st kilda firm, to help declutter and remove any larger items, such as furniture, that you would like to get rid of. Of course you do not need to throw everything of your loved ones belongings away, it is important to keep things around that remind you of them, so don’t put pressure on yourself to remove everything at once! Clearing a loved ones room can take weeks to years, you should do this at your own pace to help you cope with their loss.

These are our tips for sorting through a deceased loved one’s things. Once you start the process, you’ll feel relief from finally getting to it. Remember to take it easy, back up all your photos and videos, and get rid of things as necessary.

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