Decluttering whilst Grieving
It is a terrible fact of life that when your loved one passes away, their possessions become your responsibility. Decluttering whilst grieving is never easy and it can take a long time to decide when to start the declutter process. For expats, there is sometimes an urgency to go through the items of your loved one if you have to move from your current location, especially if you have to downsize or leave the country. You could always box the items and store them for a while, but one day they have to be reviewed.When you do decide to start decluttering, there are a few steps that you can take to make burden of decluttering whilst grieving easier: When do you start the declutter process?For many it can seem disrespectful to touch your loved one's items. You are going through their life without their permission. But it has to be done.You decide when you are ready to start the process.When my uncle passed away, we had a deadline to clear his place in agreement with the landlord. I was able to help for a few days, before I flew back to Dubai. I helped to declutter items that held no emotional connection to my mother. Any items such as letters, business documents were organized for my mother to review when ready. Where to Start?First decide what you will do with the space? Will it be reused for another purpose, will the property be split between the family and sold?Start with the areas that are less personal and that you are not likely to keep. I usually start with the kitchen, decluttering the food that we don't want to take, cutlery and old saucepans. Leave the nice crockery for later. Another easy area is bathrooms and toiletries. What to Keep? You might know from early on what you want to keep? Fancy dishes, special clothes, pictures and awards might be high up on your list. Check what other family members want to keep as well and create a list which you can refer to during the declutter process.Start decluttering the items you definitely don't want to keep. Any items that are broken, won't be used, bring bad memories or are just plain junk can definitely be decluttered. With items you don't want to keep, see if you can donate them to a charity, give them to friends or someone who will appreciate the items or sell them.There isn't a great antique market here, but there are places in the UK and USA you can contact to see if they can value them for you before you give them away.Piles of magazines always seem to be found. If they are not too old and valuable, send them for recycling to create some decluttered space in the area quickly and easily.Then you are left with items you are not sure about. If it is too difficult to decide, box the items up and make a note to review them again in 6 months or a year. You can always leave them in storage until that date. Ask for HelpHave someone who is supportive and caring to help you go through the items. If it is likely that your family will get upset going through the items, ask a third party such a professional organizer to come and help you. They can provide support, but with no emotional connection to your loved one, they can give logical advice to help you declutter the items. Be Gentle With YourselfDecluttering your loved one's items is not an easy task so be gentle with yourself. It will be normal to stop and start decluttering the items. Start with the non-emotional stuff to help you start the process.Even if you would like to keep a lot of the stuff, remember that you don't want to clutter up your own home with the items. It is hard to face disposing of your loved ones items, but many items will no longer be of value to anyone, but the original owner.If you cannot face decluttering alone and need some unbiased help contact us at anytime to help you start the decluttering process. 