We are finally FINALLY going to put our house on the market. This is huge for us. Emotional, exciting and scary.
Nearly 8 years ago, a wonderful woman (Em) died and left us her home with everything in it. Everything. Not only that, but everything her best friend (Dee) who died 2 years before left HER. They were major packrats as well as collectors. We have collections ranging from stamps to belt buckles to books!
So this has been a crazy blessing, if there's such a thing. It has resulted in 7 years of sifting, sorting and boxing up. We've donated at least 25 truckloads to the Salvation Army and other charities!
How many truckloads of trash? Not much. Because we simply cannot decide what to do with all this! What on Earth does one do with other people's memories and treasures?
Our biggest issue seems to be finding family who will take the personal items of either women. Dee was an only child, Em just has a sister-in-law who only wants Em's brother's things. So that leaves us with boxes and boxes of photo albums, slides and movie reels.
It leaves me a little sad for both ladies. Neither had children (they viewed my husband as their own, in a way). However, they were really big into geneology, family history and family memories. I already donated all their geneology work back to the Geneological Society, so future seekers can find the research these women so diligently put together. There are numerous awards for both women. Who wants that though? I can't just throw it all away!
I have a nagging feeling that I must make sure everything in this house that we do not want to keep is carefully distributed to those who will continue to care for it.
Any suggestions? Dee's family seems to be the most difficult to find. Do we post something somewhere about it? Do we keep hanging on to her things? We have to do what is right!
***UPDATE***
Seriously, as I was finishing this up, my mother-in-law was able to locate Em's cousin! That is incredible! Whew!!! But we've still got Dee's stuff...
4 comments:
WOW! Try Craigs list, sounds odd but it works!!! It will work out for the best, and if not can you pare it down so that you can store it easily? I wish you the best of luck as it has taken me forever to do my own stuff let alone someone elses!!!!
If you need a place to dump old photo albums, pictures or books...I would love my house to be the dump. I am huge into other people's history...especially anything from the 20's thru the 40's. Email me if you have anything you'd like me to take off your hands (corimallott@gmail.com)...or email me anyways, I'd love to chat.
Also, congrats on selling the house! Where and when are y'all moving? Is this because of a job transfer or just to update? Either way, I wish you all the best!
just wanted to drop by to say happy mommy's day! hope you have a great one.
That's a lot of work Jenn...but it seems like you have it under control already.
Post a Comment