Cleaning Out a House

When a loved one passes away, what have you done with their belongings?

Mom and I have been cleaning out my grandmother's house along with my Great Aunt and cousin.  We only spend a few hours a day when we do work b/c it is a little overwhelming. We began in one room and have worked our way through the house.  We have been through almost everything at this point with just a few spots/cabinets left.  We have found all kinds of things--some we remember, some that brought back memories, some that brought about stories new to me, some that were flat out trash, and some are items that someone else will have better use.  Now that we have been through everything, we have begun sorting and setting up for a garage or estate sale. We have donated many items. We've put a few other non-sellable or non-giveaway items on the curb. We've had tons of trash and items to recycle.

We have kept personal items that we want ourselves or to pass to the great grandchildren, but there is so much more.

Tips:
1. When you take pictures, be sure you label each one with a name and date.  Location would be nice too.  Granny always did that, and now we know who all the people are back to great, great grandparents.
2. Start cleaning now.  Don't leave a house of stuff for your loved ones to sort through and about which to make decisions.
3. Make sure there is a Will and that it is exactly what the deceased wanted and someone knows the wishes and carry them out.
4. Record family members telling stories.  Granny used to tell stories all the time, and now I wish we had recorded them.
5. Give yourself plenty of time to go through things and make decisions.