Tips for sorting through a parent's things....

After spending 3 days helping sort through my Mom's things when she moved out of her house…
1. If the parent is alive and doing this with you, your job is to keep them focused on the task at hand. Starting at one end and methodically moving through, continually asking: (a) Does this go with you, (b) does this go to someone, (c) is this trash or (d) does this go to the auction (see below for further clarification on this option). It is very easy to get distracted by memories and memorabilia and if you hop from room to room, you never seem to get anywhere. It was clear that several haphazard attempts had been made before I arrived. I was like a drill sergeant… starting in one room and staying with it until we finished that room and moved to the next.
2. If there is anything (other than a verifiable valuable antique) that someone in the family wants -- Just give it to them. It is not worth the hassle of having an auction sale. The time and the trouble one goes through on that is generally not worth what you recoup.
Lorlee Bartos