Death clean

[Treetotal]

I have to admit that I too feel a sense of outrage when I hear of people selling things that have been handed down on the basis that The kids aren't interested I wasn't interested in my grandma's old things when I was younger much to my regret  They may not want it now but in years to come they too may regret their lack of interest in family treasures just like I did.
When my Mil was diagnosed with a terminal illness, despite being asked by family not to part with anything without first asking if they would want it, she systematically got rid of things to the charity shop by the bag load. When we cleared out the house after she passed away there wasn't any BMD certificates except her own, no personal documents and most of the old photos had also been disposed of. My husband was most upset that a monogrammed decorative police truncheon that had been promised to him, dated 1869 that belonged to his Great Grandfather wasn't found.
I have offered both my children things that belonged their Great Grandparents and they have put them away for safe keeping.
I too believe that clearing out the possessions of deceased parents can be very cathartic....my Sister and I both laughed and cried when we did it together in stages as and when we felt ready. I wouldn't have had it any other way. We jointly made the decision to keep what we wanted and to send what we didn't to the charity shop.

Carol

[mike175]

Now almost everybody can take photos by the hundred on their smartphones I think the younger generation have less respect for them and treat them as disposable items. I doubt if more than a tiny fraction of them even get printed in the first place.

I guess we have to accept that many people don't feel such a strong bond with their ancestors as RC members, but it does seem heartless to just clear out the house and burn everything with no monetary value without consulting other family members as I have seen done in the case of one of my in-laws.

Mike.

[Treetotal]

May I suggest you don’t write in pencil on the back of photos, not only can this damage the face of the photo but also the writing can easily be erased by rubbing over time.

Most sites that talk about writing on the back of old photos recommend using a soft lead pencil and pressing lightly. I have some photos that my grandparents labelled in this way over 100 years ago and the writing is still very clear.

I agree Jan...as a collector of Carte de Visites and Cabinet cards...many have annotations in pencil that are from the 1800s.

Carol

[Ruskie]

I suppose I look at it slightly differently as I have been interested in "old stuff" since I was a teenager, and my house is full of things I have collected over the years, some of them family pieces and some purchased. (I suppose I should be grateful to those who have decluttered their own homes so that I could clutter mine sith their unwanted items)  I am lucky that my OH shares the passion.

My daughters are both interested in my "stuff", one more than the other, though there are a lot of things they are not keen on, and I'm sure they might eventually sell. That is fine with me as they were recently acquired. I am confident that everything of sentimental value will be kept.

Like many people I remember some of the things in elderly relatives homes, which have disappeared over the years, and I would do anything to have them today. In fact some of it I know one of my daughters would adore.