Identifying and Protecting Sentimental Keepsakes Before a House Clearance
When a close relative passes away, there's often so much to organise and do that it barely feels as if you have time to grieve. It's one of the most stressful, upsetting things you can experience, so any extra help you can get is invaluable.
One of the things that sometimes makes it all more difficult is when the person who died was the last of their household. This often means the property will be sold, which in turn means it needs to be emptied.
If it's too big a job, or there are potentially valuable items like antiques but you don't know what to do with them, a deceased estates clearance company is the best way to go. As part of your preparation for the property being cleared, make sure you isolate and protect anything you want to keep.
Important items and keepsakes
It's always nice to have something to remember someone by after they pass away. Make sure you don't regret anything being sold or thrown away, and talk to other family members to see if there's anything they want.
Photographs
Some of the most important family keepsakes for a lot of people are all those old photos, some of which may already have been passed down through a few generations. Check thoroughly in drawers, between books and anywhere else someone may have tucked a picture away. If there are a lot of loose prints, put them into albums as soon as you can.
Collectibles
If there are a lot of antiques in the house, you might want to check that there are none you'd like to keep. If the person collected a particular thing, keeping an item from their collection is a nice way to remember them.
Jewellery
Sometimes the most valuable things a person owns are among the smallest. Check carefully for any misplaced jewellery.
Personal items
Remember to look for letters, notebooks, diaries, and anything else you'd like to remember the person by.
Keeping everything safe
Once you've worked out what needs to be kept, it's important to make sure it doesn't accidentally get taken by the clearance team. If it does, it could be difficult to get back.
Removing it from the property
If you have another storage space, getting items off the property to be cleared is the best way to protect them. It only has to be temporary storage until you can arrange something else; garages and attics are useful here.
Labelling
When there's nowhere else to store the items, label them clearly. Using large, coloured labels helps draw attention to them, but make sure you let the clearance team know, too.
Separating it completely
If you can find an empty room or space inside the house, put the items there with a sign that clearly states they're to be left behind.