Be glad. I have heard horror stories from people spending over a year cleaning out the accumulation of their parents’ lifetime after they died because they did not want to move out of their home. It is slow and I imagine sometime painful.
My mom has spent most of the past year going through her house and getting rid of things she doesn’t need. She said she’s doing it so my sister and I won’t have to. Just makes me sad.
So just last week when Elly wanted her father to move out east to be closer to her, did she think they were going to keep their old house in order to do that?
I spent 2017-2018 going through my parent’s house and packing or selling stuff. Turned out to be the best idea ever. The rooms I had cleared got flooded during Harvey, so we did not lose all the pictures, video tapes and special furniture.
I remember when my parents moved from our 5-bedroom house to a tiny 1-bedroom independent living senior apartment. There were so many things I wanted to take with me, but our own tiny apartment didn’t have space. This included my mother’s beloved china teacup collection (most of them from me, anyway). I just picked a few personal favorites. I still have them.
Those pirates are on a roll. Its nice to have Wise elders under the children’s roof though. Mine never were left in a nursing home. We were so blessed to have our grandparents every time we needed them they were there. My brother having to sell their house broke our spirits but we just have to accept the consequences love and devotion deal us. My mom used to always say that its better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. Makes us all sad Allisha but that same love has been worth living for in itself.
It seems to be an irresistible urge to collect stuff we might need while we are young and to get rid of stuff we don’t use when we get older. I don’t know when that switch flips, but I have felt it snap.
Went through this when mom sold our house to downsize. It was a great idea but sad too. She got rid of a lot but there is still stuff we will have to go through when the time comes.
My father never sold. He lived in the house for 18 years after my mom died. When he passed, it fell to me, living in another state, to clear it out (it took over a year) and sell it. And now I look at Google Earth — the buyer bulldozed the lot, and is in the process of building something new. When I saw that… it hurts.
Did they have senior living apartment complexes in those days? Better for them than another whole house and the property care that goes with. There are senior apartment places now with assisted living arrangements. Either would give them the independence they want.
We’ve downsized to a condo, and I also cleared out my parents’ house. My advice: be brutal and quick, and take pictures. Really, your siblings and children would rather have a picture of that old chair grandpa sat in, than the chair itself.
In the end, we made a big pile of all the stuff from my parents’ house that was “must keep”, and we had a draft lottery like the NFL. The first picks were all things people wanted. But by the time we got to the later rounds, we had to force each other to take stuff. I remember saying “everybody had to now choose at least one set of the designer plates”, since nobody wanted them any more (they didn’t fetch much on Ebay, either).
So my advice again: do it quickly, brutally, and take pictures. And anybody who didn’t help do the work can just shut up about it.
The upside of the peregrine existences my wife and I had as children is there is no “childhood home” or even “where we grew up.” We have memories (which the other can’t picture) but no baggage. It isn’t really sad.
If the memories you have of the place you grew up aren’t good, there’s no desire to go back there. I don’t care if I ever see my late parents’ house again.
My mom did that with my dad’s stuff and he passed, even with flowers for his service trashed those. Then when she passed us kids had lot of her stuff as she like to collect pretty dolls and bells, The dolls and bells never sold. We had to sell everything in the house. I was surprised dad always had gas furnace, took 4 years finally sold, this house in metro town and home insurance not found of furnace. Also gas dryer finally sold after 4 years.The house we remolded and now a rental. That was really hard to do.
I’m a Deep Space 9 fan. This reminds of when Odo said “you humans spend your life’s collecting useless junk and when you die your family sells it all and use the money to do the exact same thing”.
she was the one who suggested they should move closer to her so she should be happy that they decided the time was right. i had to go through my parents house when my mom went into long term care; my dad had died years earlier. amazing to find old receipts that were 40-60 years old. brought back memories of happier times.
My wife, who is smart and efficient in every other way, is a pack-rat of the medium-large severity. Can’t throw anything away! Well, most anything. I’ve threatened her with hiring one of those downsizing experts so we can get out of this large size house we don’t need any more. The threat hasn’t done any good yet.
We downsized severely when we moved into an RV. But even now, in our new condo we have one whole bedroom designated as storage plus a large storage unit full. Most of it is just mementos and memories.
I helped my wife, her brother, and sisters clean out their parents house. It was a day of sadness, tears, joy and laughter. Each item, saved or tossed seem to bring back another memory.
Are you sad to see mementos that may be gone, or facing mom’s mortality? My parents are both gone now… anniversary of my dad’s passing is tomorrow, in fact
I’ve been doing something similar too. My mother kept everything and it took me a couple of years sorting through what should be kept and what to discard.
Templo S.U.D. over 3 years ago
what a eureka moment for Elly there at the end
TexTech over 3 years ago
Be glad. I have heard horror stories from people spending over a year cleaning out the accumulation of their parents’ lifetime after they died because they did not want to move out of their home. It is slow and I imagine sometime painful.
AllishaDawn over 3 years ago
My mom has spent most of the past year going through her house and getting rid of things she doesn’t need. She said she’s doing it so my sister and I won’t have to. Just makes me sad.
howtheduck over 3 years ago
So just last week when Elly wanted her father to move out east to be closer to her, did she think they were going to keep their old house in order to do that?
JD'Huntsville'AL over 3 years ago
So does this mean the parents are going to move closer to her?
Baarorso over 3 years ago
Better get over there Ellie before they sell off something you REALLY REALLY want!
Johnnyrico over 3 years ago
Ah, yes… the Great Canadian Fire Sale…
GirlGeek Premium Member over 3 years ago
I mean it’s what you want isn’t it?
rae.callaway Premium Member over 3 years ago
I spent 2017-2018 going through my parent’s house and packing or selling stuff. Turned out to be the best idea ever. The rooms I had cleared got flooded during Harvey, so we did not lose all the pictures, video tapes and special furniture.
Wren Fahel over 3 years ago
I remember when my parents moved from our 5-bedroom house to a tiny 1-bedroom independent living senior apartment. There were so many things I wanted to take with me, but our own tiny apartment didn’t have space. This included my mother’s beloved china teacup collection (most of them from me, anyway). I just picked a few personal favorites. I still have them.
Coydog1 over 3 years ago
Those pirates are on a roll. Its nice to have Wise elders under the children’s roof though. Mine never were left in a nursing home. We were so blessed to have our grandparents every time we needed them they were there. My brother having to sell their house broke our spirits but we just have to accept the consequences love and devotion deal us. My mom used to always say that its better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. Makes us all sad Allisha but that same love has been worth living for in itself.
vaughnrl2003 Premium Member over 3 years ago
It seems to be an irresistible urge to collect stuff we might need while we are young and to get rid of stuff we don’t use when we get older. I don’t know when that switch flips, but I have felt it snap.
nmb41 over 3 years ago
Went through this when mom sold our house to downsize. It was a great idea but sad too. She got rid of a lot but there is still stuff we will have to go through when the time comes.
Johnnyrico over 3 years ago
Be glad, Elly. The alternative is that they live there until they die, and then you’ve got a massive mess on your hands..
pshapley Premium Member over 3 years ago
My father never sold. He lived in the house for 18 years after my mom died. When he passed, it fell to me, living in another state, to clear it out (it took over a year) and sell it. And now I look at Google Earth — the buyer bulldozed the lot, and is in the process of building something new. When I saw that… it hurts.
s_birkemeyer_2015 over 3 years ago
My parents had a house fire. A lot of their stuff burned, but some things survived. Both passed away shortly after. I miss them every day.
mjjk1985 over 3 years ago
It is, but trust me, you’ll thank her later. It’s harder after they’re gone.
hakuin over 3 years ago
Be grateful they are selling the house willingly, and not being forced due to foreclosure.
ajakimber425 over 3 years ago
Well, that’s what you wanted them to do, isn’t it?!
ottowald over 3 years ago
I’ve been trying to get my wife to do this for years. So far no luck. I feel bad for our kids.
summerdog over 3 years ago
Did they have senior living apartment complexes in those days? Better for them than another whole house and the property care that goes with. There are senior apartment places now with assisted living arrangements. Either would give them the independence they want.
ZBicyclist Premium Member over 3 years ago
We’ve downsized to a condo, and I also cleared out my parents’ house. My advice: be brutal and quick, and take pictures. Really, your siblings and children would rather have a picture of that old chair grandpa sat in, than the chair itself.
In the end, we made a big pile of all the stuff from my parents’ house that was “must keep”, and we had a draft lottery like the NFL. The first picks were all things people wanted. But by the time we got to the later rounds, we had to force each other to take stuff. I remember saying “everybody had to now choose at least one set of the designer plates”, since nobody wanted them any more (they didn’t fetch much on Ebay, either).
So my advice again: do it quickly, brutally, and take pictures. And anybody who didn’t help do the work can just shut up about it.
flagmichael over 3 years ago
The upside of the peregrine existences my wife and I had as children is there is no “childhood home” or even “where we grew up.” We have memories (which the other can’t picture) but no baggage. It isn’t really sad.
Alberta Oil Premium Member over 3 years ago
Always a tragic moment..
MIHorn Premium Member over 3 years ago
If the memories you have of the place you grew up aren’t good, there’s no desire to go back there. I don’t care if I ever see my late parents’ house again.
kab2rb over 3 years ago
My mom did that with my dad’s stuff and he passed, even with flowers for his service trashed those. Then when she passed us kids had lot of her stuff as she like to collect pretty dolls and bells, The dolls and bells never sold. We had to sell everything in the house. I was surprised dad always had gas furnace, took 4 years finally sold, this house in metro town and home insurance not found of furnace. Also gas dryer finally sold after 4 years.The house we remolded and now a rental. That was really hard to do.
raybarb44 over 3 years ago
Unintended consequences of her ideas…..
Cincoflex over 3 years ago
While it’s the right decision, it IS annoying her dad couldn’t decide when Ellie was, you know, actually THERE.
ILK over 3 years ago
I’m a Deep Space 9 fan. This reminds of when Odo said “you humans spend your life’s collecting useless junk and when you die your family sells it all and use the money to do the exact same thing”.
j.l.farmer over 3 years ago
she was the one who suggested they should move closer to her so she should be happy that they decided the time was right. i had to go through my parents house when my mom went into long term care; my dad had died years earlier. amazing to find old receipts that were 40-60 years old. brought back memories of happier times.
zarilla over 3 years ago
My wife, who is smart and efficient in every other way, is a pack-rat of the medium-large severity. Can’t throw anything away! Well, most anything. I’ve threatened her with hiring one of those downsizing experts so we can get out of this large size house we don’t need any more. The threat hasn’t done any good yet.
Buckeye67 over 3 years ago
My parents moved when I was overseas in the army, and yes, they did tell me where they moved to.
BlitzMcD over 3 years ago
Another example in the final panel as to why the ex-hippie is so full of beans. The problem is that it resonates a bit too close to home…..
Jan C over 3 years ago
We downsized severely when we moved into an RV. But even now, in our new condo we have one whole bedroom designated as storage plus a large storage unit full. Most of it is just mementos and memories.
kamoolah over 3 years ago
Now April and Marian are at the ages where they will be soiling themselves. Talk about a double whammy for Elly.
asrialfeeple over 3 years ago
Life is not without painful moments.
MCProfessor over 3 years ago
I helped my wife, her brother, and sisters clean out their parents house. It was a day of sadness, tears, joy and laughter. Each item, saved or tossed seem to bring back another memory.
flyintheweb over 3 years ago
Are you sad to see mementos that may be gone, or facing mom’s mortality? My parents are both gone now… anniversary of my dad’s passing is tomorrow, in fact
hagarthehorrible over 3 years ago
Childhood memories of parents house is cherished by one and all.
JoanHelen over 3 years ago
I’ve been doing something similar too. My mother kept everything and it took me a couple of years sorting through what should be kept and what to discard.