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One of my friends lost his wife two years ago and a year later passed away from a heart attack out in his shop...
Thing is he as an accountant and loved to work on things for a hobby... he passed at age 86...
His kids said everything was so organized... even had receipt folders filed for all his woodworking tools, cars, etc... passwords, bank and investment accounts.
So they had a 3200 square foot home, several cars, a 2,000 square foot shop on 2 acres...
Everything was paid for and about as no clutter as I have ever seen... no closet bursting at the seems or searching for important items...
His wife had a family heirloom folder with pictures and descriptions...
They had written a note to their 3 daughters and in it is said what ever they think best... with no strings...
Dad even had a note saying a friend had offered to buy his shop tool and for how much and a contact number...
I can only hope to be so organized!!!
PS... the will said they had nothing hidden away... I mention this because a widower was in the news because he had stashed bonds and cash in his old freezer no one knew when they had it hauled away... only came about when a note was found in the family bible after the fact.
This is the way to go - have as much stuff as you want, but keep it organized. It's the clutter that gets on people's nerves.
What motivated/motivates me are the consequences of NOT getting rid of all the 'stuff'. I am the child of a hoarder and I cared for my elderly parents till they died. I started getting rid of 'stuff' years before I actually retired. All my parent's moves except for the last 2 were corporate. That made it too easy for my mom to just take everything. And by the time they ended up at my house it was just a habit. I remember my parents moving firewood...
I paid for dumpster sized extra trash pickups several times. And I should have done more of it! Then what was left after they died eventually ended up at my house. In the interim my H(also a bit of a hoarder) died. It took me 5 YEARS to be able to get a car in my garage and all the boxes out of the house. Ongoing nightmare!!!! I am still getting rid of stuff regularly.
If not being willing to spend the money motivates you that's actually a good thing. Anything that makes you get rid of 'stuff' that doesn't serve you anymore is to be applauded. Not doing this just makes a bigger mess that either you or your heirs will be forced to deal with!
I bought an estate home... the only heir was a niece on the opposite Coast... all they were interested in was cash...
My offer was accepted because I bought it as-is with all contents left behind... the local charity made out real well with the donations... I did keep a piano Mom wanted and some antiques.
In cleaning up I found some stock certificates and forwarded them to the estate lawyer... it was the right thing to do.
Did find about $400 in cash... it did keep that as I had bought the contents...
I was promised the old crank Victrola... which I did like... turns out the niece decided she wanted it... I took to one of those shipping places... think with was $200 to ship the table top model...
My point is the clutter really was no burden to the heirs at all... they walked through and that was that...
I got stuck with a bunch of stuff when my in-law died because DH wanted it. Things I would never have in my house. I have decided, if DH passes first, all this stuff is going to DSiL, whether she wants it or not. She can dispose of it however she wants. When my MiL was ailing and going into hospital / nursing home / to not return home, we cleared out her little apartment. SiL said go by and bring all those boxes home before the brother just throws it all out. It was a lot of pictures, etc. that needed to be gone through, plus small valuables. Now MiL is gone and I am stuck with all this stuff.
I have already given my daughters permission to toss anything they do not want if they have to clean out our stuff. Neither of my kids are sentimental, and for the most part I am not either. Isn't it ironic that in a world full of poverty, a major problem for many of us is too...much...stuff.
Again you are focusing on the wrong point of my point. There is nothing wrong with being self described cheap and I had no problem with you using his word, apologies as I can see my post was not clear. The part that bothered me is when you jumped on him with the condescending " then you neither get nor deserve any sympathy" as you lectured others on how they should be spending their money. Again how is this any different then me spending an hour changing old radiator hoses on my truck last weekend? I can afford the mechanic, I chose to spend $50 instead of $140 by doing it myself. There is nothing wrong with either approach.
And you're focusing on the wrong part of mine, lol.
To answer your bolded question above: The difference is that you didn't create a thread complaining about the work involved in changing the radiator hoses and warning others not to attempt to do so. See the difference?
Once again, there is absolutely nothing wrong with choosing to perform a chore oneself instead of spending the money to have it done for you. The issue is, has been, and remains, complaining about the time and effort involved in accomplishing the work when one has the resources to pay a professional to do it.
Isn't it ironic that in a world full of poverty, a major problem for many of us is too...much...stuff.
I was not going to write the same...
Over the years I have hosted students from other countries and many have commented on what Americans throw away... unbelievable that some can have so much and others nothing.
Once a year the city has a bulk pickup... just happened we had two guests from South America... they couldn't believe the 10 speed bikes, appliances, televisions that were not flat screens and tons of exercise equipment, tables, books, etc...
We really do have a first world problem when it comes to excess...
I got stuck with a bunch of stuff when my in-law died because DH wanted it. Things I would never have in my house. I have decided, if DH passes first, all this stuff is going to DSiL, whether she wants it or not. She can dispose of it however she wants. When my MiL was ailing and going into hospital / nursing home / to not return home, we cleared out her little apartment. SiL said go by and bring all those boxes home before the brother just throws it all out. It was a lot of pictures, etc. that needed to be gone through, plus small valuables. Now MiL is gone and I am stuck with all this stuff.
I have already given my daughters permission to toss anything they do not want if they have to clean out our stuff. Neither of my kids are sentimental, and for the most part I am not either. Isn't it ironic that in a world full of poverty, a major problem for many of us is too...much...stuff.
I mean no disrespect here. Everyone's family is different. But I sort of got a kick out of your giving your daughters permission to toss what they didn't want.
Well, when we are dead........ how will it matter what our kids do with our stuff?
I expect whoever is left to decide for me after I am gone will do what they please, never mind any wish I might have had.
We have an elderly neighbor that has paid 35+ years for storage for things of her mother's... she said they were dear to her mother and her mother intrusted them to her... guilt.
All of this talk about tossing out pictures makes me cringe.
I would love to have pictures of my great great aunts, uncles etc. I've heard that some of their kids just threw things out.
Could y'all please find out first if some distant crazy genealogy freak relative would take them? Easy to find out through facebook or other social media.
Over the years I have hosted students from other countries and many have commented on what Americans throw away... unbelievable that some can have so much and others nothing.
Once a year the city has a bulk pickup... just happened we had two guests from South America... they couldn't believe the 10 speed bikes, appliances, televisions that were not flat screens and tons of exercise equipment, tables, books, etc...
We really do have a first world problem when it comes to excess...
Have to agree about "first-world excess" problems. When I see the stuff in neighbors' garages and basements, my jaw sometimes drops. Unused exercise equipment, "two of everything", books that will never be read again..
I know that our economy depends on our exchange of money for goods, but much of this seems excessive. No one needs all this stuff, just like no one needs a 10BR house..
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