After celebrating the life of your loved one at the funeral, you must decide what to do with the person’s belongings. This is often a difficult task, but it is also one that brings up happy memories and stories. Many options are available, and unless you are working against a strict sale or rental deadline, you do not have to start sorting right away. Help yourself make the best decisions possible using these ideas.

How to Sort a Loved One’s Belongings After the Funeral

1. Distribute Keepsakes Among Family Members

Ensure everyone in your family receives the keepsakes they want, especially if they have voiced their interest in certain items. If there is a will, you have to schedule a meeting with a lawyer present for correct property distribution. Even if a particular item does not have monetary value but you want it as a special reminder, feel free to keep it. You and your family members are entitled to retain whatever you want.

2. Take Clothes to Local Consignment Stores & Thrift Shops

Take clothes to local consignment stores, thrift shops, homeless shelters, women’s shelters, or any other organization that can use them. Clothes donations are a great way to help your loved one give back to the community posthumously. Again, if you wish to retain an item or two, that is up to you.

3. Donate to Museums

Donate certain items to local museums, such as old letters or other antiques. Donations to museums in your loved one’s hometown are another wonderful possibility. You can also take antiques to auction or sell them online unless otherwise specified in your family member’s will.

4. Recycle What You Can

Recycle anything free of monetary or sentimental value, such as old tires, plastic items, glass bottles, scrap metal, vehicle parts, magazines, batteries, and newspapers. Take some items, such as old car parts and scrap metal, to the local junk yard or recycling center in exchange for cash. Scrap yards pay cash for practically every part of a junk vehicle.

5. Throw Items Out

Throw away whatever you do not want to keep, donate, sell, or recycle. Research recycling options in your area first, as you might be surprised to find a nearby grocery store takes old eyeglasses or computer keyboards. Make throwing out as few items as possible a goal.

Take breaks if sorting through a loved one’s belongings becomes too overwhelming. The compassionate team at Porto Funeral Homes has helped the residents of New Haven County, CT, say goodbye to their family members for over 75 years through a variety of funeral services, including pre-planning, burial, and cremation. Call the funeral home at (203) 467-3000 (East Haven location) or (203) 934-5000 (West Haven location), or visit the website for more information. Like them on Facebook for more helpful tips.