Well, it's all finished

[Winchester]

Mom's apartment is completely cleaned out. We just got back from cleaning and everything looks quite well, I think. Got started around 7:00 this morning and we wanted to get it done today, so we didn't have to deal with it tomorrow, too. Washed out all the cabinets and all the shelving, cleaned out the fridge and the stove and oven. After vacuuming, dusting, and washing the kitchen and bathroom floors, and cleaning windows and such, we finished up and came home. And we're really tired.

I took way more stuff than I thought I would, mainly things that we had bought Mom to start with. A really nice electric frying pan, a silverware set for 12 for everyday use, some nice, big coffee mugs, some baking things. She had a very old casserole set that I took....whenever I see it, I always think of her scalloped potatoes. 

 Her cookbooks...I really wanted her cookbooks. Two food grinders, one is electric; the other one is the old manual type that fastens onto the countertop. We cleaned out the upright freezer and put that in our basement to use for when our chest freezer is full. I also took all the pictures....boxes and boxes of pictures. (I had a mini meltdown when Rick showed me a picture of my Mom with my Grandma. Bawled like a baby over that one. I'm going to frame it.)

The young couple came up for the living room stuff and they were so happy to get everything. They kept thanking us and thanking us. But it was a real favor for us for them to take everything.

It's over and done with. Hopefully, we did a good enough job that Mom and Dad would be OK with everything....I told Rick that I was half waiting for my Dad to tell me I missed a spot or something.

 

[binkyhoo]

Huggs for getting through it.  Hard.  When I have, I found that some of the most simple things felt like home and I will not part with. Grandmas candy dish, etc. It is nice that you gave some of the stuff to the young couple. 

 

[MoochNNoodles]

  

I dread the day either of my Grandparent's homes are cleaned out.  Fortunately they've passed on some specific things already...but still!  

I can't imagine how difficult it is to have to do for your parent.

 

[Winchester]

My aunt's apartment was the worst. She had cans of food that were so old, they had exploded in her cabinets. And we had to clean it all up. And she was a yard sale/flea market fan, so she'd buy tons and tons of stuff, thinking that she might be able to resell the items. What a mess that was. We ended up having a yard sale to try to get rid of her things because there was just no other way to do it.

When Mom and Dad down-sized from their house to an apartment, that was bad. Mom didn't want to move, Dad didn't want to move, but they couldn't manage the basement steps anymore and Dad couldn't manage the wood for the wood/cook stove in the basement. Even had my brother continued to take wood down to the basement, Dad couldn't get down there to continually manage the cook stove. So they were both angry and depressed and they didn't want to take anything with them. We were to get rid of it all. Combine that with the fact that my sister and I were just barely speaking to each other at the time and you can imagine how much fun that period was.

Only when Mom realized that we were going to yard sale it, then she changed her tune. And she had to thoroughly go through every single box in our basement, looking for the dumbest stuff. A teacup and saucer. A small bowl....things like that. We did have the yard sale and we gave my parents every single penny we earned from that sale....we didn't take a thing. And for months afterward, when Mom couldn't find something, it was because "Pam sold it at the yard sale." 

So by the time we cleaned out Mom's apartment, there really wasn't much left. Thankfully. There is probably enough stuff there, though, that we're thinking of joining in the community yard sale at my sister's next May. We haven't decided yet. My brother said we could have one at his house, too. Just not sure yet.

When Rick's parents get to the point that they can no longer live in their home, that's going to be one ugly mess. They have so much stuff, it's unreal and it will be up to my SIL and BIL and Rick and me to get it all cleaned out. That will take literally take weeks. I keep telling Rick that I don't want our son to have to deal with our house that way, but I don't know what to do about it....short of just starting to get rid of stuff here and there on our own. We've lived in our house now for almost 30 years (and not moving anytime soon, or at least we don't think so; our son wants us to move down closer to him after we retire) and we've accumulated an awful lot of stuff in those 30 years.

 

[calico2222]

When my mom passed away, it took DH and I an entire summer to clean out her house. Of course, it was the 4 story house (including the packed basement) that I grew up in and in the 30 some years they lived there I don't think they ever went through everything or got rid of anything! We literally found magazines from 1973 in the attic, not to mention probably every outfit I ever wore as a baby. After 5 yard sales and an estate auction, we finally just gave the rest to goodwill. It was the hardest thing I think I have ever done. I was emotionally drained by the time everything was said and done. It was one of the few times I actually wished I had siblings to take on some of the responsibility and make some of the decisions. So, I know how you feel. It's funny how the stupidest things will set off a crying spree. 

 At least it's done now, right?

 

[sneakymom]

When mom downsized last year from a house to an apt (my father's been gone for 8 years) she went through a lot of stuff. 

I took the dining room set.  Really didn't want it.  We do have a dining room but hardly ever use it.  And it's not like anyone has formal dinner parties anymore. However, my parents bought it when they were first married.  My sister already had a decent dining room set.  All of the chairs in ours broke- so we had this "retro" set

  with 5 mismatched chairs.I have to admit- the room looks a lot prettier now that it's painted and has a table/china cabinet and chairs that actually match.

  I think it would have broken her heart to just give it to the lady who bought the house.  Kept thinking "it's just a "thing", how do you get attached to it".  I guess it's not really the thing- it's the memories that are attached to it. 

 I took the Christmas china (I have 18! place settings and all kinds of serving dishes).  Her patio set.  Which was nice to have 2 when we had 25 people here in June for dd's graduation party.  And a zillion Christmas ornaments. A huge carpet that's too big for our room- but we took it anyways b/c mom had no place to put it.  She's still got "stuff"- we just won't have as much to go through when mom is gone.  Which is good b/c my sister my mom is 20 mintues from her)  is a 2 day drive from here.

I shudder to think about cleaning out the IL"s house when they go/move.  There is so much stuff.  MIL has decided to give her dining room set and dishes to 2 of her nieces that are married.  She wants us to take the piano.  She'd give it to us now (and my music major dtr would be happy) but I have no place to put it.  Nor do I want to spend the money moving it here.  Tons of crafting stuff that nobody but her does.  Sil said she's got something like a dozen quilts finished/ almost finished.  Boxes of fabric/ patterns for American Girl Dolls. Ceramics. Books. 

Winchester- I hear you on the "stuff" issue.  20 years ago when we bought this house as a newly-married couple- I thought it was way too much house for us.  Not now.  Ugh. 

Cheryl

 

[catsallaround]

When my Moms Mom passed we went over a day.  The apartment was great as you just cleaned out the stuff you wanted and anything left after you told them you were done they took care of.  We bagged up the littler items(so sad to throw anything away but really some of it is just....well not usable to many....) Also her apartment was due to be upgraded of all fixtures so didn't ahve to do much cleaning.  It is hard-glad you got it done though.  I dread my moms.  There is enough things in there to keep us busy for a very very long time.