DECLUTTER: *Health *Progress - 2026**

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Health *Progress - 2026**
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 27 Apr 26 - 08:18 PM

The kitchen has more visible horizontal surfaces this evening and I sorted, tossed, or filed contents of a box from the garage. Why did I keep some of this stuff? This evening I'll work more on the tabletops and get another box to hold donation items for the teachers art project; they're reopening at the new location in mid-May.

A shopping trip with the ex and a couple of good conversations with strangers in the stores count as healthy social interactions. I took two mail-in ballots (my village offices on one; county and state elections on the other) to the post office to be hand-cancelled, and they have a large self-inked rubber stamp that they enjoy flourishing to do the job (the postal union is lobbying hard that mail-in ballots remain the norm and grow, as pushback to the current political climate in D.C.)

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Health *Progress - 2026**
From: pattyClink
Date: 28 Apr 26 - 08:45 AM

We had a Celebration of Life for a family member this weekend, and a scattering, and then a reading of a letter of bequests of 'stuff' to go to assorted relatives, none prepared to haul off a special cabinet or glassware on a plane. Key people weren't even there for it, having gone back to work or caught a plane.

Most of the stuff was stowed away and had to be found as the time-to-flights clock was ticking, though the directing letter has been around for years (though only visible to 2 80 year olds) and it's been several weeks since the death. Other vast piles of things will require some of us to make long journeys to come sort things out when the surviving spouse downsizes.   I'm supposed to take custody of family papers, and that will be a challenge to even figure out what we're talking about, let alone haul 2000 miles.

It is kind of someone to pass on nice things and try to specify key items. But it was not loving to leave things a complete mess for the survivors to figure out. There was lots of idle time and lucidity for this person to curate vast amounts of photos etc, just couldn't be bothered.

So lessons for aging persons: Do the Swedish death cleaning, and as you go, make notes of who might want remaining stuff, perhaps ascertain if they would even take it, and how you will fund getting it to them, maybe leave funds for a rental van or whatever. And offer plan Bs. "if can't be accepted, ask neighbor ___ or donate to ____".

If you have more than 3 photo albums lying around, put labels on them summarizing '1998' or 'Trip 2 Around the World' 'Susie's Christening'.
Also put a note in each saying where you have stored the digital files (at least 2 backups), or the fact that this has not been done.

And/or have some kind of rough catalog letting people know where on your hard drive or cloud or whatever the photos or personal recordings can be found. I have vast archives which stupid software and operating systems has forced me to stow several levels down, I need to make it clear where stuff is and isn't.

Subject: RE: DECLUTTER: *Health *Progress - 2026**
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 28 Apr 26 - 09:26 AM

Oh, my! Virtual and digital clutter in an estate—the virtual part was barely a thing when my parents passed away in the late '90s. Now many websites ask you to nominate an heir or manager.

Once you've set aside what was left to you that you actually want, it might be more prudent (if people all agree) to take turns choosing what you want from the rest, and have an estate sale for the remainder. Good luck with that (I say as I sit with a room full of stuff behind me.)

This morning I looked at the vitex (this from Wikipedia, mine is also multi-stem and very tall) in the front yard - it has several large dead limbs, presaging what will come in a year or two. I'll take the reciprocating saw out to remove a couple I can reach to cut in sections for the trash, and it's time to plant something new nearby so when this goes it will already be established. Or to allow one sucker to grow into a tree and remove the rest around it (that would be the fastest way to establish a new one).