August is What Will Your Legacy Be Month

During the times we work in the residential setting, much of our assistance is in the form of helping individuals sort through the items that have been passed on by other family members who have died.  These items often cannot be reviewed soon after the death of a loved one, so they are stored for months, and years, in the attic, basement or a storage facility.  They include lots of paperwork, clothes, household items, photos and other memorabilia.  When going through these things the family member strolls down memory lane, and is often reminded that it is not about the stuff, but the memories.

Once somone has gone through the items they have inherited, they are often inspired to then go through their own things and decide to lighten the load of the items they are saving.  One woman we are working with is leaving notes to her children about why she thinks the items she has saved are a good representation of her interests and values in life.  Others will choose to pass along these items while they are living through Christmas and birthday gift giving. 

Those people we are helping to downsize will finally start using the good china and serving dishes they received as wedding gifts.

This month may be a good time to think about a quote we like: "Collect Moments, Not Things."