Did you recently lose someone close to you? Maybe one of the greatest challenges after the funeral is to figure out what to do with what’s left. Going through someone’s belongings after the passing is much harder than anticipated. You will be left with the decision whether to keep certain things, donate or throw them away.

While it is easy to get rid of your own belongings, it is painstakingly hard when you are sorting the things about your deceased loved one. But the truth is! You can’t keep everything. Don’t feel guilty when you throw or give some of their things away. 

If you know someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one, they might also serve as meaningful gifts that you might help to make or buy.

 

• Make a memorial scrapbook.

 

Photos are very difficult to get rid of. If they are printed, you can put them together to make a scrapbook. These days, it is much easier to take photos using mobile devices. You can gather the photos that you like the most. There are online services such as Canva or Picaboo that allows you to design a scrapbook; download your design to be printed. This way, you can view the photos online and preserve the memories of your loved one by sharing them with your friends and family when they visit you in your home.

 

• Keep some letters or recipes.

 

If they love writing or cooking, it could be a recipe, small notes, poems, letters, or journals, you can add them to your scrapbook. The best way is to preserve them by putting them in a special box. That feeling when you look at their handwriting or read them is so precious. It is a great way to tell their stories.

 

• Sew a memory pillow.

 

If you are a pillow person and a hugger, this would be a great idea for you. You can choose some clothes and transform them into a pillowcase. Some people add special tags or messages. The memory pillow is something that you can hold and hug when you miss them.

 

• Re-decorate your house.

 

Some people might start looking for a new home to help them move on. If you chose to stay, re-decorating your house will make you feel more at home in spite of their absence. Create a space where you can showcase their memories while getting rid of some items that you think are too much or unnecessary. A shelf for books or magazines to display the collection of your deceased partner would be perfect to preserve some of their precious belongings. 

 

• Organize pictures, videos, and other files.

 

Thanks to the technology you can easily store memories such as photos, videos, and other important files on a small device like an external hard drive or thumb drive. For easy access, you can save them in the cloud so you can view them or share them with a friend. Plus, it stays online forever.

 

• Make a quilt.

 

Still have some clothes of your deceased loved one and you don’t want to donate or throw them away? You can make a quilt out of it. This is something that you can use or display. Also, you can hand them down to the next generations.

 

• Create a memory box.

 

It is an awesome project for the kids. The box will not only allow them to be creative, but also enable them to express their grief by decorating it. Provide them the necessary resources and allow them to fill the box with the items they think are important such as watches, medals, jewelry, etc.

 

• Get a piece of customized jewelry.

 

Memorial jewelry is becoming a thing these days. It can be a customized bracelet or necklace with the engraved name of your deceased loved one. If they are cremated, you might want to have a memorial pendant. It has a chamber where you can keep a pinch of your loved one’s cremains. This way, you can celebrate their life wherever you are.

 

• Get involved in charities.

 

There might be some days that you just want to be alone. That’s completely okay. However, you also need to go out. Getting involved in charities is a great way to commemorate a deceased family member especially when the organization is in line with their advocacy. Plus, volunteering or doing something good for others will make you feel good about yourself and creates a sense of purpose – helping you to recover from grief faster.

 

• Create a time capsule or box.

 

There might be some items that you cannot decide whether to keep or let go of them. Don’t worry! You can put them in a box and label them accordingly. When you are ready, you can open the box and decide what you would like to do with the items. 

Honoring the lives of a family member, friend, or close relatives can be done in multiple ways. Some people would like to visit the places they used to go to the deceased or listen to the songs they used to enjoy together. Remember, they might be gone, but they are always with you. Grief is normal, and it only means that you love them.