When your last parent dies, you will have to go about the job of selling his or her house. But that may be easy, compared to getting rid of the possessions that fill the house.
A story in The New York Times says it can take way more time to sell or get rid of decades worth of stuff than to sell the house itself.
You can find a dealer to buy or auction off any valuable pieces of art or furniture. You may make a bit of money on these things too.
But the rest of the stuff? The bulk of the items won’t be worth much money, but they may turn out to be hard to get rid of. One reason may be your emotional ties to some of the possessions.
If you can get over that emotional process, and you find a buyer or buyers for any valuable items, it may be best to find one auctioneer to take everything else for a set price.
Don’t be shocked if some of the things you think are valuable turn out not to be. Dining room sets are not worth much because few people have dining rooms in this era. Most pianos are also hard to sell. Books also have little value unless they are signed first editions. And things that have gone out of style have little worth.
