Fedore Writer

The money my parents made with their two-day yard sale came in just under $200 but the experience of purging their closets was priceless.

It all started with a high school friend talking about his and his brother’s arduous task of clearing their mom’s house when she

entered assisted living. My parents, who are both in their 80’s, listened to him describing their experience and his story left a lasting impression on them.

Since April, my sister and I have researched consignment options (both home goods and clothing), collaborated with an eBay liaison, visited charity donation sites and packaged treasures under the close supervision of our parents.

Our parents continue to thank us for our time and support but both my sister and I came to the same conclusion: we’d rather take care of all of this while they’re still alive and spend more time with them rather than sorting through their belongings after death. It would be the same amount of time spent yet under very different circumstances.

Some might say this is morbid but I would recommend this experience to anyone who asks. I credit my parents for their pragmatism and collaboration because it’s not easy to face ones mortality.

As I write this, two pieces of artwork from my parents’ house hang nearby and my parents get to witness me enjoying something of theirs. (And, no, we didn’t remove the artwork off their walls. These were pieces collecting dust in their basement.)

In addition, our parents haven’t decorated a Christmas tree for a few years and, this holiday, we plan to dust off their boxes of ornaments and decorations and divide them among the four siblings. No doubt stories will accompany this and our parents will be there to hear them and contribute, too.