... on Tuesday to spend the night in Valdosta. The Auntie has two doctoring appts. on Wednesday. I will drive down on tomorrow afternoon, to break up the drive as it is so exhausting to do in one day. One of my goals is to make some progress on her house. It is a drain on her finances, even though she has savings and not desperate for funds. It has been sitting empty for well over a year, and I know I need to start inching towards putting it on the market.
In conversation with the attorney who walked us through the Probate process, I understand it will not be necessary to petition the court before moving forward with selling the property. My smart friend who has been helping with paperwork suggested I should include a request to dispose of her belongings (with funds to be used for her support) in the original paperwork submitted. Which is how/why the sale of her car did not involve a long tedious request/petition and specific permission. This will allow me to move forward with a multitude of small tasks that must be done prior to putting out the 'For Sale' sign.
The attorney advises I can proceed with using a group that specializes in estate sales to help clear the house of her furniture. Knowing what to do with all her belongings has been the reason for stalling with the process. My hope is to at least get one closet empty tomorrow, and possibly list and box up books to donate for resale to the library in their Friends store. Part of what makes it so difficult is everything you see when you walk in the door has value - to someone - and making the decisions: give it away/trash/keep is so time consuming to ponder over each small item. You know how things in our life can expand to fill the amount of space we have to store them in? More closets means more stuff. A bigger pantry means more boxes, cans, jars and bottles filling shelves. A double carport? Twice as much room to store those things we don't want but not ready to part with. Living in America: The Land of Clutter! Consumerism Reigns Supreme!
I am still grieving over that fact that I had to donate so much of the beautiful, sturdy, well-made furniture in my parents house. I could not find anyone who would take pieces on consignment. Did not know who or where to talk with in order to 're-home' all the household items accumulated over a life time of living in one place. Someone approached me several years ago about renting the house my dad built over sixty years ago. I knew there should be someone living there to take care of the property: but what to do with a well over a half-century of proliferating belongings? It was sad and frustrating: when I finally gave up the hope of selling, and had to donate it to a non-profit, even knowing it would be sold and provide needed furnishing for other people in the community.
I have contacted the estate auction people, and have an appt. for Tuesday afternoon. I hope she will find that there is some worth to the furniture in the Auntie's house, and we can come to an agreement about having a sale. I am certain there will be plenty of misc. left if/when that happens, the carrion-eaters descend, that will be donated to a thrift store - with an itemized list that documents each little bit of flotsam and jetsam. Arrrrgggghhhhh.
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