MNgal:

"Moral of the story: don't do this to your family. If you don't love something, don't keep it. You can't take it with you, and someone is going to have to clean up after you if you don't do it yourself."

You are so right! This past weekend, I helped my best friend's parents get ready to sell their home of 35 years. Both have retired and the husband has never completely recovered from West Nile several years back. They have traveled extensively for many years now and have amassed quite a collection of odds and ends.

We sorted through many closets full of clothes covered with sheets, helping my friends mom go through a VERY used office (papers covered every surface and then some), and trying not to go home with a fur jacket and alligator pumps("oh these would look so good on you dear").

While going through the basement alone, we found 7 pairs of skis (one of which has leather bindings), a ton of board games (3 sets of dominoes alone), and many memories from years gone by.

By Sunday night, the garage was filled with items to be picked up by goodwill or the local bookstore. There is still more to do, but their kids had to get back to their own states and jobs.

It was an honor to go down memory lane with them one last time in a house I too called home.

Ellen