To connect with others who share a similar experience of loss, as well as access to coping tips and resources, download the Untangle app.
Parting with a home is never easy, and it’s undoubtedly harder when you’re parting with a house that’s filled with memories, especially after the loss of a loved one. Here’s how you can make this process just that little bit easier...
Take your time.
If you can afford to, don’t rush into selling. Making big decisions in the immediate aftermath of loss isn’t advised, because with all the symptoms grief can conjour, it’s tricky to think logically in a time of such upheaval. You may sell a property that you later decide you wanted to keep. Remember, selling doesn’t always have to be the only option – renting the property out can sometimes cover mortgage and/or maintenance costs. However, if selling the house is right for you, read on to make parting a little less painful…
Capture everything.
Take photos of every room, ideally both furnished and unfurnished. Consider hiring a photographer to take professional photos of both the interior and exterior. Many artists can be commissioned to paint houses from photographs, and a framed painting of the house you’re saying goodbye to can make a lovely keepsake.
Host an informal memorial service.
Invite close friends and family around to the house over a day or weekend to enjoy the property with you one more time. It can be a great way to make one more set of memories in the space, and share further memories of the deceased and their life there one more time.
Take something with you.
Some find it comforting to take a little piece of the house with them. Provided you’re not going to damage the property, taking a little light pull or finial and installing it in your own home can be a wonderful way to honour that property and keep it close.
Leave something behind.
Even more people like to leave something behind. You could write something small in a cupboard or in a window frame, carve your family name into a brick or tree outside, or bury a time capsule in the garden.
Create a memory book.
Whether you choose a scrapbook or a photobook, creating a physical space to memorialise the building is a lovely keepsake. Knowing you have a document within arm’s reach that reminds you of the home, and that you can show to future generations, can be a really comforting thing to own.
Know that your home is the people who are important to you. Ultimately, it’s important to remember that this home is simply a collection of bricks, tiles, wood and glass. The memories which you associate with it are really stored in your head, and the protection the building once afforded you, truly resides in the people you love and care about. Selling that building changes nothing – you take the memories and love with you wherever you go, forever.
For more advice and to connect with others who share a similar experience of loss, and those in the midst of saying goodbye to a home, download the Untangle Grief app.
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