What To Do With All This Stuff

Have you ever wondered where all your “stuff” came from? Maybe you slowly collected things over time. Perhaps you fear a situation where you might need one of these items, making you hesitant to throw them out. Maybe you inherited “stuff” from beloved family members and stowed it away in the basement like I have, hoping to one day go through and organize all of it.

My grandma was one of the most influential people in my life. I feel very fortunate she and my grandpa lived on the same driveway as our family, and their home was just a five-minute walk down the hill. Family was important to all of us, and we were close. Some of my fondest childhood memories were of Christmas Eve nights we spent singing and telling stories around the fire at grandma’s house. She was truly a jewel with a loving heart and passion for serving others, especially her family.

My grandma passed away a few years ago, but it always brings a smile to think back on her life and all the great times we had together.

When she passed, we began the bittersweet journey of settling her affairs, including going through her personal belongings to see who wanted to keep what. My grandma kept A LOT of “stuff.” Many of her tables in the house were chests, and we discovered they were all full – pictures, newspaper clippings, old check registers, artwork by all us grandkids, records of bills paid from years past. I believe her accumulation habits were caused by earlier reasons coupled with her growing up with seven siblings in poor southern Appalachia. However, if anyone ever needed a tool or obscure item, you always knew grandma and grandpa would have it! The most valuable things passed down to me were years and years of family photos. Now, I have to find how to create time to go through and catalog them! That way, I can have some “stuff” to pass down to my kids (hah).

This situation seems to be a common theme of all the unique client situations we learn about and are part of: I have all this “stuff,” and I don’t know what to do with it. Most of us have tangible things we have accumulated or inherited, but we also have intangible things like multiple financial accounts in different places and invested in various ways. What about that old will you wrote with your attorney friend in 1997 when your first child was born? You may still have that life insurance policy you bought when you got your first job or your parents’ annuity you inherited but never knew how to handle.

When we add everything we have going on in today’s busy life, it can seem overwhelming to get everything arranged correctly and ensure things are all moving in the right direction. Sometimes, there is a long laundry list of important but not urgent to-dos that can only be accomplished by getting started. We want to share that process with you and help get that ball rolling. Our team excels at simplifying the complex and building knowledge and peace of mind in an uncertain and volatile world. Let’s have those conversations and get started on your path to peace and stewardship.

Do you have an outstanding list of things you’d like to accomplish?

Things you’d like to get organized?

Hit reply and let us know.

Getting started is the best way to get where you want to go.