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The perceived value of your life

February 7, 2023 by Heather Filed Under: Estate Planning, Organize, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources, Uncategorized, Wellness & Mindset 4 Comments

This post is not about contraception or family planning, but it is about reflecting upon life and its perceived value. We each place value on our own lives and others, including the lives of family members as they age. Anyone at a crossroads in life facing the prospect of estate planning knows how stressful it can be. It can be emotionally and physically exhausting to face your legacy and the perceived value of your life.  Maybe you’ve been a collector or have family heirlooms that have been passed down to you. The process of legacy planning can trigger loads of personal and family distress. I encourage you and my clients to take on the task of legacy and estate planning a little at a time. The sooner, the better.

It’s never too early to consider personal and family legacy planning. Whether the time to downsize comes when family members are alive or after a death, please start talking about this subject.

I hate to bring it up because it’s culturally taboo, but the fact is that we will all die.

What you will leave behind, you’ve probably grown attached to, or you wouldn’t have kept it around. But honestly, we often keep things for sentimental, practical reasons or because it’s a habit to have them around. For some people, legacy may include a lot of physical stuff; for others, that isn’t what matters. Either way, if we can start thinking about what is important for us to leave behind, it makes the process less overwhelming.

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning is an excellent resource for anyone downsizing. It’s become a popular book, partially because of its darkly humorous title but mainly because there is currently a large generation of people in the process of downsizing (baby boomers). The author, Margareta Magnusson, recently published a new book, The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly: Life Wisdom from Someone Who Will (Probably) Die Before You, which I haven’t read yet. This book addresses more about the aging process from the author’s perspective. Since I’m aging (and we all are), I am looking forward to her perspective (both culturally and experientially).

One of the big challenges facing us when legacy planning is what to do with our stuff.

We can’t take our stuff with us…what we leave behind is part of our legacy.

Have you ever thought about what your legacy is? What have you enjoyed or done throughout your life that others might remember of you? This might be something you want to sit down and take notes on. Quickly journaling or taking a mental inventory of your life journey might include memorable moments, special people, collections and objects, and more. Here are some questions that will help you consider not just the stuff but what’s been most valuable to you over your lifetime.

Did you write, keep scrapbooks or take photos?

Do you collect something special (I collect things with a “Bee theme” but try not to overdo it)?

life and its perceived valuelegacy planning

Are you a maker or artist (quilt, knit, or paint)?

Have you been a Gardener or Cook with records of these hobbies?

life and its perceived value

My Grandfathers Scottish accessories

Were you recognized for significant accomplishments in your career?

Did you invent something?

Were you an avid reader?

legacy planning

You might ask yourself and your family members some of these questions before it comes time to decide what to keep or get rid of. It may not be an easy conversation. Not talking about it could cause more pain in the long run. Keep it lighthearted and take it a little bit at a time.

Honor your loved one’s legacy by talking with your family members about what they are passionate about and how they want to be remembered. 

Record your family stories to share with future generations. These conversations will help with future decision-making.

We all want our loved ones to remember us, and for some people, things are beautiful tributes. Keeping a handful of meaningful items can help you remember and honor their legacy.

Of course, there will be family and friends who will choose to honor and remember their loved ones without the stuff! Maybe they have vivid or photographic memories of events and connect to that person through other means (spiritual, oral, or written history). Sharing your story (via a letter, video, voice recording, or conversation) may be enough!

If your loved ones don’t want your things, don’t feel hurt!

Locate groups or organizations with similar interests where you can donate part of your estate. Be prepared to release your attachment to the outcome.  Your family and some organizations will not want everything you’re leaving behind. That’s not a reflection of how they feel about you or the value of your life.

Others cannot fully understand the perceived value of your life; it’s your unique human experience, after all! How you communicate your life experiences is inherent in what you leave behind through the people you touch, the lessons you’ve shared, your human connections, and your creations.  Coming to peace with your legacy is an inside job. Your inner peace can help you adjust your expectations about how others will pay tribute to your life.

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Do I need a Home Inventory?

August 9, 2021 by Heather Filed Under: Estate Planning, Kids & Family Organizing, Organize, Organizing Projects, Planning & Goals, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Do you have a disaster and or legacy plan? Wondering if you really need a home inventory? Whether you have one started or have nothing at all read on to learn why you need a home inventory and how to protect your personal property.

Almost all of us need a home inventory, whether we rent or own our homes or businesses. If you have insurance, you need an inventory to prove replacement value. If you are leaving things to family, donation, etc, you also may need an inventory.

Sadly, many people think that because they have insurance, they don’t need to worry about a home inventory.  Unfortunately, that’s not true. Insurance doesn’t guarantee you will get replacement value for your property. There are so many irreplaceable things, and all the little stuff really adds up. Having a home inventory will save you a huge potential headache, hours, or worse; pocket expenses lost down the drain. When trying to dig your way out of a disaster, or your family is grieving and trying to determine the value of your estate, this can add stress to an already hard situation. When I became a professional organizer, I learned all about the different home inventory systems and tools available. I also helped clients with creating inventory systems both before and after disasters, mostly flooding and some theft. Trust me when I say you don’t want to inventory your stuff after it’s been damaged or try to remember what’s missing! It’s not the insurance company’s responsibility (or your family’s) to know the value of your personal belongings, (and it’s not in their interest to help you with this). If you can’t prove you owned it (meaning tracking down receipts or charges, photos or other documentation), you may lose altogether.

What needs to be inventoried? The quick answer is everything! You are probably thinking this will take ages, and depending on how much detail you want to include, it could be a significant undertaking but really not so bad if you take it step-by-step and room-by-room.

Without an inventory, you could end up with a mess and thousands of dollars in lost assets! In the case of estate planning, your family may be left trying to figure out what is what. Don’t get stuck sorting toilet plungers from kitchen utensils, holiday decor, and more. Document the items in your home, including valuables and everyday items. This inventory should be updated every 2-5 years depending on your circumstances.

I’ve worked extensively on creating inventory for insurance claims and estates. Here’s what you need to know. Photos and videos are your friends! Spreadsheets are super helpful and may prevent you from having to fill out additional information in the event of an insurance claim. But there are other systems out there that are super helpful and can do more for you than just a home inventory.

As the well-known Sheryl Sandberg quote goes, “Done is better than perfect.” So true in the case of an inventory! Just having photos is better than nothing!

A home inventory Checklist can help you to understand what information will be most valuable in the case of an insurance claim. Most insurance companies would like to have the following. The more info you can provide, the more accurate your claim and reimbursement will be. Remember, the more complicated your assets and estate, the more details you will need.

It may not be necessary to have all the information below. Suppose you’re in a disaster situation and realize you don’t have anything. In that case, the short answer is to photograph every wall of every room, even opening cabinets and closets, and take photos of contents by shelf. Take notes on contents to help jog your memory, noting location and a general description. Photograph anything specifically valuable in each room. These photos and notes will prove invaluable if you have to evacuate quickly and lose the property.

Remember, “Done is better than perfect!” What follows is a more detailed guide of what your insurance company might request. Not having all of this does not mean you will not get reimbursed. The more you can provide, the quicker and more smoothly things will move along.

  • List items by room- This will help qualify content damage when structural damage has been done.
  • Include a basic description
  • Make/Model
  • Serial or ID number
  • Quantity
  • Assign value (replacement value will be paid based on current market value-ex. electronics that may have cost you $500 might be replaceable for $200 today)
  • Date purchased
  • Receipt if available
  • Reference photo’s

Home Zada is one of the most comprehensive home management tools out there and does everything from home maintenance reminders to home inventory. If you’re on the serious side of protecting your valuable assets, I can’t recommend a better way to manage it all in one place! This is a cloud-based option so you won’t lose it if you lose your computer!

Another great comprehensive but inexpensive system is Liberty Street Home Manage software (also cloud-based). It’s under $40 and allows you to enter all the important documentation and photos for all your assets (at multiple locations).

Several insurance companies have their systems, so ask your insurance agent what they offer! It will probably be free and give them everything needed if you ever have to make a claim.

Home Contents is a UK Based app that makes home inventory a snap with your digital camera in-phone. And finally, in the app department, My Stuff has several free and paid options with great features for adding items to folders, tagging, etc for easier sorting and organizing.

If you prefer to stick with a spreadsheet-style inventory, just do a quick search for Home Inventory Checklist to find quite a few good options for free. Most of these templates you can download and use on your computer/device.

Spreadsheet systems (I’ve used comprehensively with insurance agents to recover contents lost) can be clunky, and it’s difficult to see photos of items with their descriptions quickly. Another drawback is that unless you back up your computer or device, you risk losing your inventory (photos and checklist) and your contents in case of a disaster!

If a home inventory for disaster or estate planning is something you want help setting up, let me know, and I’d be glad to assist!

No matter what system you choose, I hope you make a plan, schedule it on your calendar, and start your home inventory today!

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