At US Storage Centers, our clients have found that their South Bay storage unit is an important asset when dealing with the ebb and flow of life. Whether it is making room for one more at home or sending a child to college, their storage unit has made each transition easier. Sadly and inevitably, some transitions in life aren’t pleasant. Some are even tragic. When we lose a loved one: a parent, child, or other family member, we mourn and then try to move on. But few people dare to broach the topic of how to deal with what that person left behind. Please forgive us as we attempt to help make this process easier for you. Dealing with Personal Items For most people, sorting through the personal effects of a loved one is too painful right after the loss. However, you don’t want anyone else to sort through their stuff either. Unfortunately, their belongings need to be moved. If it is a parent, you may need to vacate a house, and if it is your child or spouse, you may not want their belongings around as a reminder. It is a cruel conundrum. Some grief therapists recommend moving a loved one’s personal items to their own special place until you feel you can sort through them. Knowing they are safe and secure also makes it easier for you to wait until you feel you are ready. Get some help You may want to sort through your loved one’s items alone, but it could be months before you want to take on that emotional chore. Until that time, have a trusted friend help you box up all of their personal effects that matter. Furniture and other items that may have no particular meaning could be handled in other ways. But the personal items that have significance, even clothes, should be boxed up for another day. Your friend can either do it alone or help you box things up while encouraging you to not linger on any particular item. Find the right size self storage unit Your storage unit should be big enough to make it easy to find everything you store. If your unit is stuffed to the gills, it might prove difficult to sort through items slowly in the future. Hopefully, your friend or family member helped you pick out your unit and fill it. You may even want them to do it all for you. Sorting out your feelings When the time is right, remove a box or two at a time, take them home, and sort through each item alone or with other family members who share in your loss. Reminiscing in this manner allows you to take your time; never taking on more than you feel you can emotionally. It also allows you to take the necessary time to decide what to do with each item without pressure. At Us Storage Centers, we don’t just rent self storage units. We understand the service we offer may be when you are celebrating happy events in your life. We also know that we might be helping you when your life is full of sadness. Our goal is to make your self storage experience as pleasant as possible, no matter what is happening in your life.
