I read this great article (see the link below) about the generational differences if passing down stuff. This is something I am seeing more and more in my line of work. I encourage you to read the article and share it with others.
What I can add to this is…
Ask, don’t assume your family doesn’t want any of the family treasures. Take pictures and send them asking if they want them. Box it up and ship it, or pass it on to someone else if they don’t want it.
Be open to them saying no. It’s okay. You might find someone else who is ecstatic to have your stuff. And that can be a charity that sells it to make money.
Remember that they, like you, do things differently and value different things. You might have felt burdened with your parents’ belongings. Don’t do the same to your family.
Give grace and receive grace. Be gentle with each other when negotiating re-homing items.
Don’t “hold on” to something for a member of the family, pass it on now, and free yourself from dealing with one more thing. Don’t pay to store it monthly, get it to the new owner as quickly as possible.
The market could be quite “flooded”, that that can lower the value of your item. Be realistic. Some antiques and artwork, jewelry might be worth a little bit. Others might have very little value. Know the difference and don’t spend too much time, money, and effort on the ones that have little monetary value.
