Sorting my Mum's belongings

Hello bluebabe , can i ask how are you ? Please i am so so sincerely sorry,  I am doing exactly same task at my sisters now.  Been clearing out for 3 weeks now,  was there today since early this morning.  If i  may say and suggest some ideas i have and i am doing for my sister who i have lost 9th march , her service was on Thursday 28th.

While you are clearing your mums clothes, (i say this and do not wish to upset you more) what i did was i sniff my sisters clothes, maybe a pullover , or a fav top , a coat your mum would always wear, a scarf even and keep a few with her body scent on , not perfume , body odour. keep it , then put in a plastic bag and seal it tight so the scent does not ever escape.

I have kept my sisters coat and scarf she wore to all her hosp appointments, sis always wore the one fav coat. Its now in a sealed bag , tied and i have in my wardrobe.  Also maybe keep fav watch etc. 

As my sister is very recent, i asked for lock of hair, and fingerprint , i am looking for a reasonable priced bracelet, necklace to wear to carry sis with me.  We were very close, and i am alone now apart from my mum (84yrs now).

To answer your question, i kept everything that sister used every day, cup, comb, brush, hair clips, clothes, coat/s , fav blanket, ornaments, Anything and totally everything that make your mum feel with you every sec or everyday.  I totally cleaned my sisters place, i  could not decide what to keep and what to let go , so i bagged everything and taking to my home.  My sister coming to live with me. 

Dont worry, you wont and you will not be letting your mum down, she will know , try talking to mum while your clearing.  I talk to sister all the time.  I say hi when i go in her home and say, i ta-ra , see you soon, love you. then i leave and close and lock quietly. 

I am here for you if you wish to ask and chat anytime,  

Bless you.

Hello bluebabe21, so sorry to hear about your mum, I lost my mum to cancer a few years ago and like you, the day came to decide what to do with her possessions, I was very close to mum, i lived 4 doors away, saw her every day, went on family holidays and she was always my best friend. and the day she was diagnosed with terminal  lung cancer i gave up work to look after her to the end, I knew it was going to be a very difficult task and decided any item that made me emotional, happy or sad, would be kept and everything else would be put aside, I wasn't ready to throw anything away, and we had lost mum 3 years earlier. Anyway about half of mum's things were kept, all her  personal items photo albums ,diaries, letters, cards and jewellery along with presents from family, pictures and weirdly her collection of walking sticks, which have come in handy. All her clothes, mum was comfort over style and household items were given to charity. Like you i did a memory box, which was big enough for all mums personal items and the items put aside were given away and the ones no one wanted were put out in the bins, bluebabe21  before they were put in the bins they were put by the door so  i saw them every time i passed and often took months to make the decision they could go, it took nearly a year before they were put out, though a few i did end up keeping. i did talk to family and mums best friends to help me choose, take care.

Eddie