Originally Posted by GrannieAnnie
Originally Posted by jillaine
I have been so astounded by the wonderful collections so many of you have-- huge "stashes" of amazing fabrics, as well as quilts-- finished or not-- either made by you or others, as well as any number of quilting-related items.
We've also read posts on this board about amazing findings at estate sales and yard sales and in Goodwill and thrift stores. And many of us have commented on the apparent ignorance some people have towards the value of the stashes left behind by family and friends.
What do YOU want to happen to your stash/collection after you're gone? Is it part of your estate? Have you accounted for it in your will? If you don't have a will, or haven't accounted for it in your will, have you otherwise communicated to your family what you want done with it?
This is important to me because I am also a family historian. I have a cousin (I can't believe I'm related to him...) who when his parents died, basically put everything out on the curb in hefty bags for the trash people to pick up. Everything that wasn't large furniture. Everything. We lived across the country from each other then, and I didn't learn about his actions until long after they occurred. But I was appalled.
We can't control much once we've died, but we can make our wishes known.
Have you?
When my hubby's dad died, he pulled his pick up truck up to the garage door, and cleared a path to the burn barrel and stared a fire.
I know he had to have destroyed a few thousand dollars worth of goodies that someone would have loved. I managed to grab one lunch box, some marbles, a couple toys and a game or two. Almost got hurt doing it though. And was FORCED to throw a lifetime collection of silk ties in a burn barrel. THREATENED WITHIN AN INCH OF MY LIFE IN FACT
SO---my will says my older DD gets first dibs, my sis in law gets second dibs, then the stuff goes to church for anyone there and then to whereever!
My hubby will drop everything I own into a burn barrel if one of the gals in the family doesn't stop him. DESPITE THE WILL!
OMG what an awful thing to think someone would burn all traces of your existence.