If you are trying to figure out what you want for your pre-plans, ask yourself if cremation is a good fit. Educate yourself and talk to other people who may have chosen it.

Get Appraisals

Your loved one may have things you didn’t even know they had, and you also have no idea what they are worth. Before you get rid of an antique chest of drawers that you think no one wants, jewelry that doesn’t look like much, or coins, have someone appraise them. Once you know the value of things, you can more evenly distribute items among family members, or you can sell things and divvy the money up after that.

Compromise With Others

Even if you are the person who planned the services, which probably means you are closest to the deceased, there are other people who loved them and misses them as well. You should compromise with them on who gets what. Act with empathy and try to recognize that everyone places value in different things. They get a choice, then you get a choice and so on.

Make Copies Of Precious Photos Etc.

Your loved one might have family photos, old movies, and even audio tapes that everyone wants. And in today’s day and age, everyone can have it. You can get companies to copy those things so everyone can have what they want from the originals and everyone else can have a copy. It’s a nice way to distribute memories.

Don’t Leave People Out

Anyone who might want something from your loved one should be included. You can start with those closest to your loved one first and after they have what they want, move down the ranks. Even cousins, friends, neighbors, and others might appreciate a token from your loved one. Perhaps you can choose something for them, offer them something special, or even let them choose something, like a piece of jewelry, a book from the person’s collection, or other such things. It can mean a lot to someone instead of donating items that could be previous to a friend or distant family member.

There are lots of things you can do with someone’s possessions after cremation services in Evanston, IL and keep in mind that there are likely going to be things left over that no one wants to take. That’s okay too, as anything in good condition can be donated and appreciated by others. That’s also a nice way to honor your loved one, by giving their items to someone else who can use them today. If you need advice on how to go about dividing things up, the professionals at Chicagoland Cremation Options are here for you. We run cremations, yes, but we help with more than that.