How do you decide to pass things down

[Fortuosity]

I have the kids draw straws. Whoever pulls the short one gets stuck with the stuff.

Back up plan has been bribery, i.e. cash for claim. So far I've been lucky, and to date am only out a couple grand or so. Most costly has been the dentures. Young'uns these days just don't appreciate the value of an extra set of chompers. Shucks, I was even throwing in a 6-months supply of Polident! (Cost me an additional $153.50 to get the metal-mouthed middle kid to cave. Sure does drive a hard bargain, but I'll have the last laugh when he turns 16 and that's all he's driving.)

 

[Pumbaa_]

there are 3 things I want, my mothers wedding ring, a ring she has from her mother and a beautiful curved glass curio with a desk and draers on the other side. It was refinished by her father and something i have always loved

that's it, all the fishing stuff, all the guns, my Dad's boats, don't care. My 2 brothers can do what they want with them.

I have no children so anything i have will pass to my brothers' kids anyway. My dad pass earlier this year, so Mom has to decide what she wants to do with all his toys. Leave em for now or let the boys deal, her choice, her stuff

 

[lauradis]

I think that's a great plan. I'm just still waiting for my husband to realize how crazy it is to have those pieces still sitting there 8 years later....

You know honey that piece of junk (opps lol) is older then said child, dog or ford truck.

 

[PigletsPal2]

The things I would want are her wooden spoons. My DD, who is doing culinary school, recently got her old rolling pin, very fitting don't you think?
My DS gets a particular Christmas ornament that he always puts on the tree. DS gets all DH's jewelry, DD gets all mine.

It's very fitting. Will you leave her the wooden spoons as well? My DGD wants MY mothers dented, bent, tarnished metal colander. I remember helping my Mom drain spaghetti in it in the mid-1950s. If DGD wants it, it's hers.

DD#1 wants my Lladro collection, and DD#2 wants my collection of White House Christmas ornaments. DGD also wants an antique marble-topped, brass leg coffee table that we bought in Spain. My DDs are happy to let her have it, as they think it's plug-ugly!

This thread has really made me think that we better get on the ball getting our wills made. We keep meaning to get around to it, but as my mother used to say "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Queen Colleen

 

[DarthMama]

Give it to them now if it is feasible.

I second this idea -- if there is something that you know you would like to give to a certain person, please go ahead and give it to them now. My parents started giving away things, here and there, to each of their kids and grandkids several years before they passed away. Less stuff to clean out at a painful time, and more nice memories of enjoying the things they shared (and being able to tell them about how much we appreciated them and used them).

As an aside, two of my favorite things that my mom passed on to me -- a flour sifter and a cast iron pan -- have almost no monetary value but are extremely useful!

 

[Ember]

Being childfree, I have no idea who will get our stuff... On the other hand, I'll be dead, so I probably won't care.

We have a few rather high-value possessions, so I suppose I'd suggest auctioning them off and donating the money. Maybe I'll end up with some nieces and nephews who might want something... But I can't say I'm that concerned about it.

Now, what happens to my body, THAT concerns me! I DO NOT want to be embalmed or buried!

 

[ImDMous]

Also child-free here, so our stuff is someone else's problem.

I have a lot of Disney stuff that I'll probably give to a friend's son or my nieces/nephews if they are interested.

My grandmother would walk us around here house with a roll of masking tape and put our name on the back of things we were interested in while it was still hanging on the wall or in the china cabinet or wherever. It's a bit morbid, but it did the trick.