Our story hit home, as these comments and tips reveal
Sometimes, if you’re a lucky journalist, something you write strikes a chord. I’m grateful to say that just happened with my Next Avenue blog post, “Sorry, Nobody Wants Your Parents’ Stuff,” about challenges boomers and Gen X’ers are facing finding homes for their late parents’ heirlooms (as I experienced after my father died last fall).
This post about a heartbreaking, pervasive problem struck a minor chord in a major way: It was the most viewed article in Next Avenue’s history, garnering more than 1.5 million views, 32,000 Facebook shares and 5,500 comments, and was printed over 3,100 times.
I want to share some of the poignant, funny, helpful and angry comments Next Avenue received (shortened for brevity in some instances), as well as a few suggestions readers offered for selling, donating or passing on parents’ possessions.
The Facebook comments mostly fell into one of five camps: “I so relate,” “This is so sad and difficult,” “I feel guilty about what I had to do,” “I won’t let this happen to my kids” and “You’re wrong! People want these possessions.” A few plaintively seemed to ask if anyone wanted the particular items they needed to unload. For instance, Nina Mizrahi posted: Does anyone know of folks who collect old crystal set “radios?” Model Steam engines? Colleen Ferguson queried: Anyone want a 1980s soft-sided waterbed?
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3 comments:
There's always a hoarder somewhere that will take the "stuff" off of your hands.
Pass that stuff down enough generations and someone, someday, will be shocked at what its worth on the Antiques Roadshow. I have "old paper" from my parents attic that is worth a lot of $ to those who collect that kind of thing. I have grandparents possessions that were just their everyday items that are now coveted by collectors. I won't part with the stuff because I remember my grandparents, but my children never met them. They will have no problem putting the stuff on the internet and finding interested buyers.
I am looking for crystal radios. and small steam engines. Nelson Laffey gainesville fl
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