How our property and other possessions are managed or shared after we pass away depends on a couple of things that should have been thought through while still alive. Given how morbid and scary the thought of our imminent death is, it makes sense that you would be uncomfortable to broach this topic. The fact is, this is a deeply unsettling topic. However, making our wishes known beforehand will save your loved ones a lot of ambiguity and heartache. Appreciating this fact, here are a few things you can do to soften the blow of your passing and offer direction to those you leave behind.

Cremation

If you’ve ever had to arrange the funeral, cremation, or burial of a loved one, you know how hard it is. Besides working through your personal grief, you’re also handling their final arrangements. If you hadn’t left clear instructions, for instance, if you want a cremation service or a funeral service you’ll be adding ambiguity to your loved ones’ grief.

To avoid fighting between family members if they disagree over what form of internment would be best, leave clear instructions. This is one way to show them that you care. Traditional funeral services have long been the preferred choice for a final disposition. However, cremation services are now growing in popularity due to the low costs of cremation, location flexibility, and the unique opportunity it provides the bereaved to honor the departed creatively.

Simply talking about, or offering, general suggestions of how you’d like your memorial service or cremation service to look is not enough. Engaging a funeral home or crematorium, making an upfront payment, and consulting a funeral director is the best way to ensure your loved ones will honor you in the way that you would have wanted. Besides, a trusted funeral director will also have the compassion and grace to guide your loved ones through this difficult time.

Gifts

If you have a relative who is going off to college or moving out on their own for the first time, they could benefit from some of your furniture, electronics, and kitchen appliances. These days, it’s hard to come by household items that retail at an affordable price. Knowing this, gifting your young niece or nephew that portable ice maker from Amazon you only used once could be one of the best keepsakes you could give them.

If it’s their first apartment, they likely won’t have much counter space, let alone enough cash to spend on much-needed kitchen appliances. Therefore, gifting a high-quality ice maker, for instance, will be a good idea and may become a much-appreciated family heirloom as time goes on.

Charitable Bequests

If you support a charity or organization, leave arrangements to have some of your things donated to them. If you have a home library full of children’s books, for instance, your local women’s shelter or local pediatric hospital could benefit from these. Other nonprofits that support reading include Friends of the Library and Reach out and Read.

If you use medical or mobility equipment such as a wheelchair, hospital bed, a walker, or and more, these will be useful to individuals with similar health issues. Organizations like the Muscular Dystrophy Association are always looking for donations in mobility equipment, so this can be a great place to start. Other organizations, such as your local ALS Association, may also need this equipment, and you can include them in your will or trust.

If you have musical instruments that are in good condition, consider giving them to Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. They donate high-quality musical instruments to under-served music programs across several school districts. If your musical instruments are in poor condition, Hungry for Instruments will accept them.

You don’t need to have a lot of money or possessions to make a charitable bequest. When it comes to leaving a philanthropic legacy, it’s the thought that ultimately counts.

Estate Sales

If you have any outstanding debts, they’ll need to be settled before any money is allocated to your heirs. These debts will be settled from your estate. If you had a mortgage, for instance, your monthly payments will still need to be fulfilled. These payments will likely come from the “proceeds of the sale of the property.” To fulfill these payments, your beneficiaries may need to sell the property and other valuables to avoid having the house go into foreclosure.

If you had other debts to pay off, the profits from an estate sale can help pay these off and can also cover the cost of your final arrangements. Every estate sale is unique. In some estate sales, you could find bibles for sale, fine china, RV’s, ice machines, large print antique wall art, the possibilities are endless.

Hard as it may be, final arrangements aren’t about you, but about the people, you leave behind. While the initial conversation may be difficult, the payoff will be worth it, allowing them space and time to grieve you.