Before you die, get your stuff organized.

When you go, as you will, are there things you've saved that you really don't want anyone else to see? Old love letters? Journals meant just for you that would embarrass others if made public?
I'm sure that most of us would -- if we were struck by a UPS truck tomorrow and killed -- wish we'd had time to sort through our papers and memorabilia and gotten rid of some stuff.

On the other hand, we might wish that we'd saved many of those old letters and papers, etc. We know that our kids or whoever comes after us are not likely to know what's important -- in the great family chain or to posterity -- and will likely pitch the whole mess. They may throw away the important documents of our lives -- marriage certificates, etc. -- not to mention old photos.

But think about it: you're a kid, of whatever age, going through the boxes of Mom's and/or Dad's old stuff -- photos, letters, certificates, etc. You've got your own life going on, and maybe it's not going so good. Maybe the marriage is on the rocks, and the kids are acting up, and the last thing you want to think about is how to dispose of the parents' crap that they've saved all these years.
You call someone who agrees to buy all the furniture -- at criminal prices -- and you send all the rest to the landfill.

Why not try to organize it now, while you're alive and know what's important and what should
be saved or discarded? Why not use a part of your retirement time -- when you might be taking a cruise or a yoga class or playing golf or whatever -- to put into boxes, with labels, all the stuff
you think should be saved, and why? After you've done it -- after you've put into those boxes everything you want your kids to save for their own kids, etc. -- then you can go off to sail or play golf or whatever with a clear conscience.

Just don't forget to get rid of the old love letters. Office Depot has a shredder for under $50.