Dismantling a Household: Advice Needed

Though I wrote a bit on the happy event of Frugal Son getting a job and setting up a mini-household in a tiny New Orleans apartment, I did not write about a sad event. The death--not unexpected, but devastating nonetheless--of my much-loved and esteemed father-in-law.

He lived in northern California, near his daughter, in a house full of memories and mementoes of 45 years in a big house in Pasadena. Now, in addition to the emotional issues, we have to face the issues both emotional and pragmatic of what we will take. The other children--in the same town and in Seattle--have already taken their chosen objects.

Nothing is valuable in a monetary sense. But my in-laws were great makers and collectors of objects: handmade crafts of my mother-in-law (some of whose sweaters I posted in the early days of this blog), furniture built by my father-in-law, plus collections of bells, glassware, etc etc.

And the books! My father-in-law, an English professor, had, I would say, one of the most beautiful minds I have ever encountered. He also had a house full of books: poetry, music theory, and Roman history make up the bulk of it. Do I need to mention that Mr FS shares his father's profession and love of the first two categories.

Mr FS will have to go through the process of deciding what to take and what to leave behind. Does anyone have any advice--even a reference to some good books on the topic--of how to deal with the pragmatics of moving many small and a few largish objects?

Any words of experience would be much appreciated.

Reframing and Frugality: Root Canal

Ergh. I DO need a root canal. Of course I need it before July 1, when my medical savings account gets replenished.

A long while ago, Shelley wrote a post on reframing and happiness: the gist was that you need to reframe bad, challenging events as opportunities, or something along those lines. Her specific example had to do with taxes. I totally agree: when I was a starving student, I couldn't wait to pay income tax.

Let's try reframing the root canal: I am so lucky that I have enough in my emergency fund to pay for this thing without compromising my trip to Nantes.

I glanced up from my screen and saw this book: Frame Analysis.

Aren't I lucky that I already have this book because it's kind of expensive?

Not sure if this is working. Have you reframed anything lately?