This is it. Almost time to hand over the keys to my mother's house and 60 years of memories.

[Tolkienista]

It's been a while coming but it's almost here. Just two weeks to go until a home full of memories and everything I ever knew growing up from starting school to being a fully fledged adult is about to be handed over to a new owner.
My mother is now in a care home and bit by bit we've stripped back memories, by removing photos, mementoes and anything special to our family.
I don't know how I feel ..... nostalgic, yes. Sad, yes. However we can't go through another winter looking after it and hoping we don't get a burst pipe, or a gas leak.......we've had them both in the last year!
Any fellow M' Netters who've been through it, please share your coping strategies.

Me and my mum moved into my mum's last home when I was 16- more than 30 years ago. So I didn't have the childhood memories but the house was my home base for the 27 years my mum lived there as I stayed there regularly even though I moved out at 18.

My mum went into hospital in 2023 and later died; after me and family members cleared the house i filmed it for the last time with my dog in tow (who is also very elderly and sick now). It was heartbreaking and I've never been able to go back. Apparently a young mother and son live there now. I often go back and visit my mum in my head and see my old bedroom with the large window overlooking the back garden.

The house wouldn't stay the same though OP - once that feeling is out of it, it becomes an empty shell, or a very likely burden on your back. By selling it you save it from becoming that.

I am an only child and live over 200 miles from
my family home that my parents had built for them when they got married in 1961. My mother died in hospital in December 2023 & my father died in the same hospital in April last year. I will be very sad when the time comes but I wish it would hurry up because the worry of the empty house & travelling back and forth is difficult. Market currently dead.

Your post has really touched me, i can visualise sitting on a back step and all the memories connected 😪

Ooh, that’s so poignant.

It’s rare that we’re aware of something being the last time.

I have a cynical black heart, but your post has brought a tear to my eye.

@Ohnobigbo this is so lovely and has really warmed my cold, dark heart. Hats off to you and your family, I hope you’ll have much happiness in your home.