To cut a long story short, when my Dad died a couple of years ago I ended up emptying his house and ended up bringing box loads of photos/documents/ memorabilia from both his and my late mother's families back to our house.
Basically, he was 'the end of the line', as was my mum, and so as each relative died, a box load of their 'important documents' ended up with my Dad (who was also quite a hoarder in his own right 
).
I only have a brother left in our family. He is very sentimental about stuff and keeps telling me that I should keep things for the 'family archives' ! However he only has a small house and is 'unable' to take anything 
.
Problem is that the 'family archives' are currently about a dozen large cardboard boxes in my spare room at home which I desperately want to tidy up!
I've had another go at it this weekend, and it feels like such a huge responsibility to have to decide what to do with everything
For example, here are the sorts of things I have been trying to decide what to do with:
- birth and death certificates
- certificates from qualifications e.g. degrees
- old photo albums from 1900 onwards
- bits of war uniforms- badges, medals
- bits of jewellery - wedding rings/ watches
- manuscripts which my dad wrote ( he was an aspiring writer - I keep thinking I should read it before I chuck it, or try to publish it for him?)
- largish framed family pictures
- medical records
- sympathy cards after death (e.g. my Mum)
- items which my Dad kept for their 'value' e.g. wartime Dinky models/ china tea sets etc (I should eBay these, I know, but it is so damn time-consuming)
I really seem to be making little headway, and I simply don't feel able to dump it all .
Help - any ideas or experience?