What possessions are you meant to mention in your will?

[MayaAngelCool]

I hereby bequeath my entire 25-volume collection of Jackie and My Guy annuals to my brother Dave. He's a sensitive sort.

I also munificently bequeath my clapped-out old Robin Reliant to Auntie Mildred; the kids can have the £12.51 in the bank; Moggy can have the washing machine ('cos she likes watching it go round) and my mate Ada can have my great-grandmother's dusty costume jewellery collection.

That sound about right? Thinking about this stuff makes me realise that we have very little of material value.

I give everything with two legs to my husband and everything for four legs to the Blue Cross shop. (Figure some oak tables and a cat is a good deal)

Just the stuff you care who gets it. Surely?

Everything I have goes to DH/the dc. I am leaving some money to a couple of others. I have some sentimental items that I will specify go to certain people. I want my dd to have my engagement ring for example and all my clothes. Ds gets dh cufflinks and watches. That sort of stuff.

I should stress, none of them are very valuable, well except my engagement ring, but they have emotional values. Dhs cufflinks were a gut from his grandfather and he wore them at our wedding.

Gift not gut.

also anything that isn't obvious where you would want it to go. I have a collection of vintage postcards (I know - weird huh!) that I'd like to go to my old university...

In my will I have given my Victorian flower brooch to my niece. It's lovely, made like a pansy with citrine and amethyst 'petals'.

Unfortunately I sold it 4 years ago when times were hard and I still can't afford the solicitor's appointment to update the will!

When my Dad died, Mum told us that she was drawing up a will and asked each of us to name 4 things that we wanted. I picked a piece of china, a wooden chair, an oil painting and a teaset. One db chose all the books - I'm not envious - none of them are Jackie or My Guy annuals!

I'll leave all my personal items eg jewelery (of not much value), paintings (done by me) and my pig collection to my daughter. I wouldn't mind my husband having it and then passing it on to her, but I've seen threads on here where husbands remarry and the new wife gets it instead. Then I'd have to come back and haunt them all.

DH and I were both previously widowed so the whole extended family gets a bit complicated. We basically have mirror wills. However mine also has a clause referring to a side letter which is where I have specified some bequests e.g. certain jewelery to be given to my niece (the daughter of my late husband's sister). This way I can merely update the side letter if circumstances require it without needing to execute a new will.

My beloved cats have money that goes with them for their care - I am the mad cat lady.

Thanks all, it's been useful reading your thoughts on this. I think part of my problem is that I'm not hugely attached to objects and so don't attach sentimental value to them...plus I have a whole heap of fashion-shop jewellery but next to nothing 'real'! Can't really see myself handing that over to the DCs but you've given me food for thought.

We have a few pieces which I'd love the children to inherit, and apart from that I'd be happy for the rest to go to charity.

My Guy...sigh...those were the days. If only I had kept an annual or two for nostalgia's sake!

If it all goes to your children then they get to decide what they want and what goes to the Blue Cross!

Dh has some specific gifts in his will regarding the family bible (handed down for many generations - can't actually remember where it is!) etc. But in general it goes to the other spouse and then kids.