A life in black bin bags

Interesting post.It’s sad, and happens quite a lot.In fact, it could happen to any one of us in the future.If we live alone, chances are we may die alone.A lot of elderly people live quiet lives in houses and flats, relatives either dead or scattered all over the place, friends dead also.The councils do a lot of house clearances like this, and most of the stuff goes to landfill or incinerators.From dust to dust?
It is a sobering thought though, a well lived life ending this way.

I was just thinking about that too. I'd seen something I liked on Friday and thought about buying it but found myself deciding not to as it would just be something else for my DD to clear out once I'd gone. I already feel sorry for her.

i feel so deeply that everyone should leave a footprint and to have all memories removed is so very sad it was like this old mans had never existed I agree with you Day6 I didn’t see the programme so I wondered did they try to find any friends or relatives or just get rid of evertything, every bit of his life, and of him as quickly as possible He must have had some aquaintences if not friends and family

Recently a lady along our street died in hospital. It turned out her house was rented. I passed the Council workers clearing it out and they told me how it was full of wonderful paintings of her garden which she kept in a lovely manner. Such a shame it was all being disposed of, but at least she enjoyed her things and surroundings while she could. I assumed I couldn't have a painting so didn't ask.

What a pity. Anything in good condition could have been taken to a charity shop for somebody to enjoy and to help the charity. There are plenty of people like homeless people who need good clothes and furniture needed for people setting up home who couldn't afford nice furniture with the cost of buying or renting. The furniture could also be upcycled if needed.

That is so sad. It sort of happened to my next door neighbour. She had to go into care and her son (who rarely visited her) suddenly appeared with a skip. He simply threw her entire home into the skip including all the things that I knew she really cared about. When he'd finished it was as if she'd never existed.

We'll all only exist in other people's memories one day. I suppose it's up to us how we will be remembered.
Very serious Sunday afternoon thought!!

I've seen families do this too. It's sad and wasteful. Even if a stranger benefits from the possessions it's good. Yes it's nice to be remembered. Please don't deny yourself anything Jane, you hopefully have years to enjoy it.

I agree Jane. As many do, I have memories of grandparents which will mean nothing to my grandchildren, even if the events are retold. However, I hope they will have similar fond memories of us. And so it goes through time.
Dust to dust, and all that!

My sentimental feelings re possessions are minuscule. It's only stuff and we all have too much of it. We are not the sum of our possessions and hanging on to them will not erase death.
I find it strange when people say "Something to remember her by". I've never needed a thing in order to call up my memories of a person or to make them more real in my thoughts.
I've worked in a charity shop and truly nine tenth of what comes in isn't sold. Better if we all had less.
I sound hard hearted. It's just that possessions don't really mean anything to me.

Sometimes there are reasons behind the disposal of so many items, for instance when my Mum went into a care home straight from hospital we had only 7 days to clear her council bungalow. I was ill at the time, so unfortunately a lot of her possessions were discarded. We had the charity shop take what they wanted. I convinced the council that the 12 month old carpets and blinds and curtains should stay for the next tenant (they wanted us to rip them all out). I took a few things and we paid then for a house clearance company to take the rest. (She had a few bits she loved at her care home). I look back now 6 years on and I wish I had been able to do it differently but I wasn't able at the time. We told her we had sold everything and put the money in her bank account, so she was happy ?

I agree Eglantine its only stuff, memories and thoughts stay with us without that. Of course if someone can make use of things by all means go ahead but in my experience this is not often the case. I help run a voluntary library and people often bring in donations of books which are foxed, tatty and not fit for purpose which I then have to dispose of, just because its old doesn't mean its good.
People leave their footprint behind in many ways not just physical things.

I suppose it's the 'we live, we die' aspect that concerns me (and I know there is no way we can stop that ) but I believe all humans are precious to someone, or may have been at one time and for this poor, anonymous man to have been cleared out of the world in such a manner made me feel very sad.

He ended a sad and lonely character. He died alone and all his stuff had to be thrown out (not given to charity I believe because of the human mess left behind. A decomposing body leaves toxic fluids and the flat had to be fumigated once emptied.)

This man on his death became a problem and all his worldly good were too. He and his possessions were binned.

Life over. Door of the empty flat locked when the cleaners left, as though he never existed.

I can imagine him sitting in his chair, poring over books written in different languages, his clock ticking, his music playing. That little world was wiped out in death and all he became was a problem. He and his stuff had to be eradicated. All traces of him were destroyed.

The door closed on his life. I just hope someone 'claimed him' as their own and he has some sort of marker that shows he once lived and had value.

I agree with J52. DH and I hope to leave lovely memories with our DGC, if nothing else.

Despite my mother being 'funny', my children talk about her a lot. One thing that has them in hysterics is that they were always sent home with new face flannel. But at least it's something they remember about her. I wonder why she thought my housekeeping/mothering skills were so lacking!

Day6, please don't fret. Alone doesn't necessarily mean lonely, maybe his books and his music were his dear friends and he had more pleasure from then than from human contact.
And we all leave a "marker" every day in the way we live our lives, even the isolated ones. None of us is insignificant or without influence. For better or worse - it's a sobering thought.

The end of someone, anyone's life is sad, I think. Its nice to think that this gentleman's death inspired a topic, dedicated just to him.

Nice thought missadventure. I still remember a mr. trebus on a tv programme years ago about hoarders, he was a real character and fought for his possessions,such as they were, to be left alone and not cleared by the council. As i recall he did agree to go into a residential care where he settled very well. A happy ending.

Yes I totally understand what you are trying to say Day6

About the man .. I am sure that now that he has left this world he places no importance on his materials belongings.

About his objects .. It would indeed be nice to celebrate this man and his life and that is what funerals should be about really I think ..

I am terrible with funerals, could not go at all when I was younger but now I feel I could go because it is all about celebrating that persons life and unfortunately saying goodbye too.. Good subject meaningful and interesting Thank you for your post

Eglantine thank you, and what a lovely post.

You are right and I am sure many people who are alone may choose to live life without compromise and companionship and be perfectly happy. I like my own company and some solitude, although I have family and friends, and my things make me very happy...

It just seems such a sad ending to a life - to have it all chucked away, as though it never happened. A void remains.

Moocow made a good point about enjoying our things - and life I suppose - while we can. I am guilty sometimes of taking the days for granted and not making the most of
life - not packing enough living into whatever time I have left.

MissAdventure - what a good way of looking at it! Thank you! That poor man with such a wretched, undignified ending is remembered!

I remember Mr Trebus, too, silverlining

Oh you're welcome, day6, and so is the gentleman who made his mark on you, without ever having met you, even. Lets hope his life was a long, fulfilled one.

Such a sad story Day6. I would have assumed that in this situation some things would have been recycled / given to charity so this has been an education for me.

So sad when death also results in total loss of what someone was in any tangible way. You painted a clear picture of a cultured man and one wonders how lonely / isolated he may have been towards the end of his life too.

As a person of faith, I tend to believe that death is not the end, but release to something new / unknown and therefore something in essence will live on. I often think it must be much harder to contemplate such things if you believe that death is the absolute end.

I remember sorting out my great aunt´s house after she had died. She was a widow and had no children. There were many photograph albums (her husband was a keen photographer) documenting their many holidays together. What to do with them? Looked through them, probably the last person to remember both of them, and then chucked them out. Sad, but that´s the way it goes. Am determined to get rid of everything and not leave it to my children to have to deal with.