What two things would you like---

Like many of the posters above, I have little of value now.

Having moved to New Zealand, moved back to the UK and then returned to Aotearoa, I had to get rid of many precious things, including my paternal grandmother's psalter, an art deco dancing lady statue and all my library of wonderful books on art, ornithology, botany and much more.

They had no monetary value but were part of my heritage. So I learned to 'let go' many decades ago.

What I have now is 40 years worth of diaries (yes, you're all in there!)
My last painting; some bone carvings; sketches of my sons and my grandmother's 22ct wedding ring.

The only person who will inherit is my younger son and I know for sure he'll take care of them.

There's loads of interesting stuff here but I don't really attach any importance to possessions and neither do my children. It will probably all be Freecycled or skipped. They'll look after my pets really well. That's the vital thing to me.

I had to refuse all the 'you must have this' things from my parent's house. I really didn't want anything.

I had a bracelet from one grandmother, and the other one's diamond engagement ring. Both have been in the care of my daughter for years for my granddaughter. I used to wear the bracelet but it is for a young woman.
Anything else is up for grabs :-)

We don't have any heirlooms as we tend to be a techie family so we do not have much to leave.
I do have a half made quilt which I lovingly sewed by hand but it needs finishing and I can't see very well to thread a needle and sew these days.
My DD may want my engagement ring although hers is much flashier than mine!!

as both sons do not get on I would love them to Cherish each other, but don't think it will happen {sad}

It’s just ‘stuff’ to me. I didn’t bother about anything of mums when she died. I have the memories. I kept out of the tiffs and squabbling over her possessions.

I still have the memories and good relationships with my brothers and sisters. That’s the most precious thing to me.

I have a limited edition print of a rag man with his cart t with children choosing their goldfish hovering around. My dad worked as a rag man after the war ended to make ends meet, so it brings back memories. Hope it doesn`t end up in the tip lol.

I have exactly two things I hope will be treasured by our two daughters. A beautifully sewn Canadian quilt over 100 years old, still looking brand new, & an antique oak box with brass fittings my parents bought in World War II. Elder daughter will cherish them I think, though she's accident-prone & careless. Younger daughter only likes "modern" so would probably get rid.

My son wants my teddy bear which my parents bought me for my first birthday. The teddy is 66 years old this year and apart from a little wear to his arm is still beautiful

A few paintings I did some years ago of our much loved cats. (All gone now except one.) I can' t paint any more due to back/neck problems. At the moment the 4 paintings are on the wall on our landing. I hope my daughter will keep those, and I'm sure she will. Nothing much else that is really personal or that matters. Maybe the very large, very old cactus that I've had for about 45 years - if she would have space for it!

I would only want my children to cherish what they themselves chose to cherish. How can we choose for them?

Haven’t really got anything of great value but I’ve already given my daughter my Nanny’s engagement ring (probably not worth much) .I will be happy if they all just cherish our life together & keep close.We have four children & we all live in walking distance .We don’t have any family heirlooms just lots of photos .Possessions really aren’t important,they are just stuff that we collect throughout our lives.I still have my Nanny’s sewing bits & pieces.

Photographs. But they wont!

What a wonderful thread! I am determined to de-clutter ruthlessly this year and I shall bear the question in mind as we do so. Our main concern is our collection of paintings, and I realise now that is mainly because of their potential monetary value. We have just decided to get the main ones properly valued as a guide for our executors, but they may go cheaply for a quick sale after we are gone to save hassle as we live on an island.. We have a couple of framed photographs of us 'in our young day' which our two AC's may want as they took the trouble to frame them beautifully for our Silver and Ruby weddings... Thank you, chicken, you have decluttered my thinking!

I don’t really have any possessions I’m bothered about but I’d like my three daughters to come to some agreement about my wedding, engagement and eternity rings. Hopefully they’ll want them and cherish them as something I always wear.

Having cleared my parents’, in-laws’ and sister’s houses, I know how difficult it is to decide what to keep. The important thing is not to throw every thing away without thinking about it. I really don’t know what my daughter would want of mine, and I would never suggest she keeps anything just for my sake. Hopefully she will want some bit of tat!

A carved wooden elephant that generations of women in my family have polished - it's a miracle that it still has its ivory tusks.
My mum's Lloyd loom nursing chair and linen basket
A 1930's enamelled powder compact that my Dad gave my Mum
My diaries which I've kept for years. I have said to read them if they want but chuck them if they don't.
A folder of cartoons, drawings and funny poems done by various family members. We would pass the poems round the family to add a verse if something amusing had happened. They are very funny.

Sorry - I now see that Chicken wanted 2 things. That would be the elephant and the folder then.

I have a gorgeous carved wooden chest from Asia that my nan left me. It still has the camphor smell when you open it. Hubby isn't keen on it but I love it. As soon as my sil saw it he claimed it for when I've gone! ? It's currently in the DGC room being used as a toy box.

I hope they keep what we call ‘the desk’. It was bought just after the war, a utility product, comprising glass fronted shelved cabinet on top, a drop down desk with internal shelving, and a set of drawers underneath. It was mum and dad’s, not valuable or attractive, but always been there in my memory.
Also Mum’s wing armchair. Dad bought it for her when they married. We had it covered in leather after she died, and DH always sits in it.
Whether DS will cherish these items, I have my doubts. DD lives in Australia, so she won’t have them. But as others have pointed out, I’ll be dead so won’t know anyway.

I have a complete photographic record of my son's and daughter's lives from birth to sdulthood, and of myself from age 19. My son is sadly deceased and I have his ashes in a beautiful casket. I believe my daughter will treasure the photo albums, especially as she now has a baby of her own. Her memories of her brother are mixed as he became a gambling addict and treated her badly on occasion, but I dearly hope she would keep or scatter her brother's ashes in my name, knowing how dearly I loved him.

I used to joke with son number 1, that I was leaving him my music collection but of course it’s long gone now and everything’s on Spotify. They all tease me about my “shabby chic decor” so I doubt if they’ll want much of mine, just token bits maybe. But as someone else said, it’s the photos of my 3 when small, they are my true treasures and I know that they’ll keep them as the GC all love to look thro them now and again.

I was broken in to whilst at work in early December and the place turned over. All the jewellery of both Grandmothers, my Mother’s and my own were taken. It’s been a strange journey, initially I was upset and felt really sad that the things I had been a custodian for for my daughter and Grandaughter had been taken. Oddly, I now feel a sense of relief that everything has gone and I have no intention of buying anything if I do decide to make an insurance claim. I will use the money to take all the family on a holiday which will, hopefully, give them memories to cherish (though I hope they already of plenty of those ....). I do have personal possessions, but really have no thoughts or preferences about how the children might decide to apportion or dispose of them after I’m dead.

The grandfather clock that was made as a wedding present more than a hundred years ago, and passes to the eldest girl each generation, and my dad and granddad war medals.

There are many things I would like them to cherish, but as I know they won't I am looking into finding new homes for the most important things and intend to add a codicil to my will as to where my beloved collection of dolls is to go.

Just had a cancer scare, so it really got me thinking.