What would happen to all your stuff when you die?

Unless someone stole them, they would stay in the house and become haunted objects?

I have a envelope on my desk with instructions about how to pull the cash from my less liquid assets. My sister (or anyone with the instructions) will be able to sell the equities and put into my bank. And then they can get the cash from there.

And all my physical assets fit in the back of a Volvo wagon. I have a computer, clothes, desk, and a box of random shit only I would only care about. Leave your mark on the world by leaving no mark at all.

There’s not much to leave behind. Much of what is in my house (furniture, tools, appliances) is “house stuff” that stays with the house or my wife (assuming I die first).

Similar to @johnpowell, my personal stuff can fit into the back of my Hyndai. Clothes, a box of books and comics, some photo albums, my computer, and a camera.

All of which can go to the Salvation Army.

I don’t have a lot of stuff and my kids would take what they wanted and sell the rest. It isn’t worth much beyond sentimental value.

I really couldn’t be bothered. As long as I am outta here, the stuff can be used as the ones left behind see fit.

I’m pretty sure I’ll be moving at least once before I die and will be weeding out and downsizing then. In any case, what I don’t get rid of before I die, will be left to my heirs to sort out; presumably in addition to some money.

This question is why people have wills. The executor is charged with disposal and distribution of the estate, according to terms in the will.

If one dies intestate in most jurisdiction so the U.S., the County Probate Court will appoint an administrator, who will liquidate one’s assets and try to find an heir. If no heir can be found, the proceeds go to the State.

As most people don’t die suddenly, but more, as @janbb describes, downsize over the years, stuff is disposed of over time.

My mother recently went into a board and care facility as she has lost mobility, The family is now faced with distributing what we can in the family, donating some to the Salvation Army, disposing of worthless stuff at the dump, and selling what we can.

If i dropped dead today, my kids would be faced with cleaning out my stuff, figuring out what they want to keep, and selling or donating what the don’t want. My kids are young adults, though, so they would most likely keep all the kitchen stuff, keep the CDs they like and sell the rest, clean the electronics (iMac, iPad, phone, etc) and use themselves.

It all goes to the surviving spouse , but if we are both gone it says in our will as to what to do.

I already downsized massively a few years ago and gave my daughter many things, artwork, furniture, heirlooms, etc. The rest would go to her as well and my pets would be adopted by a close friend.

Hell, I’ve been slowly giving stuff away to my kids for a couple of years now.

I guess my husband and family would have to figure out what they want to do with it.

When I was seven my grandma died from cancer. Diagnosis to death in around three months. After her death my grandpa bought a small RV and parked it in one his friends backyard. He sold their house.

He was devastated and just opened the house one day and told people to take what they wanted. My aunt and other aunt got into a physical altercation over a jewelry box while my grandpa sat in the corner and watched. Nobody gave a shit about the box. They just wanted to sell the contents.

So maybe letting people sort it out isn’t the best move. Family will fight when there is basically a box with 50K in it that you get to keep if you win.

This was actually the day I learned what the “C” word was. My grandpa muttered it and walked off. In the end my uncle Jim broke up the fight and took the box and gave it to my grandpa. No clue what he did with it.

It can be disgusting. My sister took every thing she thought might be of value, and left me with what was left. All her clothes and stuff.

If you don’t have a will, a spouse or survivors, the state takes it, sells it. House, car, junk, stuff, shit-in-general. The highest bidder. Or the dump.

I have nothing of monetary value, no one will be fighting over any boxes of mine.