Celebrations of Life

The passing of a loved one is already a very emotionally challenging time. Now, add on end-of-life logistics of cleaning up their house and other decisions that can get added to your plate, and it can all seem even more overwhelming. 

Handling an estate cleanout can be a demanding task, but you don’t have to do it alone. We’ve laid out 7 helpful tips for cleaning out your loved one’s home after their passing to help make the process a little less stressful and more manageable. 

Navigating The Cleanup Process

It’s important to know that taking on the task of cleaning out a loved one’s estate can be an emotional task. So be mindful of how you are feeling. If it feels like it’s too much to take on, ask for help from family, friends, or professionals.

When a friend, colleague, or family member passes away, it is only natural that you would want to express your condolences and pay your respects. There are different kinds of formal gatherings or ceremonies that are held to honor the deceased. Besides a funeral service, some families choose to hold a wake or viewing as well.

To pay tribute to the deceased, you may feel that you should attend at least one of these services, but not sure which of them you should necessarily attend. You may also be wondering what you should expect at each of these kinds of ceremonies, and what they each entail.

We will break down the differences between a wake, viewing and a funeral to help you prepare for each of these ceremonies, offer insight into the role each plays in honoring the deceased, as well as help you decide which of them you should attend.

When a loved one passes away, one of the most common questions that comes up is when is the best time to hold funeral services for them. The answer will of course depend on a variety of different factors depending on the family’s religious affiliations, the wishes of the decedent, the availability of your funeral director as well as other family circumstances.

According to sources, the average duration of time between death and funeral is from under 10 days to over three weeks. However, funeral services can even take place as quickly as the same day of death or next day. It is important that you and your family choose the best time to arrange a funeral service for your loved one that best aligns with you and your family’s needs to enable you to create a meaningful memorialization experience that honors the memory and life of your loved one. We understand this is a sensitive topic so we wanted to address this question to help families navigate this delicate and difficult time.

Religious Considerations

Certain religions abide by specific guidelines in regards to holding funeral services for their deceased loved ones. For instance in the Jewish religion, it is believed that the deceased should be buried within 1 day of their death. Muslims also believe that burial should be done quickly and for this reason, they do not embalm the deceased. If the family of the deceased observes a specific religion, they may take that into consideration when planning the funeral service to be in accordance with their beliefs surrounding death, burial, funerals and memorialization services.

Losing a loved one is one of the most devastating challenges one can face in their life. After someone you loved or who was very close to you passes away, the pain of their loss can be intense and overwhelming, feeling as if it may never dissipate. However, in time the intensity of your grief will subside and in its place, you may feel a renewed sense of purpose and an appreciation for life. 

If you are currently struggling with grief and the loss of a loved one, know that there isn’t one way or a right way to grieve. There is also no specific time table that is “normal” in which one should grieve. To help you navigate this process, we have put together tips and strategies to help you process your grief and help guide you through this difficult time. 

1. Talk About The Loss of Your Loved One 

After the passing of a loved one, you may feel an intense sense of dejection and sadness, that may make you want to wallow in your pain and isolate yourself away from friends and family. However, it can be very beneficial to express your feelings and open up to friends and family about the pain you are experiencing. Confiding in friends, family or colleagues can help you understand and process what happened and the feelings you are dealing with. Avoiding and suppressing your feelings can lead to increased isolation and make it more difficult to cope with your grief.

What do you say to a colleague when they’ve suffered a loss of a loved one? It can be tricky to navigate this, since the relationship is likely to be mostly professional. We do often get to know our coworkers on a personal level, sometimes even going for an after work drink if not attending holiday parties together. We may know some information about their lives, but not think of these people as close friends. It could feel like more of a fairweather acquaintance. But, we interact with these people on a daily basis and so we want to create a comfortable and supportive environment for them and ourselves. When we’re given the information that a coworker’s family member or friend has passed away, we feel the need to pay our respects yet remain professional. Whether or not the relationship is such that you feel the best thing is to attend the funeral or memorial services, then a message is a great way to show you are thinking of them during this difficult time. Below are examples of 15 condolence messages to send to a coworker. Feel free to take what you read and change it if you need.

15 Condolence Message Examples

1. I’m so sorry for your loss
2. Please accept my condolences for your recent loss.
3. My deepest condolences for the loss of your loved one.
4. I remember hearing stories of your loved one. I am so sorry for your loss.
5. I am thinking of you and your family right now. 
6. My heart goes out to you and your family right now.
7. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
8. My condolences as your grieve.
9. Everyone in the office is here for you for whatever you need.
10. I am lighting a candle in honor of your dear loved one’s loss. 
11. Take all the time you need, and let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.
12. I know this is such a hard time for you, I’m sure the services will be beautiful as you remember his/her life.
13. I am sending my love to you and your family.
14. We are all thinking of you and your family.
15. We send our deepest condolences for your loss. 

When it comes to a coworker’s loss, you can also send a message for the entire office if you choose. The wording can be changed to “we”, as seen above in some examples.

Whomever it is in your life who is going through the death of a loved one, condolence messages are considered standard. They are offered either through email, text, phone call, or an in-person visit. 

When your friend loses a loved one, whether it’s a parent, grandparent, child, or other close relation, a natural reaction is to support your friend however you can. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to know how to comfort someone who’s grieving. Even if you have a similar experience, the heartbreak in someone else still can feel inaccessible or impenetrable. One of the best things to remember is that you’re not going to make the pain go away. Your primary purpose is to show your friend how much you love and care for him or her, and that you’re there to give support in whatever way you can. 

If You’re Close to Someone Who’s Grieving

There’s a lot of things you can do if someone you’re really close to loses a loved one. Some actions you can take include bringing food over to your friend’s home, sending flowers or chocolates, or being a shoulder to cry on. What you decide to do depends on your level of comfort and how intimate your relationship is with this person. It might also depend on how much pain this loss is causing. Your friend may just want to be alone. A great way to find out how you can be supportive during a difficult time in your friend’s life, is to ask. “What do you need right now?” or “How can I support you through this?” are great examples for questions you can ask. 

The Purpose of Condolence Messages

If you have an acquaintance, or a friend who you aren’t particularly close with, you can still show consideration for what they’re going through. This is where condolence messages come in and can be a perfect way to get your sentiment across. Condolence messages are of course not limited to people who aren’t as close to someone who is grieving, but if you are in a more involved relationship then understandably you may want to do more. It is simply difficult to know what to say to someone, especially if you haven’t experienced a massive loss or shattering grief. We’ve compiled 15 examples of condolence messages that you can send, whatever your relation may be to the person who has suffered a loss.