Kicking the Bucket List: 100 Downsizing & Organizing Things To Do Before You Die

by Gail Rubin

Overview

Do you plan to live forever? Do you ever plan to move? Depending on where you're going, you can't take it with you. In KICKING THE BUCKET LIST, death educator Gail Rubin brings a light touch to cleaning out those dark recesses of your home and organizing for end-of-life issues. In these pages, you’ll learn how to: tackle downsizing without being overwhelmed by the job; evaluate what to keep, toss, donate and recycle; creatively remove excess goods from your home; manage your finances for today and tomorrow; organize your funeral and create your legacy.

If you need guidance to downsize and organize, this book is for you. Baby Boomers facing their parents’ estates and their own downsizing will especially appreciate the information in KICKING THE BUCKET LIST.

The 128-page book, to be available in paperback and eBook formats, is a quick, easy read, with colorful photographs and bonus online information. Each of the 100 Bucket List items include links to helpful internet articles that expand on each point. The book, the eighth title in the Bucket List series, supports the work of the nonprofit National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the National Hospice Foundation.

Author Gail Rubin, CT, is a Certified Thanatologist (a death educator) who uses humor and funny films to help teach about end-of-life issues. She wrote the award-winning A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don't Plan to Die and Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips. She also writes The Family Plot Blog at www.AGoodGoodbye.com.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781943681150
Publisher:	Rio Grande Books
Publication date:	08/01/2016
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.35(d)

Table of Contents

Foreword 1 Introduction 3 100. Release Your Attachments 5 99. Liberate Yourself From Your Stuff 6 98. Clear Your Clutter, Clear Your Mind 7 97. Get Cats to Help Clear Your Clutter 8 96. Admit You're a Grown-Up 9 95. Give Yourself Time to Downsize 10 94. Give Yourself a Deadline 11 93. Evaluate Your Stuff 12 92. List What You Need or Don't Need 13 91. Focus on Joy 14 90. Take Downsizing Breaks 15 89. Bring in a Friend 16 88. Keep a Clear Head 17 87. Decide Your Approach 18 86. Sort, Sort, Sort 19 85. Stage Your Home 20 84. Appraise Art 21 83. Appraise Jewelry 22 82. Appraise Musical Instruments 23 81. Appraise Collectibles 24 80. Appraise the House 25 79. Track Your Donations for Taxes 26 78. Toss Your Own Stuff First 27 77. Minimize the Multiples 28 76. Cut Back on Christmas Décor 29 75. Reduce the Gift Wrap Reserves 30 74. Regift Gifts 31 73. Clear Out the Bathroom 32 72. Trim the Travel Toiletries 33 71. Minimize Old Medications 34 70. Cut Down on Kitchen Crap 35 69. Reduce the Rags 36 68. Ban Business Cards 37 67. Hold a Clothing Swap 38 66. Consider Consignment Shops 39 65. Hold a Yard Sale 40 64. Sell at a Flea Market 41 63. Sell Your Stuff Online 42 62. Give Your Stuff Away Online 43 61. Make Charitable Donations 44 60. Help Habitat for Humanity 45 59. Donate Discards for Pets 46 58. Love Your Local Libraries 47 57. Think of Theater Groups 48 56. Curb Your Stuff 49 55. Give Eyeglasses a New Life 50 54. If It's Broke, Don't Fix It 51 53. Recycle Relentlessly 52 52. Handle Hazardous Household Waste Properly 53 51. Stop Junk Mail 54 50. Stop Subscriptions 55 49. Empty Your Storage Units 56 48. Clear the Out-of-the-Way Areas 57 47. Tackle Your Technology 58 46. Prune Back the Photographs 59 45. Digitize What You Can 60 44. Forgo Some Furniture 61 43. Talk About Your Stuff 62 42. Label Objects 63 41. Don't Keep Relatives' Stuff 64 40. Give Family Heirlooms Now 65 39. Get Organized for End-of-Life Issues 66 38. Sit Down With a Certified Financial Planner 67 37. Consider a Reverse Mortgage 68 36. Don't Wait Until It's Too Late to Move 69 35. Look at Escalating Care Options 70 34. Make Auto Arrangements 71 33. Write Your Family History 72 32. List Your Online Passwords 73 31. Recycle Old Paper Files 74 30. Make a Master File of Important Papers 75 29. Write Your Advance Medical Directives 76 28. Name Your Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare 77 27. Establish a Financial Power of Attorney 78 26. Identify an Executor 79 25. Talk to a Trust Company 80 24. Prepare a Valid Will 81 23. Examine Establishing a Revocable or Living Trust 82 22. Review the Titling of Your Assets 83 21. Make a Pet Trust 84 20. Review Royalty Income 85 19. Examine and Close Online Accounts 86 18. Identify Your Digital Executor 87 17. Update Your Will Periodically 88 16. Write Your Own Obituary 89 15. Shop BEFORE You Drop 90 14. Use Hospice Sooner, Not Later 91 13. Learn About Right to Die States 92 12. Investigate Funeral Insurance Options 93 11. Establish a Payable on Death Bank Account 94 10. Make Your Funeral Plans 95 9. Ponder Pre-Paying Funeral Expenses 96 8. Check Cemetery Costs and Availability 97 7. Consider Eco-Friendly Funeral Arrangements 98 6. Think About Home Funerals 99 5. Get a Free Cremation 100 4. Make a Personal Contact List 101 3. Write Your Famous Last Words 102 2. Talk to Your Family 103 1. Enjoy Your Life and Start Your Bucket List Today! 104 Suggested Websites 107 Near Misses - An Executor's Checklist 111 The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization 118 ABOUT THE AUTHOR 119

Editorial Reviews

04/03/2017
Rubin (A Good Goodbye), a certified thanatologist, takes a not-so-grim look at how to reap life’s benefits while preparing for death. Rubin’s common-sense approach is broken down into 100 succinct steps that cover a wide range of activities, from general decluttering and mental preparations to more specific tasks involving legal documents and choices to make closer to death. Rubin’s approach is holistic, considering the practical need to organize one’s affairs to decrease the stress for surviving family and the emotional need to simplify and enjoy life. Her tone is encouraging, comforting, and even humorous as she systematically navigates through the vast preparation process while providing a plethora of ideas to inspire action without overwhelming. Rubin’s steps take into account diverse personalities and spiritual beliefs, and also include charitable and environmentally responsible ways of donating property—including one’s body. This invaluable book is an easy-to-read, enlightening reality check and an insightful and sensitive reminder to preplan today, so you and your loved ones can enjoy the rest of your life. (BookLife)

Publishers Weekly

MIDWEST BOOK REVIEWS (November 2016): "Synopsis: In the pages of "Kicking the Bucket List: 100 Downsizing & Organizing Things to Do Before You Die", death educator Gail Rubin brings a light touch to her readers on how to organize and prepare for end-of-life issues. "Kicking the Bucket List" covers tackling downsizing without being overwhelmed by the job; evaluating what to keep, toss, donate and recycle; creatively removing excess goods from the home; manage finances for today and tomorrow; organizing for a funeral and creating a legacy. "Kicking the Bucket List" is especially appropriate for members of the Baby Boom generation who are now facing their parents estates and their own downsizing. Critique: "Kicking the Bucket List: 100 Downsizing & Organizing Things to Do Before You Die" is packed from cover to cover with practical, useful information. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, "Kicking the Bucket List" will prove an extraordinarily valued and appreciated addition to community library collections. For personal reading lists that "Kicking the Bucket List" is also available in a Kindle format ($7.99). It should be noted that "Kicking the Bucket List" is the eighth title in the Bucket List series, and supports the work of the nonprofit National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization and the National Hospice Foundation. A Certified Thanatologist, Gail Rubin also writes The Family Plot Blog at www.AGoodGoodbye.com." "The connection between downsizing and death acceptance has never been more obvious. Clear your mind and conscience by sucking it up and doing the things Gail suggests." - Caitlin Doughty, author of the New York Times bestseller, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory. "Kicking the Bucket List is a practical and fun guide that will help you get your things in order while preparing your mind and heart for the inevitable." - Steven Waldman, founder of LifePosts.com "This is a great, light book that helps the reader organize their life and their death. Gail has a way of making what could be a difficult task light-hearted and enjoyable! She helps the reader keep perspective and remember that the most important things in life aren't the things." - Stephen C. Hartnett, J.D., LL.M., American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys "We are all moving on sooner or later -- either across town, across country or to the other side. You don't have to be terminally ill to take care of yourself, your stuff and your family affairs. Gail Rubin offers practical and not-so-widely thought-of ways of getting your "life's stuff" in order. The links to current web sites make this reference guide more expansive than the number of pages suggest." -- Lawrence M. Mandel, Funeral Director Concierge/Interfaith Wedding & Funeral Officiant

From the Publisher