Misconception: Minimalists don't care about people.

[jp1]

jp1:

I think that is probably the case, at least partly. Though half-sis's inherited house was in WI and she lived in GA since her early 20s. So she was not in the house often. And the majority of the stuff was in storage, maybe still is. I am not sure.

What I think you are referring to is an incredibly hard thing for most people to deal with: A person is not their stuff.

Thank goodness I don't have this issue. By the time my dad passed away the only stuff he had left was all really old and not noteworthy in any way. I can't imagine having spent money to bring it to San Francisco and then have to deal with it crowding our place up. We have plenty of stuff of our own. The few exceptions, such as my mother's cedar chest that she kept some family heirlooms in, are now in our home. When I look at the cedar chest, though, I don't think "wow. that represents mom." I think, "gosh, that's a nice chest. I hope the cats never get the urge to scratch it..."