My parents are doing the same, sort of -- only the IRS is instigating the process, because they held onto the house (for those same sort of memories) way, way, WAAAAY longer than they could afford. Good news is, your memories don't live in that house anymore either, and they can't be lost or sold. You'll make much better memories in the future if you're making smart money decisions (like selling a house that's bigger than you need). And the future is a much better thing to worry about than the past.