The most common question I answer is “How do I declutter sentimental items?” As I learned the hard way, memory-laced stuff is the most difficult to let go of. And many people don’t realize they are having trouble letting go because the item is sentimental. Through conversations with my clients I can quickly spot an item that is being held onto for sentimental reasons.
What not to do
I had a few childhood items that were sold without my permission. Understandably, the seller expected I would not want them. While this is true, we all need time and space to process sentimental items. Time to reminisce about the memories and take photographs. And the opportunity to decide where the items should go. Perhaps passing them on to someone or somewhere specific. So, I won’t be selling my husband’s Hess Truck collection anytime soon.
I’m also accused of not being very sentimental which is completely untrue. I am just very intentional about the sentimental items I keep. The items that were sold still bother me. So, I suggest following a similar “some not none” approach. For example, I display my grandma’s decorative plate. I walk by it several times a day and smile as I think of her. Some is also her silver locket, a timeless piece, inspiring questions when I wear it, and an opportunity to share her story.
But even as I embrace life with less, sentimental stuff is still hard. Here are some tips for handling your own sentimental items.
7 Tips for How to Declutter Sentimental Items
- Do This Last – Save the memory-laced items for last. Declutter other areas of your home first. Gain momentum and the ability to let go with other categories.
- Some Not None – If everything is special then nothing is special, so choose 1 or 2 favorites. Donate the rest.
- Display Don’t Store – Get sentimental items out of the storage room and give them a place of honor in your home.
- Memories are Not Locked inside Stuff – We can keep memories without the stuff. If you are having trouble getting rid of a particular item, take a photo of it. Create an album on your phone of sentimental items.
Set Limits – I can’t lie, baby stuff was difficult. My husband and I are blessed with one child, but whittling down the baby stuff was hard! Time helped. And our son is growing up so fast that I don’t want to miss it because I’m re-organizing clutter. Limits are particularly helpful for a large family.- Be Intentional – Think about someone who would benefit from the items you’re holding on to. A first-time grandma welcomed our son’s bouncy seat and sends me pictures of her grandchildren in it.
- Ask for Help – Invite a friend who can be objective. Often we just need to hear that it’s ok to let go. Friends will hold your hand, enjoy the stories and help you box up donations.
What items are you holding on to?
If you’re feeling stuck and looking for a way to get started, check out my 5-Day Challenge to get started with spaces in your home that are NOT sentimental.
This can be a problem area for me. I let go of more things every year, but I never wish I hadn’t kept it all. I’m more likely to wish I’d kept even more!
I don’t think I’m very sentimental. I guess, like you, I am about a few items, but I make sure I use them so I can enjoy them. If I’m not going to use them, then I tend not to keep things.
I love the idea of displaying rather than just putting sentimental objects away in a box. When my mom died I only chose a few items from her home and they are all displayed in my home or used.
Yes! It took me a while to whittle things down, but I have gotten rid of the guilt boxes and don’t even remember much about what we got rid of. I do really enjoy what we have displayed.
Do you have any suggestions for sentimental notes and cards? I have 4 “photo boxes” full of handwritten notes and Anniversary Cards, Christmas Cards, Birthday Cards, little nicknacks from our nieces over the years, pins and awards, etc. I keep telling myself they don’t take up much space and every time I look through them I feel sad about purging them but I know I’ll never display them. I’m inclined to give them 1 storage tote of space and just let them be but then I feel bad about just stashing more in the attic where it will surely never been looked at for years. Any thoughts or advice?
Hi Vicki – Sentimental stuff is hard. I find that a few passes helped me with old greeting cards and notes. I set a boundary of one photo box for myself. I prioritized cards that had meaningful handwritten notes. Keeping the ones from the most important relationships in my life. I still have many letters from my grandmothers who wrote to me weekly when I lived in France. I didn’t keep cards from everyone and prioritizing helped me to pass on cards from relationships I didn’t need or want to keep. I think a boundar is a good idea as you’ve mentioned. But with each pass, that boundary can get smaller. I used to have 2 bins of my son’s baby clothes and toys. Now it is down to one small bin. Take your time with this. You may also find that for the knickknacks, you can take a photo of them and pass them on. Or choose one that is special and display it. Keeping items in a box is not honoring the relationship or the gift. Let me know if this helps or if you have more questions!