Decluttering Sentimental Items (How To Let Go)
Decluttering When You Are Emotionally Attached
Decluttering sentimental items is hard. These are items that hold memories.
Items that were given to us by loved ones. Items from our childhood.
Belongings that have been passed down for generations.
How many of these types of items are sitting in a storage box in your basement, in a chest in your attic, or in a shoebox in the top of your closet?
Does it bring you down, make you feel sad, or make you feel guilty?
Why is it in a box and not displayed in your house?
These are questions you should ask yourself about the sentimental objects in your home.
Is it clutter or is it an object that brings you joy?
I’m going to be sharing with you all of my best tips for decluttering sentimental items.
Then, I will share my personal experience.
Hopefully, this will help you get rid of those things you are holding onto that have no purpose in your life.
Why You Should Declutter
Real quick I want to make sure you know the benefits of decluttering.
There needs to be a reason why you are decluttering your sentimental items before you actually do it.
Less Clutter = Less Chaos
First of all, when you have less stuff, there is less stuff to take care of.
Your home becomes less chaotic and you have less to clean.
You also feel more peace in your home because you are not being bogged down by all of your belongings.
Related: Declutter Your Home – 101 Things To Get Rid Of
Decluttering Has Health Benefits
There are also health benefits to decluttering and the opposite is true as well. Clutter can be harmful to your health.
Deals with Emotional Clutter and Guilt
When you declutter sentimental items you will also be getting rid of some emotional clutter.
You’ll be letting go of pieces of your past and maybe even some guilt.
But the good stuff… those are locked in your memories forever. (Or are attached to things you will not be getting rid of.)
Related: Find Time To Declutter When You Can’t Find The Time
More Room For What Is Important
When you declutter sentimental items you will make room in your home for the items that have a true purpose.
For example, we do not have an area to keep our office supplies and craft supplies.
These are things we use all of the time, but they are all in random places in our home, causing an overflowing closet and items to constantly be on the kitchen counter.
When I decluttered sentimental items from the basement this left open space for me to keep our office supplies.
This is the goal for you as well. Clear up space in your home for what you are actually using today!
Not what you used 10 years ago or what you “think” you might use again one day.
Tips For Decluttering Sentimental Items
Remember You Should Enjoy The Items in Your Home
If you have been keeping sentimental items in a box and have no intention of getting them out, then this is clutter.
If it’s down in the basement because you feel obligated to keep it but will never use it, then this is clutter as well.
Clutter you have grown some sort of attachment to.
If you have been keeping sentimental items in a box, then get them out. Find a way to display them in your home.
This is also a way to determine which sentimental items are really just clutter.
If you feel excited about the idea of putting these items in your home then it is not clutter.
If you want to keep them shut away in boxes then it is clutter and you should really consider getting rid of them.
Give Items Away to Someone Who Will Love It
Maybe you have a family heirloom that has been in your attic for years and you have no intention of using it.
Is there a family member who would love to have it? Give the items to someone who will find joy in the item.
This also goes for selling your items online. If someone is willing to pay for an item you don’t want then they obviously want it or need it more than you do.
Plus, you now get a little extra cash.
Related: How To Start Cleaning Your House When The Mess Is Overwhelming.
Honor the items by bringing them out of storage and using them in your home
If you have a collection of your grandmother’s old china, can you display it somehow?
You don’t even have to use the whole set. Get one plate, make a pretty display and then donate or sell the rest.
I did this with a collection of porcelain dolls. There were 20 dolls sitting in my basement for 5 years.
I took one doll, displayed it in my daughter’s room, then sold the rest.
Repurpose Items
Before hiding something in the basement for the rest of eternity, ask yourself if there is some other way that you could use this item?
Can sentimental t-shirts be made into a quilt? Can a scrapbook be made? Pinterest is great for ideas like this.
I had a friend who had some coasters that her kids had made her. These coasters sat on her kitchen counter for years.
She always felt they cluttered up the counter but since her kids had made them she didn’t want to let them go.
We searched on Pinterest and found a solution. It was to tie the coasters together with ribbon and hang them on the wall.
This was a great solution. She was able to keep them and they were no longer cluttering up the counter.
Gifts Should Not Equal Guilt
We often hang onto an item because someone gave it to us. If you love the item and use it then, sure, keep it.
However, if you are only hanging onto it because of guilt then it really is okay to get rid of it.
Guilt is one of the biggest reasons for hoarding sentimental items.
Often times the pressure that we put on ourselves about the gifts others give us, is not pressure that would really come from the person who gave it to us.
I’m sure they wanted us to use and love the item, but in reality that doesn’t always happen and most people know this.
Decluttering gifts is okay! You’ll feel better when you let it go.
Use Technology
With a lot of sentimental items, you can save a virtual memory. Take a picture of your kid’s artwork and put it on your computer.
Make sure you have a good back up system.
You can take pictures of anything and keep those instead of the actual item that you will never use.
This can even help you with decluttering old photos. Scan all of your old photos into the computer.
You can even make these things into other memories such as videos.
Just keep in mind that there is such a thing as virtual clutter.
Related: Digital Declutter – Embrace Digital Minimalism
Storage Boxes Are Sometimes Necessary
I understand that there are some things you will never want to part with.
First, keep in mind you will part with it one day, I know that’s hard to hear, but it’s true. Someone at some time will have to deal with all of your things.
However, there is nothing wrong with holding onto certain items.
Getting rid of childhood memorabilia can be hard.
There is nothing like sitting down with an old memory box and going through its contents.
It can stir up memories that don’t come to mind often and remind you of times in your life that you will always cherish.
Do your best to keep these types of items to a minimum. It’s a good idea to have a scrapbook or small box for each person in the family.
This way you can keep everything contained to a small space and not let it clutter up your living space.
I Will Not Push Extreme Minimalism In This Area
A true minimalist would say… You will always have the memories and you don’t need the objects.
To let go of things in your past and those items are holding you back.
I will never push this idea because like I said, there is nothing like looking back on an old box of photographs or reading an old love letter.
I believe in simplicity not true minimalism.
However, I know from experience that a clutter-free home means a clutter-free mind, and a home that’s easier to care for. (Plus, loads of other benefits.)
I know that I will never, ever be able to get rid of my doll, Emily, that my grandmother gave me as a very young girl.
She is dirty and balding and sits up in the top of my closet. She will probably always sit up at the top of my closet, but I won’t get rid of her.
I know she is just a material item and that she brings no real value to my life, but I just won’t get rid of her.
So if this is you, if you have an item like this, don’t force yourself to get rid of it.
I have shown this doll to my daughter and I will do so again someday.
We can talk about my grandma, and share my memories and talk about how much my grandma would have loved her. This is why I keep her.
My Experience
I have had many experiences decluttering sentimental items. I might not be getting rid of my childhood doll, but I have gotten rid of plenty of other things.
I’m telling you this to reassure you that you will not miss these items. The benefits outway any negative feelings you may have about decluttering sentimental items.
First, it was my CD collection.
I had a lot of CDs. I mean a lot. But I used to spend hours of my day looking up new artist and listening to music that was off the beaten path.
I even met my husband a hole in the wall place where I went to listen to some small bands. (He was the lead singer and guitar player ;))
This box full of CDs started collecting dust in the basement for many years. I would occasionally pull these out to listen to in the car.
There is still something about listening to the whole album and not just the songs that made it to the radio.
But with technology came the ability to listen to music without CDs, hence the dust collecting.
So when our house was in a pretty desperate situation, I’m talking I couldn’t even walk to the laundry anymore, I ruthlessly decluttered and out went the CDs.
I hesitated hard on this one. My husband, who is actually the hoarder in the family, encouraged me to get rid of them and so they went.
I can still listen to any song I ever want with the help of technology. It’s a great thing.
The second challenge I mentioned earlier. It was my porcelain doll collection.
I got a doll every year for Christmas until I was about 20, so did my sister.
It was at that age that we decided to tell mom that we probably didn’t need anymore. I started thinking about what I was going to do with all of these dolls and I had no idea.
When I got married they went into a storage container and went into my basement. They sat there for 5 years.
Again, our house got into that desperate place where I just couldn’t take the clutter anymore. I wish this is the part where I said… so I got rid of the dolls. It’s not.
I held onto the dolls for another year and a half. I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of them. Mostly because of the guilt.
My mom had given these to me. I know she spent many hours choosing the perfect doll for me each year. I loved getting them, I thought they were beautiful.
It felt just so wrong to get rid of them.
BUT… I knew without any doubt that I would never put them out in my house. I would never decorate with them. There was no way to repurpose them.
So when the basement started getting cluttered again. Because that’s who we are. I don’t know why it happens. It just does.
I had to make more room and that meant getting rid of things… again. It was time.
I went through the dolls and kept one to keep for my daughter. It’s sitting up on a shelf in her room.
Then, I put the dolls up for sale and it was hard. I was actually relieved when no one seemed interested in them.
But one day someone was.
I loaded them up and sold them. Handing over the box was weird. I even hesitated before handing over the box of dolls.
The lady who bought them had her daughter with her. When they opened the box they spoke about how beautiful they were and they were truly excited.
They loved them and couldn’t wait to put them in their home. This relieved so much stress.
They loved them. They were going to someone who actually wanted them and was not going to hide them in a box.
It has been such a relief to have the dolls gone. It was a piece of guilt that has been hanging over me for so long.
I do think it made my mom a little sad, but I know she understood. I will always have the memory of those dolls and it was a fun part of my childhood.
You Won’t Lose The Memories
When you get rid of sentimental items you are not getting rid of the memories. They are still there.
I’ve gotten rid of old greeting cards, letters friends wrote to me in high school, artwork from my childhood, the list goes on.
I’ve never regretted one single piece.
My house is less cluttered, its easier to clean, and it gets easier to let go the more I do it. I’m happier with my home. I have learned a lot about material possessions and don’t put much worth in them.
They do not define you. You cannot take them with you when you die. Some of them just bring you down and keep you tied to things in your past.
Sometimes you keep things out of guilt but the guilt disappears when you get rid of the items.
And you don’t have to declutter every sentimental item. Just keep the most cherished.
I promise you are keeping most things out of some weird obligation that you have made up in your own head. You can let it go and you can live clutter free.
Need More Help Decluttering Sentimental Items?
If you are really struggling with a cluttered house. If you need to get rid of sentimental items and have an overflow of material things in your house then I am here to help.
Clutter can actually be very harmful to your mental and physical health.
If you want less anxiety, a home that you love and that’s easier to take care, decluttering is your answer.
Thank You! Need More Support?
Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you’ll stick around and read some more.
Here are some more ideas I have on organizing and declutteirng.
My main passion is helping women build systems and routines that make homemaking simple. I find this possible through simplifying life, decluttering, and building routines that work for your household.
If you love all of that or want to learn more you should jump on my email list. I’ll send you a bunch of info on how I take care of my house, free access to my printables library, and a weekly newsletter with challenges and tips. Hope to see you there.
Either way, thanks again, and come back any time. 🙂
Kris Lee
February 24, 2023 at 12:25 pmGreat blog and it appears that you are doing good in helping people purge. One statement that resonated with me it that your stuff keeps coming back? or having to purge again. I found a great organizer that has wonderful solutions and has broken it down to styles of organizing. You may benefit from her. Her website is clutterbug.com. Check it out, and thanks for the sentimental items article. I have plenty from my in-laws that I need to purge.
Diane
December 24, 2022 at 9:22 amFYI I just tried to join your email list and got a 404 error Page Not Found
https://katieskottage.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=3e894bdeb037417713e0c57be&id=ce8a2cf900
Diane
December 24, 2022 at 9:20 amThis was such a helpful post. So many times when I read this sort of article or blog, it’s content that has been repeatedly shared and feels somewhat cliched. Not so here-this was truly a refreshing and useful take on the topic. Many thanks.
Rosaria Gust
July 30, 2020 at 10:39 pmLove this article! Finally decided to clean my basement! I still had boxes of books from when we moved, 14 years ago !!
KatiesKottage
September 8, 2020 at 3:11 pmThanks, Rosaraia! I hope the basement got all cleaned out. 🙂
Melissa Patrick
May 21, 2020 at 10:26 amI’m glad I found THIS article at THIS time. My husband and I are in our 60’s and are moving to a smaller house so one of our sons can have “the big house” on our family property. I’ve been thinking about how I’ll soon have to decide what stays and what goes. You’re right, there really is no reason to hold on to the shoes I wore in my wedding or my polyester going away suit and lots of other stuff just taking up useful space. We have the antique family portrait of his ancestors on our wall (we call them the Addams Family pictures), but no wall space for them in the smaller house and our children aren’t interested in keeping them. So we’re planning to meet with his cousins when we’re free to visit again and pass them on to one of them. However, I’ll take a picture of the portraits because I plan to finally make an ABC scrapbook of memories for each of the children now that I’ve retired (A for ancestors). I’m looking forward to the end result of minimizing , but not the actual process! I’ll be following your blog so I can stay motivated.
KatiesKottage
May 26, 2020 at 3:29 pmHi Melissa. Thanks for such a kind comment. It sounds like you are on the right track. You are right, the process can start to feel overwhelming but keep on pushing through. You will love the results. Good luck!
Sylvia
May 14, 2020 at 9:44 pmThe problem I have is when I was younger I received this and that from my grandma or other relatives. “This has been in our family for generations. Now its yours.” Thanks. I received a makeup desk when I was 12 that was my grandmother’s, then my mom’s and then me. When I was 19 I was moving out on my own and I took it apart and threw it away. It was falling apart. My grandparents came over to see my new place after I settled in. The first thing my grandma noticed was the makeup stand. I told her I threw it away. All of the sudden it was like a hurricane, volcano, and a snowstorm hit my apartment. Ive never seen someone so angry at me before like the moment they were mad at me. It threw me through a loop. I explained why. My grandfather said “You should have let me known and I would’ve fixed it.”
After that and every thing I got as a hand me down I would get rid of either because I didnt like it or I didnt need it. More than half the time my grandmother gave me those sentimental things. She would of course ask for them back 6months to a year later and I would have to make up an excuse on why I havent given it to her yet. I personally dont see the need on keeping things forever even if its sentimental.
The one thing that I do have that was given to me by my grandmother is my moms wedding dress. I have no room for it. Its in my closet taken most of the space and Im too afraid to get rid of it because of receiving backlash from my moms family. I live in a studio apartment. The clothes that I do need hung in that spot are hanging on doorknobs. I don’t know what to do or how to approach my family about it. Sentimental things are too serious for them and I am not sentimental.
KatiesKottage
May 16, 2020 at 9:19 pmHi Sylvia, thank you so much for your comment. This indeed is a difficult situation to be in. I find that the older generations really don’t understand us wanting to get rid of things. But they also didn’t deal with the crazy consumerism that we deal with now a days either so they have a different life perspective. Unfortunately, I am not a family counselor. I wish I could be of more help. Is there anyone else in your family who would like these things? That’s the only thing I can think of besides talking with your grandma about how you just don’t have room for the dress. Maybe she can store it for awhile??? Try your best to say no thank you when they offer you stuff to at least prevent more things from being in your home. I know that’s easier said than done. Just some thoughts. Good luck!
Rita K.
July 21, 2022 at 5:49 pmKatie, I feel like you know me & wrote this for me to read! As the mom of 8 & grandmother of 10 (for now) I have too much clutter & so does my husband. We downsized & brought all the junk along, it sure is overwhelming and brings me down. Loved your blog, wish me/us luck. Rita
Reet
May 7, 2020 at 10:42 pmThank you for such a wonderful article. After reading this I finally got rid of a ton of stuff, that
was literally “just sitting around”. Since we have been in lockdown due to this pandemic (I live in Sydney, Australia), I’ve been able to do so much. I even got rid of my wedding shoes & going away shoes that have been sitting in a cupboard for 34 years! I decluttered clothes, handbags, kitchen gidgets & gadgets, crockery, over 200 books, craft supplies no longer used, nik naks that I no longer loved & tons of other stuff. It’s such a liberating feeling. Again thank you so much, stay safe & God bless you & yours.
With kindest regards
Reet
KatiesKottage
May 12, 2020 at 11:13 amReet this so wonderful to hear. I’m so glad you have been able to accomplish so much. I hope you are enjoying your new found space. Thank you for such a kind comment.
Martin
April 4, 2020 at 6:00 pmGood post. I learn something new and challenging on blogs I stumbleupon everyday.
It’s always interesting to read through content from other writers and practice a little something from
their websites.
KatiesKottage
April 4, 2020 at 8:27 pmThank you so much for the kind comment. I’m glad you stumble upon this blog and found some value here.
Tami
March 2, 2020 at 8:49 pmHi Katie,
I would like to express my gratitude on the presentation of this article. I have had a bad problem with hoarding for a great many years, and it is primarily sentimental articles of every type you could imagine. I have had no idea how I would begin to reduce what I know is a vast burden to my life, but if I don’t do something it will be descended upon my kids to deal with, whom don’t deserve that. You’ve provided many common sense and tangible ways to go forth with what I know will likely be a difficult road. I know I have to and your very real experiences have put many things in perspective on this matter to ease the job.
Thank you for the great information and assistance,
Tami
KatiesKottage
March 2, 2020 at 8:58 pmThank you for such a kind comment Tami. I truly hope you are able to move forward and declutter what you can. Another tip I have is to declutter the non sentimental stuff first! It’s much easier to get rid of and then you’ll be used to getting rid of things by the time you get to the sentimental. I wish you all the best. You will light and refreshed as you make more progress. 🙂
IMELDA WEECE HERAWATI, S.H.
February 8, 2020 at 8:34 amTHANK YOU!
KatiesKottage
February 9, 2020 at 5:00 pmYou are very welcome 🙂
Amy McDaniel
January 2, 2020 at 10:38 pmMy grandmother gathered all the photos and letters she had accumulated from me and put them in a special photo album she had made for me before she passed away. We were very close and I’m so grateful that I have this heartwarming gift! I also suffer from a clutter/hoarding disorder but not when it comes to her memory. After she passed I added a couple of sentimental items, photos, etc to the album and didn’t feel “the need ” to have any of her other belongings. I am at peace, no guilt, regrets, or other heavy emotional baggage when I reminisce. That album was/is my favorite gift of “us”. So, for those that have boxes of memories that they can’t part with out of guilt; make one for each child, grandchild or make yourself one and then allow yourself to toss the rest.
KatiesKottage
January 4, 2020 at 1:45 pmThis is such great advice Amy. Thank you so much for sharing this. 🙂
Kathy
October 30, 2019 at 2:56 pmI am 85yrs old, have lived in the same home for over 40 years. Under my bed, three boxes of greeting cards from my children (6) and grandchildren (14). Can not throw them away. What can I do?? Thank you. ?
KatiesKottage
November 11, 2019 at 1:00 pmHi Kathy, if you absolutely cannot get rid of them try getting a photo album or scrap book to keep them in. Then you can have this on a shelf and will be more likely to look at them. As you are making the scrap book, you may find some that aren’t really worth keeping. I hope that helps. 🙂 Thanks for reading.
Barb Barrow
September 3, 2019 at 7:23 pmOver the years I have accumulated much clutter. I have lived in my house for 30 years, and i am now almos 80..
I have books,,,and curios…and pictures,,,and old newspapers…and games,,,and hobbies… I’m going to get to one day.
I have shelves of old toys,,,boxes of old memories…several boxes of old post cards : a closet full of clothes that I need to go through…plus several boxes of paper files I need to attack one day,, etc. etc. When I look at each room, I am overwhelmed. I can’t even get started. I don’t want all of this to fall on my disabled daughter one day..
(This is what happens when you “put off” too long.}
Can you help me, or who would you suggest I hire to help me?
KatiesKottage
September 3, 2019 at 8:03 pmHi Barb, I would love to help. There are people that you can hire to come into your house as well. I can help via the internet. You would need to decide which would work better for you. I have a few things that can help. You can read all my blog posts for free. You can purchase my ebook How to Declutter Your Whole House in Your Own Time http://katieskottage.com/shop/ You can join my free Facebook group facebook.com/groups/katieskottage and try to get support there. Or you can sign up for a declutter bootcamp. http://katieskottage.com/declutter-organize-bootcamp/ Please feel free to email me with any questions you have. katie@katieskottage.com
Colleen
April 23, 2019 at 5:39 pmDear Katie-I’ve been struggling for years with this problem. While reading your hints I realized I have unintentionally passed on My mindset to my daughter. When I talk to her this evening I am going to apologize to her and give her permission to toss out things that I now know she only keeps because me. Thanks you.
KatiesKottage
April 24, 2019 at 1:51 pmHi Colleen, thank yo so much for reading my blog and for your kind words. I hope your conversation with your daughter went well. Please don’t feel guilty about this. It’s a normal part of life that many of us deal with. I’m so proud of your for recognizing a need for you to grow in this area. Thank you again. I really hope this has helped and I wish you well.
Pat Tawney
January 28, 2019 at 11:39 pmHmm, nope, not gonna do it. First the concept that one has their memories is faulty. Memories are fleeting. My mother passed away thirty four years ago when my daughter was eighteen months old. Absent the wonderful old things in my home my daughter would not really know her. The Muir quote over the door, a retirement present from her co-workers helped me explain where my love of animals comes from. Our ancestors’ wisdom is accessible if we understand how to listen. These old things help me hear them especially as my own mind dims their voice. History isn’t only in schools and books, but in the life lessons of our ancestors. They tell us where were, so we can appreciate where we need to go. This clutter is not without purpose. It brings me closer to my past, to my families past, better than DNA. I can hear their voices. Ok, toss the shirt that doesn’t fit, the old peeling plastic containers, broken projects you really won’t get too. But careful of tossing out your memories. Your mind really isn’t as reliable as you think. At 65 I use these old objects to tell my grandson stories. He loves that he can hold them, it makes these people real to him in a digital age where the idea that light came from candles or oil lamps in this house, not some distant museum, but in the house he runs around in.
KatiesKottage
January 29, 2019 at 3:13 pmThank you Pat, I appreciate your perspective and actually agree with most of it. That is why I was sure to mention that I would never push minimalism in this area. Old cross country t shirts and CD’s that I felt a sentimental attachment too were taking up a lot of space in my home. Space I’m happy to have back now. But I still have a few of my favorite cross country t shirts and I will never get rid of my grandmothers doll… for the very reasons that you speak of. The difference is really knowing which sentimental items you truly love and value and which ones you really can get rid of… like my old report cards. Thanks again for your comment. I did love what you said about learning life lessons from our ancestors. I was lucky enough to know two great grandmothers and I will always cherish the stories they told me.
Joanie
April 7, 2019 at 10:56 pmLove some of your suggestions! Thank you!!
Angela Burdine
January 24, 2019 at 7:42 pmNot to pick, but did anyone else catch the oops in this sentence: ” Can sentimental t-shits be made into a quilt?” ha ha! Gave me a chuckle …
KatiesKottage
January 27, 2019 at 9:08 pmHa! I never noticed that and the friend who helped me edit didn’t catch it either. I edited to be the correct word now. I can’t believe I had that in there for so long. lol!
Krista
January 20, 2019 at 7:23 pmHi Katie! I really, REALLY needed and appreciate this post. I’m in the middle of going through ALL of the emotional/sentimental clutter I’ve been accumulating (hoarding..ignoring..) for basically my entire life. I’m 32, so – stuff from High school, college, childhood.. things that feel like they are from a life I lead in an alternate universe, basically. Ive come a very long way, and feel much more ready to and even excited about getting rid of a lot of things I know for a fact deep down I want to be free of. I’m just still struggling with a few things that specifically have to do with what I want to show/share with my daughter and (any other kids I may still have in the future). It’s hard to describe, because I haven’t even understood my own self why I don’t want to part with certain things that do not actually bring me joy. For example- some sweet notes from a retreat I went to in college and similar notes from a summer camp that was a huge part of my teenage years- obviously I am not really friends with 99% of those people now. My kids will never know these people, and I will probably never see any of them again. There is just some part of me that wants my kids to know who I was back then, or at least get some kind of glimpse into the life of younger me. It’s like there is some need in me somewhere for them to see how much other people valued me as a person and read the nice things they had to say, etc. Why in the world do I cling to this highly unlikely possibility that my kids might one day have some desire to read random notes that random people they don’t even know wrote to me 30 years ago??? I feel like I’m losing my mind. I’m just in need of some blunt advice to get me through this little roadblock so I can finally finish paring down and only move forward with a small, curated, inspiring collection of memories and treasures that won’t be the burden which is what I’m dealing with now. Thank you so much for writing this, it has helped so much. Any advice you have for me would be GREATLY appreciated! Thank you!!
KatiesKottage
January 20, 2019 at 7:45 pmWow Krista, thank you so much for the kind words. It makes so happy that this post has impacted you in you this way. First, I want to say that it seems like you are taking great steps towards a life free of material possessions that may have once held you down and that is great. Second, I don’t ever want to make anyone feel like they have to get rid of things if they truly bring make you happy and bring you happy memories. I don’t consider myself a minimalist because that feels to extreme for me but have learned that the stuff in our lives don’t mean as much as the people do. I myself have gotten rid of past letters from students and have not missed them. It was nice to come across them and read the nice words, I cherished the memories of those students but then let the paper clutter go. You do not have to let it go if it will make you sad in any way. Only let it go if it will bring relief. One thing I will say is your children will notice what a wonderful person you are by the way you love them. They will know about your past life because you talk with them about it. They don’t need a letter written by someone else to know how amazing their mom is and was. Those are the reasons why it will be okay if you decide to part with them. Also, you are hoping for something to happen with these letters and our children and you don’t know if this will ever happen or if they will have the response you are hoping for. This could be causing some unnecessary anxiety. If you get rid of these letters you will be letting go of the expectation you have for these letters and your family. However, if you are really struggling I have found that it becomes easier to let go of things the more you declutter. The first time I decluttered our home I still held onto things for various reason. That was a couple of years ago. Once you go through the process you start to realize that there are things you kept that you now know you can get rid of. I also suggest decluttering everything else first and then dealing with the sentimental things last. Again, towards the end of the journey it’s become easier to let go of things because you start to really see the benefits. I hope this helps! Feel free to reach out any time. And again thank you so much for such a kind comment.
Barb
January 8, 2019 at 2:57 pmI have an idea for you about your favorite doll from your grandmother. You could have it placed in your casket when you are buried. That way it stays with you forever. I’m having my cats ashes put with me. One problem I have is my husband keeps telling me to declutter but he refuses to give up anything of his. He has books from his tech college he went to and he’s now 73. The books are 50 years old. He says “ I might have to use them some day “. Haha. Please help.
KatiesKottage
January 9, 2019 at 4:34 pmThanks for the tip Barb. I’ll get to see my grandmother in Heaven so I probably won’t even care about the doll at the point. 🙂 I understand what you mean about your husband. Mine is a borderline hoarder. I just started with my things and he would comment on nice the house looked. Then I started by getting rid of the things of his that he would let me get rid of. He see’s the benefits now. He still has a harder time letting go than I do but has gotten better in the last few years. Good luck!
Robin
December 1, 2018 at 10:33 pmThank you for a great article! You make me feel better about dealing with my “clutter”.
KatiesKottage
December 5, 2018 at 6:57 pmYou are so welcome. Thank you for such a kind comment. I hope this really helps you. 🙂
Pam
October 24, 2018 at 8:34 pmThis article is incredibly inspiring and a great help to rid your home and life of material items that you no longer use. It puts the brakes on any guilt you may have for keeping clutter in your life. Well done . Thanks for sharing
KatiesKottage
October 25, 2018 at 8:10 amWow thank you Pam for such a kind comment. I’m so glad that you found it inspiring. I really hope it helps you and others let go of items that you truly don’t need. Thank you. 🙂