Sentimental Items- Cherish What You Love and Let Go of the Guilt

Belongings that carry meaning or were handed down to you can be one of the toughest categories to manage and declutter.  While we all may wish to have the capacity to retain these keepsakes, sometimes you reach a point where you need to make some breathing room for the future and let go of some of the past.  Here are some things to consider when assessing sentimental items:

What does this item represent to you?  Do you have other items that represent the same thing?

Do you have a large clock from your grandfather?  Do you also have a pocket watch as well? If you have multiple items that connect you to one thing, consider pairing down to one item or a smaller keepsake that would still spark that connection and memory for you.

Does this item have a positive feeling for you or does it just make you feel guilty to think of donating or selling it?

Many times we may have hand me downs that meant something to a loved one, but don’t actually mean anything to us.  Consider giving these items a new life with someone that may be able to use and love them. While it can be difficult to let go of the guilt associated with this, it helps to think that the item could be useful to someone else instead of taking up room in your closet and not fulfilling its purpose.  

If appropriate, you could also let the original owner know that while you appreciate the giving of the item, you are unable to use it at the moment and ask if they would like it back or if you should donate it to a worthy cause.

Can you document the item in another way?

We may have all heard about this tactic before- but could you take a picture to commemorate the item and then be able to let it go?  Take pictures of your kid’s wearing their grandmother’s costume jewelry and then maybe allow each child to pick one piece to keep. Snap a photo of the garden bench that meant a lot to a relative and then feel free to donate it to someone with the space to use it.

Would someone else in the family want the item?

Be cautious here!  I am not an advocate of encouraging anyone else to hang on to items that you yourself no longer desire, but you could ask yourself if someone else in your family or friend group may be able to use or appreciate the item in a way that you cannot.  If you are going to offer the item up, I would suggest that you do it in a low pressure way that states that the item is available and leave it at that.

**Bonus! Take a moment to confirm that the item is actually meaningful.

I had an old carved wood cane from my grandmother’s house.  I remember playing with it as a child and had it in my mind that it belonged in the family, was passed down, etc.  When I asked my mom about this, she said it was ornamental, not an heirloom. My grandfather thought it looked awesome and bought it while traveling. So while I agreed that it was awesome, I also knew that I had no use for it and felt more at peace with donating it.

Hope that these questions help you on your decluttering journey!