Emotional attachment is probably the main reason people hold on to many things they don’t need or use. Therefore, it’s no wonder that for most people, the hardest part of the decluttering process is parting with sentimental clutter. However, no matter how difficult it might be, there comes a point where it’s necessary to get rid of accumulated clutter, regardless of its sentimental value. Otherwise, it can end up becoming a burden.
If you are about to embark on a decluttering journey, we’ve prepared this guide for you. It will help you let go of sentimental items more easily in order to keep your home neat and tidy.
Sorting through sentimental items
Keeping too many sentimental items is one of the most common mistakes people make when organizing their homes. However, if you continue going in this direction, many of those sentimental items can actually become stressors in your life.
Therefore, it’s important to occasionally declutter and get rid of unwanted stuff. To be fair, it will not be easy. But, to make it that much easier, ask yourself these three following questions when sorting your sentimental belongings:
- Why is this item significant? – If the item you picked evokes positive emotions such as joy and happiness, it’s a good reason to keep it. If you don’t remember where you got it, you don’t really need it.
- Can this item be used or displayed? – If you don’t intend on using a specific item or if you simply don’t like it despite its sentimental value, you shouldn’t keep it.
- Why am I keeping this item? – Just because you got something as a gift or it’s a family heirloom doesn’t mean it’s not ok to get rid of it. If guilt or any other negative emotion is tied to an item, you shouldn’t keep it.
Storing your sentimental items
Now that you’ve decided which emotionally valuable items you want to keep, you need to figure out where to store them. When it comes to small items, the best way to keep them is to get a small or medium keepsake box. You can choose a decorative box that will easily fit into your home design and keep it in an easily accessible place.
However, if you just downsized to a smaller home or you don’t have enough storage space for all of your things, renting a storage unit could be a perfect choice. By keeping your sentimental items in a storage unit, you’ll be sure they are safe, and you’ll be able to access them anytime you want. Therefore, we strongly advise you to consider this option.
How to part with sentimental clutter
Decluttering your home is never an easy task, especially when it comes to items that you are emotionally attached to. Here are our tips that will help you say goodbye to your sentimental items easily and guilt-free.
Throw away your guilt
Sometimes it’s easy to mix nostalgia with guilt, making it extra difficult to get rid of certain items. However, guilt is the most unhelpful emotion you can experience when decluttering and can stop you in your path towards becoming a minimalist. Instead, try to be objective and decide what to keep based on its value.
For example, people tend to keep gifts they’ve received, even if they don’t like them simply because they feel obligated to. However, after you receive a gift, you can do with it whatever you please. Therefore, don’t feel guilty because you don’t like someone’s present. Find someone to give it to or donate it.
Take a photo or make a digital copy
If you are having a hard time getting rid of a specific sentimental item but you don’t really need it anymore, an excellent way to preserve a memory of it is to take a photograph. This is especially useful if you don’t have enough storage space in your home.
When it comes to different documents or even photographs, you can scan them and save them digitally. This is not only an excellent way to get some extra storage space, but it’s also very environmentally friendly. Make sure to recycle your old files and save digital copies instead.
Repurpose items
When sorting your sentimental items, you’ll probably find many things that are no longer usable, but you don’t want to get rid of. Why not try creating something new out of these items and preserve their sentimental value at the same time?
For example, you can make a quilt from your old T-shirts that remind you of some important events. Or, take a stone from a dated ring and turn it into a necklace or a bracelet. This way, your sentimental items will be used again, which is much better than simply sitting and collecting dust.
Find a better home for it
If you are not sure whether to get rid of an item or to keep it, remember that there’s always a third option – give it to someone who needs it.
For example, if you received a family heirloom that you don’t really like, you don’t need to feel guilty and think you need to keep it. Instead, talk to your relatives. There could be someone who either needs it or wants to have it. Your clutter could be someone else’s fortune.
Don’t be afraid to part with sentimental clutter
We hope we were able to help you part with sentimental clutter in an easier and less stressful way. Remember that material things, even if we give them emotional value, are still things. What’s most important will always stay with us – our memories.
