It can be difficult to declutter your home at the best of times but when it comes to parting with items that have a sentimental value attached to them, it is doubly difficult.
It can be so hard to let go of those items that our children produced when they were small or things that may have been passed down from previous generations. It can be really liberating, like trying out a Grande Vegas casino login, and will also give you the space for items that you can use and enjoy.
Ways that can make it easier for you to part with sentimental items.
When you are beginning the decluttering process it is important to first put to one side items that have sentimental value so that they don’t hold up the decluttering process. If you stop to consider each sentimental item you will end up doing very little.
Professional organizer, Lauren Saltman says “Remember, your house is your home and not a museum.” She goes on to say, “Be sure to surround yourself with items that make you feel good about yourself and let go of items that bring back sad or unwanted memories.”
For Lauren Saltman living a decluttered life is the way to go. She teaches her clients ways to organize their homes and offices and shows them ways to incorporate techniques that will leave them feeling happy and better able to live simple lives.
Start with things that don’t have any sentimental value
Decluttering expert, Marie Kondo says that it is best to start the process with less sentimental items like old kitchen items, Tupperware or cutlery and other things that you don’t feel any emotional attachment towards.
Ingrid and Lesley from The Declutter Hub Podcast agree, “We always want to jump straight into photos and sentimental items but it’s the toughest place to start and we don’t want anyone falling at the first hurdle.”
If you start with items that don’t have any sentimental value “We strengthen our decluttering muscles…”
Parting with sentimental items
Lauren Saltman says that after dealing with the non-sentimental items you should then gather together, at the same, time all those items that do have sentimental value. Start with those things that are easy, perhaps photos of people or places that you don’t even recognize or old birthday cards that you thought you had already thrown out.
According to Saltman, there are a number of questions that you should ask yourself when considering each item.
- Does it bring up good memories?
- Do you have a place for this item so you can see and enjoy it daily?
- Might someone else enjoy this item more?
If when you are considering the item, it really has very little impact on you or a negative impact, then just let it go.
Sometimes we keep things just because they were gifts and we feel that perhaps it would be disloyal and might offend the giver if we discard it.
This can also be true for ‘family heirlooms’ like furniture. Sometimes this includes large pieces of furniture which are cluttering our homes. These you should definitely dispose of. Lesley and Ingrid say that you should ask yourself the following question: ‘Whose memories are they?’ Often, we hold onto memories that mean nothing to us because we think we are respecting the person’s memory. If a parent has passed away and left you with their sentimental items, it’s important that they hold a special memory for you too. If they don’t then you should just let them go.
Perhaps take a photograph of the item in order to preserve the memory. This way you can conjure up the memory but gain the space in your home.
It could be that you feel that letting go of items that belonged to someone special to you, who has since passed on, will somehow diminish the memory. But Marie-Helene Riverain says that you need to “Realize that getting rid of the object will never remove the moment you had with it. This will be forever stored in your heart. That is why gratitude plays a big role in your relationship with your belongings: to me, gratitude helps to engrave the emotion right into your heart.”
For Marcia Sloman of Under Control Organizing it is best to deal with sentimental items one at a time. She says “Sort through all of those items that trigger their memory. Having everything related to that person will make it easier to decide whether to keep or eliminate specific pieces.”
You can still keep a number of items that you have room for and are able to display and enjoy regularly. You can make a display of some of them, perhaps in a glass-fronted cupboard or on a shelf. This way they really add to your home environment.
If you really feel unable to part with some of these items, it’s not worth spending any more time fighting with yourself about them. Just put them away somewhere safe.
But according to Marie-Helene, “If you are tempted to just store them away to get them out of your way fast, you might be hiding some deeper emotions you don’t want to face.” She goes on to say “One day something will click, and you’ll be ready to let it go with a smile. Letting go is a beautiful thing, and it doesn’t mean you’re going to forget about a person or a situation, but simply that you are at peace with it.”Parting with sentimental items can actually push you forward in life. Letting go of the past and moving into the future, involves parting with sentimental clutter. Marie-Helene says “It is a good way to check in with yourself and see where you’re at with your past. You want to be at peace.”
