How to Be More Intentional About Sentimental Clutter
These 7 questions can help you decide whether to keep, store or let go of those once-meaningful objects in your life
Sorting through old photos, things passed down from family, personal mementos and childhood treasures can be tiring work — physically and emotionally. And with the upswing in popularity of minimalism in recent years, there’s a lot of pressure to let go of the maximum amount of stuff.
But is that the right approach for you? I’m learning that it’s not really about how much sentimental stuff you save, but about whether you are saving it on purpose. If you’re ready to assess your sentimental clutter but would like to do so with a lighter touch, these seven questions can help put you on the right path.
But is that the right approach for you? I’m learning that it’s not really about how much sentimental stuff you save, but about whether you are saving it on purpose. If you’re ready to assess your sentimental clutter but would like to do so with a lighter touch, these seven questions can help put you on the right path.
2. Would You Appreciate Having It When You’re Older?
Certain things — diaries, childhood photos, love letters — have the potential to become even more precious as we age. These reminders of who you were at different points in your life might be things you want to preserve.
Or maybe not! Ultimately, you are the author of your story, so choose what you’d like to preserve and what to omit.
Certain things — diaries, childhood photos, love letters — have the potential to become even more precious as we age. These reminders of who you were at different points in your life might be things you want to preserve.
Or maybe not! Ultimately, you are the author of your story, so choose what you’d like to preserve and what to omit.
3. Does It Bring You Joy?
If you’ve been keeping things you love and treasure (Grandma’s china, perhaps?) hidden away in boxes or a storage unit, think about bringing some of them into your daily life.
Even if it’s a treasure too delicate for regular use, displaying it where you can see and appreciate it will enhance your life — and probably make it easier to grab if you ever have to quickly evacuate your home.
4. Would You Be Devastated If You Lost It?
This gets to the crux of what being intentional about sentimental clutter really means. If there are things you’d be devastated to lose but they’re buried deep in your garage and hidden by tons of stuff that doesn’t matter nearly as much, the chance that you’d be able to find these things when you want them is pretty slim.
What to do? Start going on scouting missions to locate and gather these notable items. You may even find that through this process it becomes easier to let go of the other stuff — because you can see how much less important it is to you by comparison.
How to Save What’s Priceless When Disaster Strikes
If you’ve been keeping things you love and treasure (Grandma’s china, perhaps?) hidden away in boxes or a storage unit, think about bringing some of them into your daily life.
Even if it’s a treasure too delicate for regular use, displaying it where you can see and appreciate it will enhance your life — and probably make it easier to grab if you ever have to quickly evacuate your home.
4. Would You Be Devastated If You Lost It?
This gets to the crux of what being intentional about sentimental clutter really means. If there are things you’d be devastated to lose but they’re buried deep in your garage and hidden by tons of stuff that doesn’t matter nearly as much, the chance that you’d be able to find these things when you want them is pretty slim.
What to do? Start going on scouting missions to locate and gather these notable items. You may even find that through this process it becomes easier to let go of the other stuff — because you can see how much less important it is to you by comparison.
How to Save What’s Priceless When Disaster Strikes
5. Do You Have a Backup?
If it’s something that can be backed up (like photos or videos), make sure you’ve done that. And for those items that can’t be backed up? Make sure you’re safely storing these one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable treasures.
As a first step, move the items from outdoor storage spaces such as a garage or shed (where they’re more likely to sustain water damage) and into the house. Next, you might want to consider photographing each item and jotting down a brief description and memory to go with the photo. If the worst happens and the item is destroyed, you’ll at least have another version of it.
How to Finally Organize Your Family Keepsakes
If it’s something that can be backed up (like photos or videos), make sure you’ve done that. And for those items that can’t be backed up? Make sure you’re safely storing these one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable treasures.
As a first step, move the items from outdoor storage spaces such as a garage or shed (where they’re more likely to sustain water damage) and into the house. Next, you might want to consider photographing each item and jotting down a brief description and memory to go with the photo. If the worst happens and the item is destroyed, you’ll at least have another version of it.
How to Finally Organize Your Family Keepsakes
6. Do You Want It Forever or for Now?
It’s OK to feel really attached to something and at the same time realize you don’t need to keep it forever.
In this category could be things like your child’s artwork (especially if said child is a prolific artist!), wedding invitations (not yours) and cards from birthdays and holidays.
The key here is to have some sort of routine in place for doing a regular clear-out — a monthly or quarterly reminder on your calendar or phone can help.
It’s OK to feel really attached to something and at the same time realize you don’t need to keep it forever.
In this category could be things like your child’s artwork (especially if said child is a prolific artist!), wedding invitations (not yours) and cards from birthdays and holidays.
The key here is to have some sort of routine in place for doing a regular clear-out — a monthly or quarterly reminder on your calendar or phone can help.
7. Do You Have Room to Keep It?
The fact is, what you keep is limited by where you live. If you’ve chosen to live in a tiny home, you’ve probably already come to terms with the fact that there isn’t much room for saving mementos. But even if you live in a full-size house with a two-car garage, it’s important to think about how you want to use (and fill) all that space. How much breathing room do you want? There’s no right answer; the important thing is to ask yourself the question.
The fact is, what you keep is limited by where you live. If you’ve chosen to live in a tiny home, you’ve probably already come to terms with the fact that there isn’t much room for saving mementos. But even if you live in a full-size house with a two-car garage, it’s important to think about how you want to use (and fill) all that space. How much breathing room do you want? There’s no right answer; the important thing is to ask yourself the question.
Your turn: Share a photo or story of something you treasure in the Comments.
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More
Pre-Storage Checklist: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Store
Escape the Inheritance Trap: What to Do With Sentimental Pieces
Find storage bins and boxes
Some mementos immediately call to mind a person, place or time. And the things that bring up the best stories aren’t always the things an outsider would guess carry so much meaning. It could be something beautiful, to be sure, such as a locket or watch, but it could also be a rusty tricycle, a banged-up lunchbox or a high school algebra textbook with secret notes scribbled inside. Only you can decide which things prompt that magical trip down memory lane.