Decluttering Sentimental Items, Little by Little

Decluttering sentimental items can be one of the most challenging aspects of organizing, as these often hold emotional significance, making it difficult to part with them. Here are some strategies to help you tackle this task: 

Start Small

• Begin with a small category (e.g., cards, trinkets) to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

• Limit the time spent on decluttering sentimental items (e.g., 30 minutes), to avoid decision fatigue.

Ask Yourself Key Questions

• Why am I holding onto this item?

• Does this item bring me joy, or is it keeping me stuck in the past?

• Would I feel less burdened without it?

...and Be Kind to Yourself

Decluttering sentimental items is emotionally draining. Acknowledge the difficulty and give yourself permission to create a 'maybe' pile to revisit later. This allows you to make progress without feeling rushed into decisions you're not ready for.

Take Photos

• Preserve memories by taking photos of items. This way, you can keep the memory without the physical clutter.

• Create a digital folder, scrapbook, or photo album to store these memories.

Use the “Memory Box” Method

• Designate a special box or container to store meaningful sentimental items.

• Limit the number of items to those that fit in this box, ensuring that you only keep the most valuable memories.

To help you cope and focus on what's important you can involve family or friends. Sometimes, sharing memories with loved ones can help put things into perspective. Revisiting those memories might be enough for you to move on from the object itself.

Keep in mind that memories reside within you, not in objects. Decluttering frees up space for new experiences and connections.

A good idea is to turn sentimental items into something useful or beautiful. For example, turn old t-shirts into a quilt or frame meaningful letters or artwork. However, be mindful that these projects can add to your future 'to-do' list, which may contribute to overwhelm if not carefully managed.