It's the Sentiment That Counts

In my last post we talked about how to pare down your everyday clutter.  But what about all of those sentimental items that you just can’t seem to bring yourself to let go of.  I know most people will tell you to just get rid of them. They will say things like, “Those are things not people” or remind you that you still have the memory of that time or person that the sentimental item reminds you of.  While those are valid points, it seems incredibly insensitive and unrealistic to expect everyone to just throw away an item when that “thing” can bring them to tears or can make them smile uncontrollably.  People and the memories we create with them are irreplaceable, so when a special period of time has passed or a person has passed it is completely natural to want to cling to something here in the physical realm.  While I am not here to tell you to throw all of your treasures away, but we are going to look at some ways that we can hold onto these items in a way they do not obstruct you in your everyday life. 

The majority of people do not have an overabundance of sentimental items in their house.  But to get us started today, let’s say you do.  Perhaps you have just inherited a loved one’s residence, or you are a new parent who is unsure of when to let go of those onesies that your infant keeps growing out of every month.  While I am all for holding onto sentimental items, it is unlikely that you can or even want to keep all of them.  We only want to keep usable items and emotionally charged items.  

Now the first question is obviously, what can you use and how soon can you use it.  You can refer back to the previous posts justification chart and see if there are any items that you are not painstakingly attached to that you can start parting with. 

At this point you should be left with usable items and maybe a few unusable items that you feel an overwhelming, strong emotional attachment too.  Next step…Find a place in your home for the usable items. 

If you know you will not be using the items for another year or two, but are absolutely confident you will use them, perhaps when you have your next child, store them safely in a place where they will not get mixed up with items you use in the present time.  In other words, get the bottles out of the kitchen and the onesies into a vacuum sealed bags and out of the way.  This is very important because as long as these unusable items are taking up space alongside the items you use every day, they are going to inevitably cause you some form of frustration.

If you already have a duplicate of a usable item but you wish to keep the sentimental version of it, for instance you inherit a dining room table.  Sell your old one.  This goes for smaller items as well.  Let these items serve you in the present time.  You will see them, touch them and care for them every day. That is a wonderful thing!

Now this leaves us with the non-usable sentimental items.  These are often times the most significant but least cared for items.  They are generally left shoved in the back of a closet or drawer, only encountered occasionally, usually when you are looking for something else.  What we are going to do with these items is get them out  of the closet and drawer.  They should be stored separately. Again, we want to remove them from the mix of your everyday items so that your day to day life does not begin to feel encumbered by them. 

Some of these items can be displayed.  Put into shadow boxes or set on shelves.  Other, more fragile items, i.e. books, linens etc. should be protected.  Wrap them in protective coverings and store them in a secure location.  Waterproof, fireproof, bulletproof…the best you got!  These are things you don’t want exposed to the elements.  Set a date on your calendar annually to open this box and examine these items.  Give yourself just an hour or two to relish in the memories and really care for those items.  Get the entire family involved. This is a great time to tell younger generations stories about their family.

There is absolutely a way to live in the present and still cherish your past.  Life might be a one way street, but we still have a rear view mirror that allows us to go back and visit our memories any time we wish.  My job here is to make sure the road ahead is free and clear of debris.  Happy trails my friends!

 Meredith Warren- Designate A Space