How to Let Go of Sentimental Clutter Without Losing the Memories

The hardest part about selling my home and moving across the country was parting with my treasures. For over 26 years I have kept my babies photos, artwork, patches, awards. I've saved my high school year books, childhood mementos, music cds, cassette tapes, clothing, papers, documents, outdated sports equipment, old art pieces. You name it- I had it stored away in boxes taking up space in my basement and in my mind. Yes those material things can also clutter your mind and energy and hold you back from growth. If you’re anything like me and have sentimental clutter, you’ll want to read these tips on breaking up with the mess while preserving the memories.

Scan and upload those paper memories

Photos, artwork, patches, papers, and other documents from your past can still be honored and remembered without taking up physical space in your life. Scan your paper items and upload the

images into a folder on a cloud drive for safe keeping. The hard realization is that you no longer need the physical copy. Ok, if you have a few favorites, give yourself A BOX, just 1 box to hang onto favorites, for display in the next house. Then the rest can be recycled and trashed.

Sell & Donate your stuff

Gently used toys, books, clothing, sports equipment, furniture, you can sell them or donate them. Maybe you have a special friend or family member in mind that would enjoy the item and keep them alive for that much longer. You may feel attachment to your items or guilt around removing old gifts or past down objects from your collection but you don’t need to keep a toy or piece of clothing for the sake of keeping a memory of someone alive. Again, if you have favorites, add them to THE box, or take a photo of it and release it. The release of past items taking up physical and emotional space in our lives is so healing! You owe it to yourself to have a fresh outlook on life.

Refreshing & Upcycling

We have a kitchen table that has been with Adam since college. It became our family kitchen table, we raised 3 boys and now 2 younger ones around this table. We've had many brunches, happy hours, birthdays, dinner parties, game nights! We could write books with the memories held around this table. It is worn though. It looked old, and out of style. Instead of trashing it, we sanded it down and renewed it! Perhaps you have old furniture hanging around with sentimental value, but no longer fits your style. Try a refresh or use a piece of it into another project- go wild!

Hopefully these tips help you as you you're going through your things, deciding what to pack away, throw away, or sell. Moving is an emotional process! You're not just selling your house, you're passing on a space where you had a lifetime of memories. While packing you will find yourself going down memory lane & you don't need to trash everything, only the items that no longer serve a purpose. In doing that you'll find yourself and your family expanding to spaces you never would have considered before!

For more tips and inspiration be sure to like this post, subscribe to her on social media, and follow Jennifer Langhals, Realtor with eXp Realty in Denver Colorado.