How to let go of sentimental items » MINIMALISM & DECLUTTERING Tips

Want to know how to let go of sentimental items? This video tells you everything you need to know. So set yourself up for some MINIMALISM & DECLUTTERING TIPS coming your way.

For many of us, dealing with sentimental clutter is one of the most challenging things. Emotional clutter can be tricky, because you never know what comes up. I think one of the most important things, if you want to know how to declutter sentimental items, is to practice our ability to separate the truly important things, from the items that can be categorized as literal emotional bagage.

Minimalist living means living lighter and happier. Therefore, being able to let go of sentimental clutter can be a great asset. And since I love sharing minimalism tips, I thought this video could be perfect to share this week. :)

How do you get rid of sentimental items? What are your tips and tricks? Leave them down below.

Lots of love,
🌼 Vera

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[SimpleHappyZen]

What do you prefer? Decluttering alone or together with someone else? 👇👇 Thanks for watching!

[sarahthatcher]

I found what helped me most is to go through everything multiple times over time. I got rid of a lot...I was so sentimental...I had so many little notes and pieces of little bits of paper...i had items I couldn't even remember why it's sentimental so it's like a layer...the 'low hanging fruit' and then I left it for 6 months but continued my minimizing journey and more learning...when I went through the second time I thought why on earth did I not declutter this last time? But I eventually learned it just wasn't the right time yet. I call it the onion method...layer after layer. I go real easy on myself and don't get rid of anything that I'm very unsure of. Never 'forcing myself' to get rid of it for the sake of decluttering alone. So I have now learned to trust that each time I go into a category, especially sentimental items, I trust that the items where their time has come to leave...I will 'see it', 'feel it', know it' and it won't have that yucky conflicting feeling...it will feel good ( as in peaceful) to let it go.

[nicoleonfeels]

I just told myself yesterday that just because I’m letting go of a shirt, doesn’t mean I’m letting go of a memory. What perfect timing!

[dominiquetheeasyminimalist]

I have a box that contains childhood items and various little things collected over time that I can’t get rid of, because of their special meaning. I’ve had this box for around 30 years now, and every couple of years it is such a joy to open it and relive some cherished memories 😊

[petitsjoujoux]

Oh my goodness I have so many sentimental items, but not overwhelmingly phew! I am really glad that I've kept the paper of my first time drawing music notes. Now I can frame it and put it in my music teaching room so my students know that I've started where they've started!

[lucytitus]

This is still hard for me. As I have been letting go of sentimental items I feel better. It’s been hard since my mother passed away. I know she wouldn’t want me holding on to them and she wants me to be happy. When I let go of her things and they are gone I realize she isn’t the items and that she is always with me without the items. I guess it can get confusing. Thank you Vera for this video.❤️🙏🏻

[rebeccarendle]

Great video... I have been doing all these things over the last 3 years of my minimalism journey :)

I have made 3 boxes for each of my kids.. Two hang file boxes with files from birth to 18/20yrs.. And one box for lumpy stuff eg christening candle, baby hospital clothes, crafts etc. . They can take their 3 boxes when they leave home and it will be easy for them to go through and then they can decide what they want to keep long term.

For my own sentiment stuff.. I was struggling with diaries and letters.. So recently when I had another attempt to reduce my sentiment stuff I used the "Swedish Death Clean" method.. Where I asked myself "if I died tomorrow, would I want my kids/family reading/seeing this stuff?"... Basically my answer to almost all of the diaries and letters was "no way! ".. So I looked through them, had a giggle (or cringe) and binned 98‰ of it!.. The few I kept.. I won't be embarrassed if they every saw/read them!... That method really helped me with that category of sentiment items!..

I hope these ideas help someone :)

[AtoZenLife]

Ugh, sentimental items are the hardest! I finally let go of 30 years of sentimental clutter, never felt better and more at peace. ✨✌️✨ Great topic, Vera! 🤗

[jvyeknom]

Best way to get rid of those sentimental items is to bring them out into the open.
If you put the object out where you can see it on a regular basis you'll start to think about it more and more.
Eventually you get to the point where you'll either get tired of looking at it and your ready to get rid of it or you'll come to the conclusion that the object actually has meaning or purpose.

[CFord-wuin]

Very good topic! I too have struggled with this one. Some things I know I will never part with (like my grandmother's gold watch) but I tend to only keep small items which are easily stored. One category which is difficult for me is items I've had from my childhood which I have carried around and repeatedly moved for 60 years (I'm 66 now). I don't love the item, but feel I owe it because of the time I've owned it. Ridiculous. I pitched it and truly haven't regretted it. In fact, I feel a huge sense of relief as it no longer owns me.

[torriek]

This may be the best video on sentimental items I have seen. Short, to the point and beautifully filmed. Unlike most minimalists, you understand that some material items cannot be replaced and must be decluttered very thoughtfully if at all.

[RiaVerdolaga]

Last month, I finally let go old letters and cards that I've received and kept for more than 20 years. When I went through them, they don't make smile anymore. In fact, they were not able to stir any emotion in me anymore. That's how I realized it's time to let them go. I actually felt better after letting go of them.

[joank]

This was the hardest area for me, I've always felt so guilty about getting rid of cards and my kids artwork and when I offered it to them they didn't really want it, I am also extremely sentimental but I love the idea of taking a picture of the most special things and living in the present with them and now I have so much less clutter around, it is so liberating!

[T.T.M.]

Going thru sentimental items can really be healing. My grandma left me all her stuff as she knew it would mean the most to me of anyone in our family. As I went thru everything and decided what I truly wanted to keep, I laughed and cried and I have to say it was and will always be one of the most healing things I ever did. I still have most of the items I originally kept but recently let go of some items.

[barbarak]

I put an item on display for a couple of days "to think about if I should keep it." 90 per cent of the time it's donated but it gives me the time for me to work on my decision.

[moze_R]

Lots of wisdom here. I am right in the middle of sorting through cards, letters, photos, children’s artwork. Thank you for the “permission” to keep more than I expected. 🙂

[gailberry]

She knows how to get down to business without too many unnecessary words. I like how she gets along with it discussing the point that she’s making. I also like that she doesn’t say guys you guys 1000 times like a lot of the rest that’s on here. In my opinion she is one of the best!

[moneybee]

Letting go is always the hardest part, but once you do it, you feel heaps better and much lighter! Great video!

[jaimepoole]

I appreciate the reminder to keep the things that make you happy. I notice that I’ve been holding on to sentimental items that make me feel sad or guilty and your video sparked the thought that these are life experiences and relationships where healing is needed. I think that intentionally grieving the losses and forgiving myself is so important before letting them go. Journaling and going to the sacrament of confession are ways in which we can allow God’s healing light and graces in and really give those thoughts and feelings over so we’re not carrying that baggage through the rest of our lives. Then let the item/s go, in a peaceful way. These thoughts and feelings that come up during the decluttering process can be trusted and seen as prompts for what healing we may need in our lives. Thank you, Vera❤️

[KMREastLA]

My mom passed away last year and she was a bit of a hoarder, nothing extreme but she did like to hold on to many things and many papers and “just in case” items. I’ve decluttered most of the items. I still have all the photos and cards she kept and drawings/newspaper clippings. I’ve been wanting to get a flatbed scanner so i can start scanning photos and getting rid of the physical photos and having the digital version saved to the cloud so i can still have the photos but without the clutter. And that way i can also share the family photos easily so other people can actually look at them and appreciate them instead of them being stored in a box like they’ve been for years