5 Steps to Get Rid of Sentimental Clutter, including Free Printable Game Plan

As Americans continue to live in larger and larger homes, we find ourselves able to store a huge amount of sentimental clutter...and we do not get rid of it. Ever. 

As an Estate Clearing Professional and Professional Organizer, I see entire rooms, closets, attics, garages, and even cars overflowing with things people can't get rid of for sentimental reasons. People are using their homes as storage facilities instead of places to actively live their lives. 

In this post I'll be sharing some of my professional tips to  help you get rid of some (but not all) of your sentimental clutter.  

To help get you ready to declutter and downsize your sentimental items, I've created this free download.  Enjoy!

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Ready to get rid of some of your sentimental clutter? Keep Reading…

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#1 Mentally Prepare
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​The first step in getting rid of your sentimental clutter is to mentally prepare yourself.
Take some time to think about why you are holding on to so many sentimental items. Is it because you truly treasure the item? Or does the item remind you of a person?

​Remember, a thing is just a thing, not a person. Don't let your love for a Grandfather morph into love of a thing that reminds you of that him. 

Ask yourself some questions as you go through items

• Does it make me feel happy? Keeping mementos of sad times or events doesn't make your life better. Let it go.
• Does my family expect me to keep this? Family expectations can be difficult to manage.  Have you become  the Keeper of all Historical Photos Since the Beginning of Time, but no one can identify any of the people in those pictures? Let them go. 
• Is keeping it a joy or a burden? Are you excited that you have this item? Or is it more like “I guess I should keep this”? Let it go. 

Give yourself permission to get rid of items that cause, sadness, guilt, burden or zero emotion.

If you decide to let the item go, that is your choice:  you do not need to announce it to your family. Just let it go. 

​Related articles:
Nobody Wants the Family Heirlooms: What to Do When It Happens to You
with free Declutter +Downsize Family Heirlooms Game Plan
Sometimes You Can’t Do it on Your Own: When it’s Time to Throw in the Towel and Hire an Estate Clearing Professional to Help you Finish the Job.
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Help Organize Your Aging Parents (While They are Young + Healthy)
with free printable: Two Easy-ish Conversations to Have with Your Aging Parents
Mentally Prepare for Downsizing Your Home: 4 Tips to Control Your Emotions
with free ​Downsizing Your Home Emotional Roadmap

#2 Start Small: Get a success or 2 under your belt
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​Kick off your efforts with small projects like greeting cards or souvenir plastic cups. Do you really need to keep a card with a hastily scrawled signature? How many plastic souvenir cups do you actually use? Getting a taste of success, no matter how small, inspires you to keep getting successes.

Taken care of all the easy little things?  Then move on to a little bigger (but not huge) project. Try clearing out your t-shirt drawers of all the shirts you don’t really wear, you just keep because of the sentimental memories.

How about all your old college textbooks, student directories, and papers?  You may want to keep the directory, just to see the old photos, but you should be able to feel confident about donating or recycling all the books and papers.  I guarantee you are not going to need your essay on post-modern theory in 19th century American literature ever again. 
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Remember, you don’t need to get rid of ALL your sentimental items.  Just weed out the clutter so you have room for the things that truly mean something to you.  

Want to work together?

#3 Keep the Best, Lose the Rest
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​Be choosy about what you let take up space in your home.  You do not have to keep every single item in a collection.  Keep the best 1-2 items, and let the rest go.

Having a tough time letting the collection go?  Photograph the items!  

What if you DO have enough room in your house to store all your sentimental clutter?  There is still space in the attic!  You can shove one more box underneath the stairs?  Skip right on to Step #5!

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#4 Intentionally Use It One Last time
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If you’re struggling with getting rid of a sentimental item, consider giving it a “soft goodbye”. 

Let’s say you’ve weeded out 20 old sports or concert t-shirts that you don’t need anymore, but can’t bear to discard or donate. Using the “soft goodbye”, allow yourself to wear it one last time and then instead of washing it, put it into the Goodwill bag. This lets you ease out of owning it without a blunt end. 

​Related Articles:
Mom, We Have to Talk: 5 Ways to Discuss Downsizing with your Aging Parents
with free Discussion Cheat Sheet
Assess the Mess: How to Plan Out Downsizing a Home
includes free Room-by-Room Checklist
4 Smart Ideas for Selling Your Stuff Offline...and 1 Really Dumb One
​with free cheat sheet

#5 Display, Use or Honor what you keep
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​Think about it: are you treating your sentimental items like you care about them? Or are they boxed up and shoved in the attic, basement, or back of the guest room closet, creating clutter??  If you care about something enough to keep it, shouldn’t you give it the respect it deserves?

Have tons of photos? Scan them in and set them as a slideshow on your computer. How fun is it to randomly see your 8th grade graduation photo? Put them in a pretty bowl on your coffee table for guests and family to look through and change the pictures out every couple of months.

Honor items that truly have a place in your heart by displaying them in your home.  Have a ceramic bowl you made in art class in 3rd grade?  Pull it out of storage and use it as a change bowl.  Keeping you child's baby blanket they came home from the hospital in?  Cut it into dish towels so you can use and enjoy seeing it everyday! 

YOu are ready to get rid of (some, but not all) of your sentimental clutter. 

The keys to successfully getting rid of your sentimental clutter are mentally preparing, breaking the project down into small steps, and giving yourself permission to let things go. Think about the things you allow to take up space in your home and display or honor things that truly mean something to you. 

Professional Disclaimer: The ideas, recommendations, and opinions on this website, blog, and made in person are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be considered legal, financial, or medical advice. I am not an attorney, doctor, or licensed financial professional. Sage Organizing Co., LLC is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions or failure to act related to the content of this website, blog, or in-person discussions. If you need specific legal, financial, or medical advice, consult a professional in your area.

To get you started on your decluttering journey, we're sharing this Declutter + Downsize Sentimental Items Game Plan.   Enjoy...and Good Luck! 

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Related Articles

Nobody Wants the Family Heirlooms: What to Do When It Happens to You
with free Declutter +Downsize Family Heirlooms Game Plan
Help Organize Your Aging Parents (While They are Young + Healthy)
with free printable: Two Easy-ish Conversations to Have with Your Aging Parents
Mentally Prepare for Downsizing Your Home: 4 Tips to Control Your Emotions
with free ​Downsizing Your Home Emotional Roadmap
​Mom, We Have to Talk: 5 Ways to Discuss Downsizing with your Aging Parents
with free Discussion Cheat Sheet
Assess the Mess: How to Plan Out Downsizing a Home
includes free Room-by-Room Checklist