5 Steps to Letting Go of Sentimental Clutter While Keeping Precious Memories

Starting Over and Downsizing in Your 60s

Are you ready to let go of sentimental clutter and start over in your 60s? Downsizing is a popular choice for many baby boomers, and decluttering your home is an important part of the process. If you bring too much stuff with you to your new home, you’ll find yourself feeling cluttered and overwhelmed. But letting go of sentimental items can be a difficult task. You may be afraid to confront these items, which can trigger strong emotions.

Sometimes we avoid these difficult tasks and put our heads in the sand because it’s easier to deny these feelings than it is to confront them. Yet, you keep saying you want to start over and need to declutter.

If you want to succeed, it’s essential to learn how to let go of those sentimental items that you’ve been holding onto and have avoided, letting go of for years.

And there are ways to let go of sentimental items without losing the memories of your loved ones and special moments in your life. To help you with this challenging process, I’ve created a practical 5-step guide: “Lose the clutter, but not the memories”.

Step One: Identify the Type of Clutter That Stops You in Your Tracks

We all have different types of clutter that we find challenging to let go of. Challenging clutter can fall into three categories:

Inherited clutter are items you didn’t acquire yourself but the idea of getting rid of them brings you to tears.Attachment clutter that holds sentimental value–like wedding albums, pictures, albums, and love letters from a deceased spouse.Bargain clutter that you accumulated just because it was a good deal? Understanding the type of clutter that stops you in your tracks is the first step in letting go. For example, shoes, decorations, accessories, or clothing.Step Two: Select One Item That You Are Most Challenged By Letting Go

Hold the item in your hand and ask yourself why it’s so important to you. Acknowledge your feelings, good or bad, and what that item means to you. Once you understand why you’ve held onto it for so long, it becomes easier to let go. For me, one of the most difficult items to declutter was my mother’s collection of tea cups… She had many! We often sat, had tea, and had wonderful conversations.

But realizing I couldn’t keep all of them, I chose to keep just three of my favorites and distributed the others to my sisters and brothers.

Step Three: Ask Yourself How That Item Makes You Feel

Acknowledge the feelings associated with that item, whether it’s love, anger, or resentment. Ask yourself what you think that item means to you and why it’s challenging to let go. For me and my Mother’s teacups, I thought that I would lose my connection to her.

Step Four: Imagine Life Without Being Sentimentally Attached to That Item

Consider how your life would be impacted if you were no longer sentimentally attached to that item. You may feel free of guilt, resentment, or anger. You may also realize that someone else could benefit from that item.

 Step Five: Learn How to Let Go

Take a picture of the item or write a story about why it’s meaningful. Choose just two or three items to keep and donate the rest. Remind yourself that it’s just things and that the memories associated with those items will always be with you. These memories are attached to your heart—not to these objects.

You Got This!

By following these five steps, you can learn to let go of sentimental clutter while keeping the precious memories that go along with them. So, if you’re preparing to downsize, or just want to declutter, give it a try! Remember, it’s not about losing the memories, it’s about creating space for new ones.

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