Sentimental items hold a special place in our hearts. They are reminders of cherished memories, loved ones, and significant moments in our lives. It's no wonder that parting with these items can be incredibly difficult. However, decluttering sentimental items is an important step towards creating a more organized and peaceful living space. Here are 10 steps to help you navigate this emotional process.
]]>Before you begin decluttering, define your goal. Do you want to downsize, create more space, or simply organize your sentimental items? Having a clear objective will help you stay focused throughout the process.
Begin by decluttering items that hold less emotional weight. This will help you build momentum and gain confidence in your decision-making abilities.
Sort your sentimental items into categories such as: photographs, letters, trinkets, or clothing. This will make the decluttering process more manageable and allow you to assess each category individually.
Ask yourself if the item truly adds value to your life. Does it bring you joy or serve a practical purpose? If not, it may be time to let go.
Take into account the physical space the item occupies in your home. Is it taking up valuable storage space or causing clutter? If so, it might be worth considering letting it go. Aside from the physical space you will be freeing up, also consider the visual clutter you are removing and much better your space becomes!
If you're struggling to part with an item, consider taking a photograph of it instead. This way, you can still preserve the memory without the physical clutter. Smaller items that you plan to keep can easily be stored in keepsake boxes that double as decor:
If appropriate, consider sharing sentimental items with loved ones who may appreciate them. This way, the item can continue to be cherished and bring joy to someone else's life.
Allocate a specific amount of space for your sentimental items. Once that space is full, you'll need to make decisions about what to keep and what to let go.
Decluttering sentimental items can be emotionally draining. Take breaks when needed and be patient with yourself. It's okay to feel a range of emotions throughout the process.
After decluttering sentimental items, take a moment to celebrate your progress. Acknowledge the emotional weight you've lifted and the space you've created for new memories with the people you love the most.
This process doesn’t change! Which means as soon as you learn it, you’ll be able to work through your entire home and organize your house!!
Now I know this isn't fun, and may even seem super daunting. But completely emptying the space out that your working in will give you a clean slate & a fresh start to getting that space organized and functional!
This step is also really important because you can actually see ALL.THE.THINGS.
Which for many people, can be a bit overwhelming!! But it does help you realize how much stuff you have tucked away that maybe you hadn’t realized before.
ACTION STEP: Pull EVERY single item off the shelf, out of the cabinet or from the space you are working in.
Once you have everything off the shelves, or out of the drawers, do a quick wipe down of the space.
When I'm any area of my home, I like to keep a canister of wipes handy. It makes this step a breeze!
A small handheld vacuum is great to have handy as well!
The reason you want to clean each space you're decluttering is this: if you are taking the time & energy to declutter and organize, you’ll want to be able to put everything back into a nice fresh and clean space!
ACTION STEP: Pull out some wipes and get to cleaning (It’s worth the work to do this step)!
Once the shelves, drawers or space is empty of all the items, you'll really be able to see everything you have.
This is where you'll understand why it's important to empty the space out completely.
I want you to sort, or group, all the like items together. So if you are working in your kitchen pantry, put all of the dry baking items in one area, the baking seasonings together, and so on like that.
Work through all of your items until they are completely sorted.
ACTION STEP: Sort until you have every last item grouped (unless it's a lone ranger, of course!)
Now that you can easily see everything you have, grouped and sorted together, you'll need to start paring items down.
For example, if you have 5 spatulas in a kitchen drawer, you may want to think about if you really NEED all five to stay in your home (HINT: you don't!).
My guess is, you'll have some "go to" items that are a must stay.
But if you haven't used something for a really long time, if at all, don't keep it!
You can donate it or give it to someone who could actually use it, instead of letting it sit in a drawer and not be useful.
Think about the space you are working with - will you be able to fit everything back in? Will it overflow out, or will you be able to easily find - and see! - everything you are looking for?
It's okay to keep things too! Don't feel like you have to get rid of every little thing.
At this point, you've narrowed items down pretty well, and need to make decisions regarding the remaining items.
Consider how often it's used, if there's space for it, and how much it would cost to replace.
Don't overthink every little item, make your decisions quickly and ruthlessly if possible (that's the short & sweet of making decisions while decluttering).
ACTION STEP: Remove ALL of the extra stuff you just don't need, use, or love!
This is my most favorite part of the organizing process!
Grab your bins, baskets, or any other storage type items you can round up around the house to organize all the remaining "keep" items.
I personally LOVE to use labels, especially chalkboard labels, but it's technically not necessary to get your spaces decluttered and organized!
Arrange your items in their storage containers back on shelves or into drawers. No worries if you don't have storage baskets or bins!
As long as you can arrange your items in an orderly way that makes sense to you, you will be so much better off after decluttering than you were before!
You may have to arrange, take it down, and arrange again until all of your items work in the space and make sense to you.
Work it around until you get all of your items put away in an organized and functional way!
ORGANIZING ACTION STEP: Place everything back on your shelves in their assigned bins or spaces.
You don't have to, really. If you are good with your house - then yay! Some of us (me, it's me...) struggle with all the "stuff". Toys, dishes piling up, and laundry all over.
Here are some reasons that make me want to have an organized house:
Here are a few areas that can give you a quick win in a short amount of time:
What areas are nagging at you?? Start there!! Or Grab your own copy of the 4 Week Decluttering Schedule Below!!
This blog is just for you friend. To give you a place to start. To help you decide on a decluttering schedule, so you can begin to live the life you want every day!
Unfortunately, just hoping something will get decluttered and organized won’t make it happen (if only!).
You’ve got to put in the time if you want your home easier to manage.
But here’s the great thing: the time you put in now, you’ll get back later!
So the first thing you need to do is decide how much time you are willing (& is realistic for you) to give to decluttering every day until the job is done.
You would be surprised at how much you can actually get done in a focused 20-30 minutes!!
Pro tip: set a timer- it’s a huge motivator!!
This may seem unimportant, but it will actually be a huge part of your success!
Make decluttering an important appointment with yourself (and your home) every day!
And done break that appointment!
If getting your home decluttered and ultimately organized is important to you, then you have to make sure you commit to this time just for decluttering!
**USE THE PLANNER BELOW TO CREATE YOUR DECLUTTERING SCHEDULE!
It’s one thing to look around and just think about what you need to declutter and organize. And it’s a whole other thing to actually put the work in and start doing it but seeing drawers, closets, shelves all in need of decluttering and organizing can be super overwhelming!
Instead of looking at the big picture...your whole house, make a list of areas to declutter so you can attack the clutter bit by bit.
It’s much easier to commit to attack a specific, small area than it is to look around your entire home at all the places that need your attention.
Grab a piece of paper and get to making that list! It will feel so awesome to get all those decluttering “to-dos” out of your head and on paper!!
Take your list and figure out the order in which you are going to attack it.
One thing I would suggest, especially for busy mamas, is to attack those “high traffic” areas first.
Specifically the kitchen, the laundry/clothing, and of course, toys!
These are the areas where you most likely are spending a bunch of your time throughout the day.
And to have these areas organized is🙌🏻!
Or, you can go through your list and figure out what could give you some quick and easy decluttering wins. Jobs that are simple, fast, and have been nagging at you to get done!
It’s go time mama - time to put these steps in action!!
Here are the tools you’ll need to really get going:
**This download is available for free in my resource library. You can get the password for the library (it's only available to subscribers) just by entering your email below!
This is where you are going to plug in your decluttering schedule/appointment.
Once you have it all filled in, hang it where you will see it every day. Lookin’ straight at ya, reminding you to get to decluttering!
List out all those decluttering and organizing projects on a sheet of notebook paper, then prioritize your list!
Hang your decluttering list near your weekly schedule so you can check off all of your decluttering accomplishments!
Read what the number one thing you must do when decluttering is by clicking here.
If you didn't hit the link to the above article, no big deal. This is basically the point:
You need to pay attention to the emotional response you have to every.single.item. that you touch when you are decluttering.
This is important!
You will feel something.
Marie Kondo wants you to pay attention to if it sparks joy. Which is great, but I want you to pay attention to the other feelings also.
Are you feeling guilt, dread, or some other negative feeling when you pick that item up?
If so, can I just say this...?
It's time to let it go.
Get your inner Elsa on sister, LET.IT.GO. (turn on the music for some inspiration?)
Has it been a week, a month a year???
I think when you decide to really, really go through your home that the whole Decluttering Process, you are going to find some items that you haven't used in a long time.
**sidenote - if you want to know Decluttering process I use, join our Monthly Organization Challenge & Newsletter below. You'll get the info (stat!) on how to get started!!
It's easy for the things that we don't use to get pushed to the back of cabinets or drawers, only to make a rare appearance later in life.
And I would venture to say that since these things have been shoved back, out of sight & out of mind, that maybe they are not the most important things to you??
When you pull those items out of their long lost home/storage place, take a minute or two to decide if you missed it all that time?
If you did, then by all means, keep it, sister!!
But if you didn't even realize the item was gone or missing at all, I think it's totally reasonable to send it to the donation pile, guilt-free!
Now, being a super budget-minded person, if something still holds value, it can be really hard to get rid of it, even when you don't actually need it or use it (please see above questions if this is the case).
I totally get that.
But if you think if it that you are paying for storage for every single item you own, maybe that changes things?
So you can look at it like this: Is that $1-2 item that you “might” use again really worth storing for the next 6 months to a year just in case??
Probably not. It'd be inexpensive to replace.
On the flip side: If you are looking at something that is considerably more expensive to replace, and you don't quite feel comfortable getting rid of it, don't!
But you can give yourself a time-limit to make that decision i.e. if you haven't used the item within six months you will donate it.
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But, we seem to have to do it year after year after year..... And I think it's because people are missing somewhat of a crucial step in the "getting organized" bandwagon. It's totally simple, but it's super important. You want to know what it is??
That's it! (well, technically that's not all you need to do to get organized - you need to join my newsletter below too!! Every month we focus on one area of your home, to get it decluttered & organized - plus you get some printables to help you get it done!!)
Marie Kondo has her clients do this to see if the item "sparks joy". And while I don't know that every item you keep will "spark joy", I do 100% agree with her that you need to hold each and every item.
Here's why at least in my opinion:
When you have to go through each and every item you own and make a decision about it, I think it causes a person to realize how much they have.
You can truly see the bulk of your items when they are pulled out of drawers, off shelves, and taken from out of sight areas and put into view.
It can actually be somewhat overwhelming, and, probably at the very least, surprising to see all of your possessions out.
The mere act of seeing it all will likely help you decide that maybe it's time to let a few of those items go.
I don't even know if I need to give you any more reasons than that... but here are a couple more I came up with:)
Marie Kondo says these items will spark joy. And maybe that’s the case for many items you hold in your hand.
But you are also likely to experience indifference to many items. And potentially even stress & guilt from others.
Pay attention to your emotional responses to each item.
I would suggest that the items that cause any negative emotional response get passed on, thrown out, or donated.
These could be items that you keep out of guilt, but never actually use. Items that cause you to stress every time you look at, but you don’t ever deal with them.
These are the things that you just may need to say, “bye bye bye!!” too.
The tough thing about holding each and every item is that it can be a VERY LONG process!!
Going through and decluttering your home as much as you can take A LOT of time.
And once you’ve done it you are likely NOT going to want to have to do it all over again.
Every time you make a purchase after you’ve done a major purge/declutter, you will probably (should) be thinking two things: 1- do I actually NEED this? And 2- where will I be able to put this?
If you left it up to your kids, they would keep every.single.thing.
The broken things, and the random pieces of garbage. All the toys from their kid’s meals.
Every.Last.Thing.
And going through the process with them can be really tough and emotional for them.
Most kids love to play in a clean organized space, even if they don’t express it verbally.
But they will see the work you do and how nice it makes your home. And I would guess that they’d ask you to help them in their rooms as well.
So going through the process of holding each and every item can rub off on your littles, without them even realizing it!
And, if you don’t have kiddos, I would guarantee the people you live with, or are close with, will begin to see the changes you are experiencing. It will likely rub off on them too!!
I'm a big fan of decluttering and getting rid of excess stuff that takes up not only your physical space but robs you and your family of precious time together.
Okay, so now that you've got the HOW TO DECLUTTER process down, you need to know the following tips that will help keep all the items you do have, looking organized and uncluttered!!
One of the best parts of getting a space organized is putting it all back together nicely. And using containers will make each space have that super organized look!
Containers are your friend, they can house the oddest of shaped items. And keep your items from rolling or falling out of place.
And best of all, they visually define where your items go and keep everything together!
Okay, so now you know why it's important to have the containers, but I don't just want you to buy any color of the rainbow. The stuff inside will already be a multitude of colors, so we can keep the container colors simple.
**check out my guide on how to choose the right storage and organization containers!**
Just by using a Clear or White container, your space will look more crisp and clean. And will visually seem less cluttered, or visually "lighter" in weight, than a colored container.
Using white containers will even brighten the space up a bit!!
If you are absolutely set on using a colored container, I would suggest keeping all of your containers the same color for a unified and sharp look.
What I mean by this, is that your larger bins or baskets should go nearer to the floor.
Larger containers, baskets, or bins are visually "heavier". And if you place them higher up on your shelves, they will give a heavy, looming over your head effect.
Place your smaller organizing containers or bins, nearer the top of your space to keep your space from looking "top heavy".
You can see below how I placed my shelves in my pantry as an example of having the "heavier" or larger bins nearer the floor.
With that being said, you will have to be mindful of what you need to go in which container, as it works best for your family.
This really means every.single.item. should have a place it can get put away. And for me, that probably means in a container somewhere.
If there is no container, or nowhere to put the item. You need to decide if the item is really needed or loved. And if it is, you need to create a home for it.
When items are left out or don't have a very specific place to be put away, it makes the space look visually cluttered...even if it's just one item!!
I'm not talking about items that are decor or intentionally placed - like a coffee/cocoa bar or something (those are SO FUN!!). I'm talking about the random things that need to be put away, but there's no specific place for them......YET!!!
This really relates to the tip above, but I'm talking about making sure each and every counter, table, or flat surface is not covered in clutter.
You may not have every surface clear at all times of the day, cause real life yo'! But taking a few minutes in the evening to clear the clutter (& put it in it's home!) is a super quick way to reduce the visual clutter in your home.
Especially in the places you "live in" the most. Like the kitchen and family or living room areas!
You can call it minimalism, purging, simplifying, whatever. But I'm telling you there are decluttering benefits galore to have less stuff!
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