What if you handled SENTIMENTAL items THIS WAY???

[@TheMinimalMom]

Thank you so much for watching! Here are links mentioned in this video: Minimalism Back to Basics Playlist: cli.re/BASICS Let it Go Book: amzn.to/3OruOYH Large Chalk Labels: amzn.to/3OlQJR4 Chalk Pens: amzn.to/3DOxNpq Photo Boxes: amzn.to/45eKVzA Have a great day! - Dawn

[@rhondahigh7005]

You are SO sweet and your advice is top notch!!

[@pen5532]

I did a memory box for my two older kids who are now twenty five and twenty seven. My heart was broken when they opened it up. Took a quick look and said oh, Yeah neat. Neither of them wanted anything! They are both totally different kids, and one of them is even sentimental and had no desire to have anything out of the box. 😢 I am letting my now 14 year old do his own box.

[@TheMinimalMom]

@@pen5532 Oh wow, that would be incredibly heartbreaking, I'm so sorry!

[@wintersojourn9356]

May be freeing & healing to cut your losses,but if you kept them maybe future spouses or children of ur kids will luv the items.

[@angellhope]

@@TheMinimalMom Love your top! Where did you get it? I’m currently striving to pare down my closet to a few classic pieces 😊

[@vickiehopkins13-tm2sl]

This one hits right at the heart of a good part of my clutter problems. Family historian. That was my mother, doing all the ancestry things since before Ancestry was a thing. Along with all the printed records she had, Mom inherited alllll the photos from both sides of the family, plus a a ton from Aunts and Great Aunts who had no children to leave their memories to. That doesn’t mean my mother was neat and organized and had everything sorted through. On the contrary, she brought boxes home from every parent or grandparent that had passed, and they were still in the same boxes they got packed in 30 years before. When mom passed, I was designated the next family historian by my four siblings that didn’t want to deal with it. 63 boxes came home with me and lived in my guest bedroom and garages for a number of months before I finally tackled them, Months of walking into my guest room, turning around and closing the door because of the overwhelm, I told myself “Just one box today’. That got me mentally through some of the overwhelm. Treasures were found buried away in those boxes, family bibles, pictures more than 150 years old, scrapbooks with photos glued in from around 1910-1930, my grandmother’s pearls! And as mentioned by several people, all the cards from every birthday or holiday from everyone of her 5 kids. Haha! I got the boxes down from 63 to 6, which have sat for the last two years stashed in a few places. Mostly binders and binders of historical records that mom had gathered before the internet was a thing. After watching Dawns videos which I find so helpful, I thought I could just toss most of them, but nope! More discoveries were made. More 100 year old photographs were found, typed pages of interviews she had done with relatives before they passed. Copies of several letters from a gggreat grandfather to his wife in the 1860’s. Stories she typed out that she had heard and remembered. I thought all this information would be on Ancestry, and that I would be able to toss most of this paper, but after looking up several of the ancestors, I found that almost none of it was there I feel that I have gotten the encouragement I need from Dawns videos to power through. I had already started going through the saved things from my kids childhood’s, and like many of you have said, they don’t want that old artwork and don’t remember it, so it’s gone. Goodwill has been seeing me on a weekly basis for the donate things. As far as being the family historian, it’s a tough position, but I feel with these guidelines and suggestions I can figure that out too.

[@deannaholm3799]

What an accomplishment!!! Great job!

[@harrymyhero]

I have this same situation. And the problem is the younger people don’t want this either

[@way-cute]

I am also a family historian type. I know that things are coming. I look at the photos with my Grandma, she tells me who people are and where they lived. It is my great hope to scan (or photograph with a phone) many of these items, create a book that can be printed multiple times and sent to interested family members, and then pair down to only the most gem items. Some of those photos we don't exactly know who those folks are, and its not like there will be anyone capable of identifying them. A collage in the back of the printed pages should suffice as "mystery ancestors". I survived a large fire that burned a lot of my community, and its changed the way I think about a lot of sentimental photographs. If its truly sentimental, you want to get it on a modern, digital format and dispersed as your physical copies, PC, flash drives etc could be lost in an instant.

[@vickiehopkins13-tm2sl]

@@deannaholm3799 Thank you, it’s been daunting.

[@vickiehopkins13-tm2sl]

@@harrymyhero yep, for the most part, however, I was shocked when my mom passed, how much that the grandkids DID take, including my youngest who wanted her great grandmothers sewing machine in its own little cabinet. This daughter is truly my only minimalist child, so I was surprised.

[@nthebeavec]

I love the idea of only keeping happy memories!! Never realized how much of the sentimental items I have bring up so much sadness! I genuinely thought that was the idea of an item being sentimental, bc it reminds us of loved ones who have passed…but the encouragement to let go of these things once and for all, to say goodbye to the hurt feelings that WE attach to the specific item, and only keep the happy memories gives me strength to go through the rest of my garage totes!!! Thank you Dawn ❤️

[@tgayer1]

Peter Walsh refers to it as malignant clutter, in his book called, “Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight “.

[@beachprints]

I have a lot of '"sad" sentimental items. I have gotten rid of a lot. My oldest son had severe medical issues since 1 month old. Some of the things I kept that have memories are medical records and nurses notes....He has been gone for almost 6 years now. He was 31 when he passed.Even photos of our "happiest times" with him are sad.,

[@sharonw4541]

Well said!!

[@dawnforlife]

@@beachprints ouch..this breaks my heart...I can't even imagine your loss...I hope you will find peace as your navigate your loss, however long that may take and find joy in life again..big hugs. I wonder what Dawn will say about these photos...Maybe store it away for now? Sending love.

[@beachprints]

@dawnforlife thank you for your compassion.

[@thelmakatherine5396]

I have finished homeschooling 3 of my 4 children and decided to go through the last 17 years of their schoolwork I had kept in the attic. I asked them if they wanted any of it, they said "No," so I bravely threw all of it in recycling. I let myself have a little cry, but I am so proud of myself. 😊 Thank you for your encouragement.

[@angelgirldebbiejo]

Most young people don't want any of it, they are into experiences not things, unlike us baby boomers

[@britt5753]

Nicely done! 👏

[@angelacross2216]

My kids didn’t want any of their childhood books either; both bedtime read-aloud and school historical novels etc. It was difficult but I picked out what I called my grandma books and gave all of the rest away. Strangely my grandchildren live too far away for me to read any of my grandma books to them. So I think I’ll read them to myself as I slip into my second childhood.

[@lillihausenfluck4548]

Read them in a video on your phone and send it to your children to play for your grandchildren. These will be special memories for them. @@angelacross2216

[@thelmakatherine5396]

​@angelacross2216 I have kept books for my future grandchildren also. I kept the ones I thoroughly enjoyed reading to my children and some of my books from my own childhood.

[@daphnesbitofeverything]

I just today donated the artwork of my parents. I am still cleaning out the attic after their passing. I still feel some guilt after doing this, but they would be laying there so…let it go. It is a whole and heavy process for me but almost there 🙌 Watching your videos give me motivation to keep hoing 🙏

[@tgayer1]

Someone else will enjoy their artwork, I’m sure!

[@thomasvella86]

am sorry you don't know me but I came across your eye catching profile and thought of knowing more about you,

[@findingaway5512]

PSA for anyone.... Take pictures of people.... Not places. People can be in front of places in the background... but one thing I've noticed going through it is the random crappy pictures of things I have no clue what or why I took a picture box it. Like some signs you can't read or a washington monument that is grainy and out of focus. The ones with the people are the best ones.

[@emmelia-6068]

...pictures of trees or mountains seen from the jiggly, streaky car windows as you travel... 😅

[@findingaway5512]

@@emmelia-6068 had a lot of welcome to ( State) signs that you could barely see and some blurry farm animals on the side of the road.

[@dianeleslie671]

I'm a 'saver' (raised by a hoarder, who lived through the Great Depression). Thankfully, I had enough insight that I saved only a sampling of my most meaningful school papers (1 apple box, including a couple academic trophies I had won) when I moved on to college. I also gave each of my children (mostly homeschooled) a plastic tote as 'saving box' for items they chose to keep, rotating out for space as time passed. (I allowed myself a Memory box for special things they didn't keep, or had gifted me.) I didn't save their clothes, only a couple special blankets/afghans. Since we moved several times, this limited space constraint really helped! Sadly, much of this stuff (stored in an attic when we moved out of state) was damaged by moisture/ mold (even in plastic totes and 🤷‍♀️)...but I was sadder than the kids about losing it. Interestingly, the youngest son is a Minimalist (why I started learning about it, and following Dawn 😉), the other 3 are still accumulating stuff. I'm struggling with books. I keep 2 shelves of various age/subject materials as I do still tutor (which also serves as eventual grandkid material). But it's harder to give up my "resources" (self-help, counseling, gardening, herbal remedies), as well as books I have collected that I actually want/intend to read "someday". (Online audio/ebook availability--esp Hoopla, where it's free--has helped, but not all are available.) I'm working toward a 'lending library' where I can share w/others and still keep access myself.

[@pippas5808]

And when you pass on stuff to your kids, let them know that they can do whatever they want with it, even if that means it gets chucked in the bin. My mother was devastated that I didn't want the dress from my first birthday party, or the outfit I came home from hospital in, but those are her memories, not mine. I was far more interested in the things that I could remember using or being given. I have a few baby photos of myself, but most of my childhood sentimental items date from ages 5/6 and older, because those have real meaning for me. The one item I still have from my birth is the teddy I was given by a distant relative, but he was my constant companion until I was about 10, and he appears in so many photos that he's almost like one of the family!

[@MyFocusVaries]

Super useful as always. We've printed and framed a few exceptional travel photos and made (so far) one photo book of long ago trips instead of storing boxes and boxes of mediocre photos. It personalises our home and reduces our inventory of stored photos.

[@deniseharwood9521]

Love this!

[@elizabethsydnor5247]

Dawn, your hair looks GORGEOUS!

[@katherinestanton8131]

I’ve been talking with my husband about this as he’s been going through his father’s estate. We didn’t keep a lot, but what we did is displayed nicely or in his memory box.

[@SK-pt7zu]

I have been going through things for a couple of years and continue to do so. It makes me feel good that I will not be leaving boxes of items for my adult children to go through. I don't want those things to be a burden to me, presently, or to them in the future. I struggle with the photos that my in-laws left, so have made a point to sort through our family pictures, placing and labeling what remains in a limited number of albums. Family members go through what I am discarding and take what they would like. I also delete the digital form of whatever pictures we are not keeping. Thank you for saying it is ok to get rid of things that bring up bad memories. I have applied that to pictures. Less stuff means more time to make new memories and more space in the house allows my husband more room to get around with his walker. Thank you and the best to you and your family.

[@Kat.Beanie]

I inherited some of my grandmother's old silverware and it sat in the cupboard forever. So decided to clean it up, separate what I needed and give the rest to my younger brother. Now it gets used every day.

[@danamiceli4948]

Dawn, this is an area I struggle with - thank you for breaking it down for us so effectively

[@lindsey361]

My 2nd daughter was prem, I was so blessed to be given clothes from others family n friends baby's. I've always kept those but only a few their support and experience made me strong. I can very happily say my baby is 15 2inch taller than me and awesome. But I will always appreciate th support they gave me ❤❤

[@bellaluce7088]

Appreciate this! I've found it helpful to take photos of certain sentimental items I don't use so I can keep the memory while letting the actual object bless someone else. A single photo of a bedspread or table full of items can be a treasure trove of memories. Works for multiple photos too. ❤

[@everystitchaprayer6268]

I love these back to basics videos! Thank you!

[@lynnctodd]

I have let go of a lot of sentimental items recently. After my mom tried to give me some items and I realized I didn’t want them, I have changed my mindset. I also had some items from my grandparents that I let go of after I realized that item is not the person and I wasn’t using the items.

[@user-3l1]

I think the sentimental box should be just for you, limited items that make you happy, but not pass the box to someone else because those items may not mean anything for others, at least that happened to me with things, photos my mother gave me, I just returned them because those were not really my memories

[@mattandlaceymattzela7323]

Comment about the baby clothes: I saved just a few of my favorite items so the inventory wasn't an issue. However, my daughter (now 8) LOVES baby dolls. She saved her money ($40 on Amazon) and bought a "real-looking" baby doll, and I gifted her the baby clothes for June. She was soooo thrilled, and it made my mama heart happy to see her happy once again using the clothes that gave me so many memories 💖

[@taylorhoward8896]

This was so helpful. I've been on the hunt for informative videos about decluttering sentimental items, and I haven't found much! I think people skip over this area, and that's why I don't see a lot of content. Thanks for tackling it.

[@Elizabeth-s4o5h]

Dawn, I found you on KZbin three years ago, and your videos have absolutely changed my life. Thank you for sharing your vision and mission in life.

[@chris-ci7ch]

I am in my 70"'s and never look at photos or sentimental things. I tried going through old photos and my husband cried like a baby over looking at them because it made him so sad that those times are over.

[@Jamiwrites]

Bless your sweet husband. I’m 53, and married almost 30 years. I’ve never been able to watch the videos from our wedding because so many of the people we loved are gone. I don’t watch videos of our now-grown daughters either. Sigh…Sometimes memories are just better off in our hearts.

[@kateyare4708]

My grandmother could not go through old photos either because it made her too depressed. So sad that her happy memories did not outweigh the loss.

[@Jamiwrites]

@@kateyare4708 that is sad. Photos and memorabilia make me happy. But videos hit a little different for some reason. Maybe I’ll understand what the older generation feels when I get there too. ❤️

[@melissasprayberry5047]

That’s exactly how I am too. I literally cry because what I consider the happiest, best, times of my life are over. It hits me really hard looking at them. I wish I knew how to look at photos and smile and feel happiness, but it just doesn’t work that way for me. It’s close to being excruciatingly painful.

[@uteme]

For me, taking digital pictures of "not used" sentimental items was a wonderful way to let go of them! Now, I can visit that item any time I want w/o pulling out a box. As well, I asked for a blessing upon the next owner. ♡

[@katespina8037]

My middle monkey is a huge artist and is legitimately a good artist. So good that I’ve framed some of his work and use it as art on my walls. His pictures of robots and other things I put in frames in his room. When he makes a new picture and wants it framed we shift our old artwork and put new in and he can decide if he wants to keep the old picture or if he can let it go.

[@elizabethhelen3326]

I sorted 20 years of photos v fast by having 2 boxes, small and big, and throwing into the big all of the ones that were not interesting, or made me feel sad or bad. There must have been 5000 and it only took me a few hours. I then cut up all the ones I wanted to keep so they didn’t take up much space and stuck them in a scrapbook. Easy to flick through and my family and friends have laughed at the fashions and hairstyles 😂 Soooo good to get rid of so much rubbish, and have a meaningful end result.

[@jp_onyoutube]

I definitely needed this video this month.

[@lisaaherne4799]

Thanks for this very helpful video Dawn. I was meant to see it this morning. On your recommendation I’ve already done my kids memory boxes, similar size to yours, but have been putting off the dreaded task of a huge chest full of photos so this information is invaluable. You’re a star ⭐️

[@mrmwallace730]

I’m already good at decluttering but this video is very helpful for this sensitive subject. Thanks! 😊

[@ruthmgonigle5914]

I'm pretty sentimental naturally so I do actually like and have memories in boxes. I appreciate this video and intend to use it to recalibrate my own situation. .but I keep thinking that some of us have a much deeper problem than these tools can solve. I'm going to revisit the Peter Walsh book and also bring up in therapy of course. In my case I don't have kids or any nephews nieces or cousins that may be interested. One cousin gave me giant totes of photos of our grandparents some are over 100 years old. So I have already rough sorted the photos to what I think are the best and I am looking into options for the next phase. In my case memory boxes are broken down by generation. Boxes for memories of my life, boxes for parents, boxes for grandparents. I think I have 5 or 6 total. It's more than the table top can hold. 😂 Whenever I have tried to reduce this amount down I get stuck from decluttering at all. Yes can I decide but those decisions are final and these things are irreplaceable. Memories are a different part of the brain, and it does feel physically bad to imagine parting with some of it. I have regrets of items I parted with from this type of clutter when I ignored those feelings. So the answer for me is a slow purge..... I focus on what I can do. I can basically sort and look for trash. I can see what little things feel okay to have less of. I've narrowed down letters to the best letters to keep from each person, but yet I like keeping my yearbooks for example. I kept only the 2 most sentimental concert tshirts out of a dozen, I am wearing my 50 year old scholls sandals round the house, and I use old rulers my grandmother used at her drafting job. That's where I am currently.

[@uteme]

Take pictures, put on a flash drive. Ask a blessing upon the next steward of your things. ♡

[@JessicaDensel]

I have been following for a bit now. I mentioned becoming a minimalist to my husband and he laughed at me. Gave me motivation to keep going as apparently I haven’t gotten rid of enough stuff yet. But I’ve finally gotten my paper litter under control. Memory bins were next for me. I was just trying to decide what size is best for them.

[@greeeneyes91]

very helpful! could you share your tips on digital decluttering, old digital photos, files etc?

[@juliastrom9218]

We don’t plan on having anymore babies in our house. I have myself one small tub for things to keep. We have passed on everything else to a local nonprofit that helps expecting mothers. It has felt so good knowing that we are helping someone else. I especially love the thought of another baby enjoying the clothes and things again. I would much rather someone else enjoy it, than it be stored in my attic forever. ❤

[@tennisball6793]

Getting my "Dawn" on Gotta get this place ready

[@breezyvibe]

100% helpful!!!! Thank you!!!!!!!

[@creativereindeer]

As ever! Super helpful tips thank you Dawn!! I like the rough sort of photos and LOVE the container as the bad guy!! Thanks for the book recko!!

[@robinnehls8057]

I love going to estate sales. One thing I have learned is how common it is for people to save their kids baby clothes and how common it is for the family not to want them. There has to be a psychological explanation. If the clothes are in perfect condition they can be sold and sometimes I do. ( I recently bought a pair of original 13:00 Converse gym shoes) . But old cloth diapers or bronze shoes?

[@aliciadavis5376]

Dawn, do you have a template of the baby box labels you created? I love them! Also, I've been watching your videos for about 3 years and you've been such an inspiration! Thank you so much for sharing your journey ❤

[@KAT00035]

Suggestions for my husband who has sentimental attachments to broken furniture? Such as a large 1970s overstuffed chair. The legs broke off many years ago, and the bottom of the chair has metal attachment pieces for the legs which are misshapen so we can’t even add legs. Then years ago our cat tore up the arm. He doesn’t want to throw it out, so I’ve put a cover over it. It’s taking up space in a bedroom where I could really use the space. He doesn’t use it. We also have a wooden rocking chair that has been repaired many times, but it’s cheap and now it’s so broken it can’t be repaired. It’s laying in pieces in the garage, but he won’t throw it out. These are just 2 of the many furniture pieces that were hand-me-downs that aren’t very functional, but he has an attachment to them that I don’t understand. I am hoping to downsize in the next 5-10 years, but I’m not sure that is going to be possible.

[@chaosandhappiness_Jami]

Oh nice! I bought that book months ago and have gotten about 40 pages into it. TIme to get serious. 😊😊

[@melaniehoffman8512]

Great job on this topic!

[@kathleenlewis239]

My mother was the self-appointed family historian and I have 2 large tubs full of binders. Besides the family tree and the usual details one might expect, she was obsessed with recording every detail of her siblings' lives as well as my dad's, mine and my sister's. I have at least 2 binders of my life through high school, every party I was invited to, school programs, etc. She recorded family reunion dates, names and addresses of attendees. Every letter and card ever received. On and on. I would welcome ideas on guidelines for culling this. Other than my own info, somehow I feel I don't have the right to get rid of all this hard work ... even though I know that's not logical. I'm 75, have one daughter, and several grand and great grandkids. I want to pass on the core and most meaningful items.

[@pippas5808]

Can you ask your daughter to go through it and see if she wants anything? If not, a local history society might be interested in the whole archive. That kind of exhaustive detail of everyday life is of huge value to historians.

[@thomasvella86]

am sorry you don't know me but I came across your eye catching profile and thought of knowing more about you,

[@marylinelliott611]

WOW! This was a great video. Thanks!😁

[@lucystrider728]

You might end up with 50 big bins of children's clothes, toys, paperwork, artwork, etc by the time they are young adults, and will probably discover that they do not want it, and may not even want to supervise you deciding what to dispose of on their behalf, so beware of not sorting things down as you go along as they are growing up or you can end up with a huge unwanted collection of your own making. Keep maybe one early outfit and toy, and maybe one example a year of optional paper/artwork. Also, do not mix important things in like identity documents that someone will have to sort piece by piece in a future year. Take it easy on your future self-or whoever will have to make all those delayed decisions-and keep very little.

[@user-ho4sb7ug4m]

So helpful - thankyou!

[@alexandra109]

Depending on the items, if you don't know anyone who wants them you may find a historical society who will take them. For example my Uncke had a lot from his time in the army. The local VFW was very happy to accept a donation when he was looking to downsize. It meant a lot to him and also to them.

[@pippas5808]

Yes, I am the last in my generation, so I am actively searching out museums and archives that might be interested in some of my family items. I've been amazed at the interest expressed in even quite ordinary letters and diaries from 40-50 years ago!

[@uikmnhj4me]

That’s a cool idea!

[@lindabourketempleton4040]

I have just spent the last two weeks going through all my families photos and certificates and putting them on my ancestry account under the person who it belongs to I have filled a few large bins of recycling and the photos I have divided into my children they have a box each or the family of the past my grand parents professional photographer taken I have kept and the certificates I have kept but I have taken copies just in case they are lost in a fire they are in the cloud. I have emptied albums also and donated them they were collecting dust or hidden in cupboards.

[@kennethbailey9853]

Thank You Always !!!🙂

[@elenafaith7813]

Hello from Croatia 😊❤

[@hollyl5702]

Hello. Kako ti?

[@elenafaith7813]

@@hollyl5702 ima nas još!!!

[@hollyl5702]

@elenafaith7813 ja sam pola Ḫrvata y jivim na UŠA el moja baka i dida je mena učila naša lepi jezic. (ja govorim puno vise neg ja mozem pisat.)

[@-living4jesus4ever-]

What if your oldest is 10 and you wish you had printed some photo books but you’ve not printed any and because you had several more babies and it just seems so overwhelming to print some photo books??! I have 10 years of their photos so far and no books printed for memories. They all are on external hard drives. 😅

[@TruFlyFox]

I ask myself: "would this be something that I would think about all the time if lost in a fire?" It makes it easier to get rid of things. HOWEVER, I am still working through things.

[@pennylilley6183]

I don’t think I’ll pass on my babies boxes as they don’t have the memory attached to them because they were babies. They mean far more to me. I go through their boxes with them though

[@ShannonPearl11]

Yess this! This is my mindset as I save items with my current babies. It's really my memory. So an outfit I keep isn't necessarily for them to put their children in. Should there be things they want in the future, sure. But when I'm ready to give their memory box to them as adults, I'll be sure to go through it again with them and move things they don't want to mine. It's my memory. Not something to force on them to care about.

[@thomasvella86]

am sorry you don't know me but I came across your eye catching profile and thought of knowing more about you,

[@PhoebesWorldProductions]

*nods*, thank you. 😊👍

[@RMFtheclumsy]

My biggest sentimental struggle is of that painting belonged to my grandpa. Due to circumstances they took it out of the frame and rolled it (before I was even born) and it's in a really bad condition now, but I have no money to pay for the restoration. It is not an antic, and not a beauty, just some painting my grandpa got from his painter friend, but it's an only grandpa memorabilia I've got (his WWII medals and his burgundy Parker 51 went to the youngest grandson and this filthy sonova* has sold them). I hate to see how the poor thing dies, but can't throw it away.

[@JustJennie147]

Photo albums were the thing in the 80’s & 90’s, so I have a ton of them. They take up so much space. Do you recommend taking photos out of albums and transferring to photo boxes? As you can imagine older albums sometimes the cover film or the photo itself is stuck on.

[@carlotarodriguez144]

If we are passing only a box to the children, Do we make a memory box of ourselves for them? Or would it be better to include shared moments with them in their box? What do we do regarding our memories to make it easy on them to sort out when the time is come?

[@michellekinsey1]

I inherited a set of China from my grandmother when she passed. I LOVE it, I’m grateful to be entrusted with it. But it’s HUGE. There are 12 place settings, plus serving dishes and extras. I would like to actually use it as my dish set, but we only need a few pieces, not all of them. What to do with the rest?

[@dianasimplifies]

Sell the extras to an antique store and let them sell it to someone who will cherish it

[@MsSarahJam]

When my mum died two years ago we found that she'd kept a lot of meaningful (to her) paper items from the preceding 25 years since she and my dad divorced. Some of them I didn't need to keep or even read (25 years of medical correspondence and her own calendars of her important health dates). However, she also kept all of the birthday, Christmas and Easter cards from myself and my brother over that 25 years. I just find it upsetting. I don't want to throw them out as they were important to her but I can't really move on and throw them out.

[@phoenixspirit9530]

Speaking as a mom in her 50's, I have paperwork that I keep for various reasons ( not sentimental ones). 99% will be useless once I pass. I do not " care" about it. I keep it out of necessity rather than desire. Question ...would it bother you if your mum had not saved all that paper/ cards ? Would it have upset you if she discarded it all before her passing ? You have permission to throw the paperwork away. Take notes on anything that may be important for family health history and let it go. As far as the cards...it is very possible that she kept them so long because she didn't want to hurt your feelings by getting rid of them. Your mom knows you love her, you know you love her and you do not need a pile of paper to remind you of that. Maybe keep a couple of handmade ones if they mean something to you and toss the rest. I know that I do not want my children to feel burdened by a pile of paper they have long forgotten about. If you save it for any reason besides the fact that it means something to you, you are just going to pass it on for someone else to deal with someday. I promise, your mum would not want you to feel so distressed over paper.

[@pippas5808]

Imagine there was a fire and all those cards were destroyed - would that make you sad or relieved? Sometimes, I find visualising how I would feel if something were destroyed to be helpful - if I get a feeling of relief, then I know it's ok to get rid of that item. If you're struggling, maybe you could pick out just a few cards to keep for now? Or if it's too hard, just put the box away and revisit it in another year or so. When my father died, I couldn't even throw away a shopping list with his handwriting on, but 10 years on, I have been able to let go of everything except a few special items which I look at or use regularly.

[@lifehappens587]

I have a well kept, organized home, without much unnecessary “stuff” but it doesn’t look empty, and feel cold…I have noticed that some on here take it to an extreme, that is ridiculous.

[@Anagrams458]

So, I have a handmade dress and several head scarves that belonged to my grandmother who died LONG before I was born. My dad was very close to his mother so these items were of great importance to him. He passed in 1990. I am having a difficult time just throwing these items in the garbage. 😢

[@emmelia-6068]

It is so hard... you know, we have started using cloth napkins instead of paper towels and napkins. Is the cloth of the dress cotton-ish? Could you take a picture of it, even try it on, think loving thoughts about your grandmother and your dad, and then cut it for napkins? Or if you like the fabric, make a skirt out of it? So you can honor the item, then use it up. Just an idea. Good luck and happy memories to you ❤

[@pippas5808]

The handmade dress might be of interest to a local museum or a local amateur dramatics group - always worth asking.

[@Anagrams458]

I have asked our local museum, but they have so much inventory already and had no need of it. It's also from the 1930's and black so it's not suitable to make into napkins as someone suggested. Thank you for your ideas, though. I will probably hold onto it and let my kids dispose of it when the time comes. 🤭

[@DrugAbusePrevention]

Thank you for the inspiration, i tackled some photo albums today. The real kind, not digital. Oy!!! The pain! But this is necessary

[@lindabourketempleton4040]

I had that book and I could not get into it does it come as a video ?

[@username9999]

The audio didn't turn out right on this. I'm a left earbud only person and hardly any sound on the left, only a bit more on the right.

[@BeautyKhaleesi]

Ok so my daughter is good at and loves making art. I do snap photos of things a d secretly throw things away. I have one scrapbook size bin to keep art but its full after kindergarten and pre k. What do i do about my daughter wanting to keep EVERYTHING she creates? (I was fhe same way, i hear my. Oms voice syaing we are not keeping that scrap witha doodle on it)

[@Intrepiddabbler]

When I was young, I devoured Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden books. I had both full sets, kept them, and dragged them from move to move over decades to "pass them to my kids" someday. I ended up marrying at what most would call a very late age and never had kids. I finally donated them to a homeschooling family of 10!

[@Anagrams458]

I loved both of those series too!

[@lban7932]

I loved Trixie Belden too!

[@kateyare4708]

Trixie Belden books were (are!) the best. I found a couple at a flea market a decade or so ago and re-read them while camping. Trixie was an independent girl who knew her own mind and went for what she wanted in life. A great role model for young girls from way back in the early 60s.

[@bethdawson889]

I loved Trixie Belden, too! I thought I was the only fan! 🤣I remember we bought the series on sale at a book store. ❤ I don't have mine anymore but also married late...and have little boys.

[@TheJoyfulEye]

I remember Nancy Drew!

[@dianarommel1862]

I own my mother's wrought iron baby crib from the 1930's. It's stored away in a basement closet because of limited space and it really cannot be used (may have lead paint). I have decided to donate it to a local historical society to display in one of their many restored buildings.

[@jessicaevens9679]

That's so awesome!

[@BeautyKhaleesi]

That's really smart and very cool

[@josephinenelan4204]

This is something I’ve suggested to my MIL when she offers me 100+ year old jewelry. I don’t know that she liked that idea, haven’t been offered old family jewelry since, but I think it’s a great idea! Especially as I am someone who does enjoy even small museums in little historical downtown spots

[@Beth1300]

I'm envious of all the storage space you have for containers! I don't have a basement, attic, garage or spare room. It's a very small house. Just lost my mother and having to make awful decisions because I don't have space to store much 😢

[@pinkroses135]

Not keeping what depresses you and you get to decide is huge

[@Peanut11111]

I give away so much and don't miss any of it.🎉

[@susannovak8263]

Me too!

[@Conval-wi5eh]

My mom actually made books from ALL the artwork my brother and I ever made as kids. I think it was nine books for me and four for my brother. They were HUGE, each about two to three inches thick. She was so excited about this present and my brother and I could not share her joy because we could not remember drawing these pictures as small children. Because our home was tiny they got stored in the garage. We had to throw them away before I even moved out because they were destroyed when rain flooded the garage.

[@carolynrunck9118]

Every day or so, I try to write down a sweet or funny memory of my toddler. Reading the past memories can conjur up the images I need so I don't have to necessarily save the actual objects. Plus, a notebook is very compact which is nice!

[@vixikie]

I actually have something similar. I have a tiny flat journal which kindergarten teachers has written very short entrys about me during that time, for example what I did, how I reacted to stuff, when they went somewhere and what I did etc. It is so fun to actually be able to read about my time in kindergarten which I don't remember as much from. It is a tiny journal that don't take up much space and I am going to keep that forever. I am a very quiet and reserved person, was even more silent during kindergarten and almost didn't speak. I have found out that I even learned sign language for some words to be able to communicate! So cool to read about.

[@stephaniegaddis1716]

Two stories of baby items passed down from Mother-in-Laws influence what items I keep for my own kids. 1. My friend had a baby shower for her 2nd child (her 2nd, husband's 1st). Her MIL had kept a huge tub of the husband's baby clothes, wrapped every.single.item and presented them as gifts at the shower. My friend felt burdened with these 25 yr old, out-dated, and worn clothes rather than blessed. I think a couple of outfits with photos of her husband in them would have been cherished, but when everything is special then nothing is special. 2. My MIL was a new missionary in Asia (tropical climate) when my husband was born. A very sweet elderly lady from a church in Vermont crocheted a WHITE bonnet, jacket, and booties for the new baby and mailed them to my MIL. She put the baby in them, took a picture to send to the elderly lady, boxed them up, and never (understandably) never used them again. Instead, she hauled them from Asia to Africa to Asia again, and finally back to the States when she gave them to me after our oldest was born. By the time I received them they were yellowed with age and no longer soft. I never put them on my babies, but it took 15 years and finding minimalism for me to let go of the guilt and donate them. These two stories come to mind when I decide what to keep from my children's childhood. Is it truly special? Do I look at it and recall specific memories? Or am I listening the the voices in my head that say I "should" keep it? Or do I feel guilty at the thought of passing it on? Side note: My oldest and youngest sons are 12 years apart. I can tell you from experience that anything with elastic won't be usable after 10 years, so let it go to someone that will get some use out of it today.

[@megangrelle]

The elastic totally surprised me how it deteriorates when I consolidated baby clothes for my daughter after only 4 years.

[@charlotteseibert5666]

This is one reason I don't keep baby clothes I was going to but I repeatedly hear they don't hold up well or if at all and than the aging with yellow tinges. Nope no thankyou I think that would ruin the memories for me seeing that so I didn't even try

[@nthebeavec]

This! My mom gave me my baptism outfit for my kids, but a) they turned yellow and b) it was too small for my daughter and obviously wasn’t going to be used for my son 🙃 It was sweet to see how small I used to be and I have a picture of my mom holding me in church on that day but the outfit I can finally get rid of!

[@diannerabon3524]

My two boys are 13 years apart and the only thing that was still usable after being stored all those years was a pair of OshKosh Overalls. 😊. I kept everything and had three daughters between the boys. I was so surprised at the clean clothes that were packed away that came out with stains!

[@Liz-uo4wb]

My mom kept several huge totes of clothing from my sisters and I for probably close to 25 YEARS. When my niece was born several years ago, she pulled it all out for my sister to look through. It was all horribly outdated (we had a good laugh), and of course any elastic was shot. The sad thing was that no one was going to want it. If she had saved the three special outfits for the granddaughter and given away the rest, it might have gotten used. But instead, it just took up precious storage space and ultimately was a wasted resource. All my kid's clothes were passed on and USED as they designed to be.

[@Jojok103]

After watching you for a couple years I think. I have not one sentimental bone left in my body. I don’t care I have the memory, and no one will want it when I’m gone so it will be tossed anyway. Sad but true. I may have kept a few things lol. But not enough to fill a box. So thank you!

[@esther61374]

I don’t have a sentimental bone in my body either- very freeing.

[@kateyare4708]

I've come to feel the same way about anything material ever since Dawn looked into the camera and said flatly "It's just stuff!" It's the people and relationships, the projects and goals, our inner peace and spirituality, that matter in our lives.

[@lifewithlarsandsusie8315]

Me either! I’m not a gift giver either. I want to tell my kids after 18 they don’t get any more gifts from me. I will give my time and services

[@stscc2009]

The same for me. It’s so freeing!

[@deniseharwood9521]

@@lifewithlarsandsusie8315 I agree. And more important (to me) is i don't want to be a gift receiver! Trying to get others to REALLY believe that has been a bit challenging.

[@marnoch4632]

I had a magnificent gold sequenced ball gown in my wardrobe for the last 9years. I’ve decluttered several times, and thanks to you have made great progress in my minimalism journey. I have less and less. But I always held on to the dress. It was so beautiful. Stunning. This week my girls (8,9,11) needs some pretty decoration for the cubby house they were building in the garden. I walked to the wardrobe, took one last appreciative look at the ball gown, then handed it to my youngest with a par of scissors. I have no regrets.

[@OliversMommy102512]

My mom passed away 2-2-22 and I have been slowly going through her keepsakes this year as an only child. I'm thankful I started watching your videos long before this life changing event bc my natural instinct used to be to keep everything sentimental. Now I tell myself just bc something was sentimental to her doesn't mean it has to be sentimental to me. She kept reports she wrote in elementary school (which I read and enjoyed then threw away) and EVERY birthday card she received since she was 6 years old (which I also enjoyed reading and either offered to the originally giver or threw away.) I have started a box of pictures from her high school years and memorabilia to take to her school's next all school reunion so the people I don't know in all those photos can have them 💜

[@tgayer1]

I also used to keep every card and letter I ever received. They filled two boxes. I am almost finished sorting through the first box. I found a check my dad wrote me when I was in college for $200...dated around 1991!

[@dianeleslie671]

I am thankful for digital photos, where a pic of a memory is available but takes no literal space!

[@evelynsaungikar3553]

@@dianeleslie671You can take digital pictures of the actual things, or even physical photos, and get rid of originals. I did that with a lot of kid’s artwork.

[@thomasvella86]

am sorry you don't know me but I came across your eye catching profile and thought of knowing more about you

[@bluesouthpaw6326]

Remember everyone, we don't take any of this when we die, none of it really matters. The only thing that matters is the people. Don't beat yourself up if you accidentally get rid of something you wish you had kept.

[@brittany8325]

When I got married my in-laws dropped off 8 large tubs of “childhood memories.” It’s was everything from old art work and macaroni necklaces to actual childhood photos and scout patches. All of it was just mixed together and it truly gave me anxiety. I’m proud of my husband for going through it pretty quickly and throwing out things. He got it down to a fraction of what it was. Something I noticed was that he didn’t even remember most of those things so it wasn’t even meaningful to him. I will never do that to my kids or my future daughter in laws!

[@user-vp5oo1no7g]

My in laws did the same to my husband! From old toys to clothes he had asked her to mend 5+ years prior. He went through it very quickly and I appreciated that he did that as it gave me anxiety too. And YES! I vowed I would never do that to our children!

[@LoriMcCord-ec8ce]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with parents packing up their adult children's belongings and dropping it off at their homes. Adult children need to realize mom and dad's house is not a storage unit for their belongings. Seniors are trying to downsize to make their lives easier.

[@rosywilson3076]

I guess it depends doesn’t it, who has been holding on to the stuff all this time, parents or adult offspring

[@antoniaquinton2240]

I think it depends how it's done. I feel like these were 'now you're married your wife will love your old childhood stuff', rather than 'we've stored this stuff for x time, it's time for you to deal with it'. The latter I'd agree is up to a 'child' to deal with. My husband puts off such decisions. Luckily he doesn't have 8 large totes but it does make me wonder... @@LoriMcCord-ec8ce

[@dianasimplifies]

This is the problem with sentimental stuff. It's the parents memories so many times not the kids! I like Dawns way of going thru the boxes with the kids and letting them decide what they want to hang on to, so when they are newly married they won't have 10 bins of literal junk they don't care about! It's overwhelming!!!

[@claireryan8074]

Here’s a little chuckle about preserving memories. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake, throw my journal in the lake.

[@TheJorgSacul]

IDENTIFY THE PEOPLE IN THE PHOTOS!!! There's nothing more frustrating about old family photos than not knowing who these people are! Not that I don't want the photos, but without names, they are just antique store "instant family" images.

[@TheJorgSacul]

and if it's not a family member, tell us WHO IT IS! Dad's best friend? Favorite neighbor at the old house? Let. Us. KNOW! :)

[@Conval-wi5eh]

On the same note: Please make a note who that baby or toddler is. I have no idea how my siblings and cousins looked like when they were small, let alone my aunts, uncles, parents and grandparents.

[@RadCenter]

I would add, don't just identify them as "Grandma and Grandpa"! How will the person looking at them 50 years in the future know whose grandma and grandpa they're looking at? Write the full name of each person, and even birth and death dates if there are similarly named people in the family. -Signed, A Family Historian 😀

[@RadCenter]

And if Grandma and Grandpa are standing in front of their house in the photo, give the street address and name of the town if possible. -Signed, A Local Historian

[@triciaperinger2675]

YES!! Yes to all these replies. My husbands parents have thinned through ALL their photos (What a task!!!) and they have divided photos up into giant envelopes for each of their grown children AND all the photos of of their parents/grandparents etc is labeled on the back with full names, who they are and what they were called. They are leading me by example of how I’d like to prepare things for my children as a get older.

[@anoekbreeden7486]

Thanks for sharing your life here on yt❤. I saved my sons babyclothes. (He is 32 now😊). I had a quilt made out of al the babystuff of him. A babyquilt! So now he is getting a son and I will hand him his babclothesblanket. Felt really good like this.

[@greenize1959]

What a great video. You packed so much common sense advice into a few minutes. I’ve learned so much about the benefits of minimalism from you, Dawn. I’ve always had the house lined with furniture, trinkets, and antiques. I inherited both of my parent’s things when they passed away, and I’ve been looking for a solution without the guilt! Thank you so much.

[@MySweetSammy]

My oldest child turned 41 last June and my other 3 children are in their 30's. NONE of them want children. With the exception of a stuffed bunny and a collection of 6 American Girls dolls (when they FIRST came out in the 80's!), my adult children wanted NONE of the things I had saved for them. Not even their 'Baby's 1st Christmas' ornaments! I look at what parents are saving today because everything is so *precious* to them. People! Listen up! YOUR CHILDREN DO NOT WANT YOUR CRAP!

[@elizabethfraser2996]

When you hear the word SHOULD remember that it will end up as a burden on our SHOULD-ers.

[@UpstateGrammy]

I found the photos to be especially overwhelming until I let go of trying to put them in chronological order. I sorted them by person or family and worked on it just 15 minutes at a time. I found that a loose-leaf binder with pocket photo pages that accommodate various sizes was an invaluable tool. I sorted more than once, each time throwing more photos away.

[@deniseharwood9521]

"Not worrying about chronological order is a game changer! When my parents passed away, I had boxes and boxes of photo envelopes to go through (mom was one of those "3 copies of everything" people). I got 1 Large photo album, holds like 200 4x6s and maybe 50 5x7s, and I started to separate by person. Then I just started sticking the ones I wanted to keep in, in no particular order. I'm not an overly sentimental person, but now when I run into a picture i want, it just goes in on the next available page.

[@eileenlehonnyberg1576]

@@deniseharwood9521 Yes yes. Has saved space, time and head aches. After trying to organize my photos decided to consolidate in two pretty boxes. I enjoy my photos more often these days. Searching for something specific like high school friends, passed away family member, or holiday celebration is even easier this way, too. Now I know where to place the wayward photos I discover in files and piles.

[@petmomful2260]

@@deniseharwood9521 My basement is finished beautifully by my husband. Once filled with teenagers hanging out, it is now my sewing studio. About 10 days ago, we started cleaning it out, donating, and painting and reorganizing the storeroom under the stairs. While glancing thru the photo albums, I realized how dumb some of the pics are. I started pitching a lot of them. Now I am looking for a local company who will put them on a thumb drive or something digital. Think of the space that will save. and such a gift for my kids of their childhood in pictures!

[@karenrich9092]

I have A LOT of family china. I am going to set up my kitchen table with a nice tablecloth, set out a place setting of each pattern with the serving pieces and take a picture or 2. Then, I'll write a description of it and its history and my memories of it to post on my family website. Then, the patterns will be packed up and labeled, so that if the family wants it, it's ready to go. If not it is ready to sell or donate.

[@jenniferv6949]

This is so good, @karenrich9092 ! I read Let it Go by Peter Walsh and one of the things that stood out to me was that we might be keeping some things and when we die, our families may not know why they were special to us. Such a great idea to tell the story about the china and then your family can decide if they want to keep it. They should at least know it was great Grandma's from 1900.

[@judithwagner727]

While my mom was still alive we got tubs and photo boxes and went through her pictures. (All around her dining room table). We sorted into wide categories and some narrower categories, one for each child's family, plus each grandchild. It brought back a lot of memories for her, so I heard stories as we sorted. I also had her write on the backs of many of the pictures that I didn't know about. After she passed it was so easy to give her loved ones the boxes of the pictured she had saved of them!

[@jennywoods9122]

Does your mom have thousands of photos? I have a lot of printed photos but I have thousands of digital photos and I am overwhelmed. Curious if you have helped her with photos.

[@janrogers8352]

I did sort and declutter a lot of photos, it's surprising how many you keep that are - fuzzy, badly lit or the heads are cut off, getting rid of all those, plus any duplicates made a difference. Second pass was to broadly sort into events and places. Third pass was to select the best ones to tell the story - it might only need 2 or 3 but it could just as easily be 10. The fourth time was putting them in photo albums or a scrapbook and writing about the event - if I'm not there to tell the story in years to come, then they will mean nothing, but at least I've written about what was important, who, when where and why. You can't rush it but 15 or 20 minutes here and there makes a big difference over time.

[@kathleenlewis239]

Yes, I think telling the story is the most important thing. That makes it easier to get rid of random pictures too.

[@tgayer1]

Thanks for your tips. I have 50 boxes of photos and slides from the past 120+ years to go through, and I was thinking it was going to take more than one pass. The first time through is needed just to see what all there is. I’ve been able to toss the majority of the photos so far on this first pass. I was starting to get stuck, though, because I was trying to organize them, so I think I will just decide to work on organizing after I have gone through everything. If I know the year, I’ll put a sticky note on it, but other than that I think I’m going to move on.

[@lindacusick1156]

I’m a quilter, and recently have made several quilt tops that I do not intend to complete. So my daughter’s library once a year has a arts and craft sale to raise money for the library. So I am donating 9 quilt tops, 60 blocks to be put together, and two completed wall hangings. They are just taking up space in my home. It’s for a good cause, and someone else will like to complete so they can donate to a charity.

[@ninadukette3340]

Love this idea. Hobbies are very hard to declutter.

[@lindacusick1156]

@@ninadukette3340 just going to spend the money to finish. Batting, backing etc. I did the hard work now let someone else finish. I’m trying to use fabric stash I have will never get through it in my life time I’m 72 .

[@thomasvella86]

am sorry you don't know me but I came across your eye catching profile and thought of knowing more about you,

[@pbear7814]

I think this is your best video - both content and how you explain the topics

[@smokyeleven]

these videos have made my grandma lose her mind and now she’s throwing away sentimental things. thank you! i appreciate it so much

[@carnation_cat]

Haha, that story had a good plot twist. 😁

[@amylynn9034]

I have asked my sons what they want to keep. My special is not necessarily their special. I'm also being mindful of the fact that they will not want my grandparents old dishes (that frankly have sat in a box in the basement for years). They are enjoying doing this and having a say in this process.

[@sgallant2107]

My son's coming home outfit stayed in a zippered plastic bag in my top bureau drawer, where I would see it often. I passed it along when his son was born. (Despite an almost 2 lb difference, the new kid wore it, too!) Last year I recognized Batman pjs (with cape) in a posted pic of my grandson. Sure enough, his dad had kept them in (another) zippered plastic bag in his own dresser. LOL❤

[@aftermidnight4867]

This couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I am on the last room of purging stuff on my downsizing journey. The room filled with family “treasures.” The room I am completely dreading- because it is overflowing with many memories- both good and bad. Having the categories now inspires me to address it head on! Thank you Dawn for helping! ❤️

[@letsuseourbrains]

Same here! I saved sentimental for last knowing it would be the most difficult.

[@aftermidnight4867]

@@letsuseourbrains I’ve been storing stuff for 42 years! Gah! Many tough decisions ahead, but I now fully understand they’ve become more of a burden than a joy. Time to let it go and share with others!

[@tgayer1]

You can do it! One bite at a time! 💪😄

[@aftermidnight4867]

@@tgayer1 yes! One bite at a time! I wish I had a wand to wave it all goodbye though! 😂

[@gibbiegibson8985]

I think it sank in when you stated 5 or 6 times, " YOU get to decide". It's my house, my comfort level, my say.

[@karenbarnes5402]

You were speaking directly to me when you talked about being the family historian. When my mom died I asked for all the pictures and was going to scan them. It was so much more difficult than I imagined. Many of them had no meaning to me. I might have a gathering with my siblings to look through and all take ones that have some meaning and let go of the rest.

[@bethlarson1108]

It’s so important to go through the stuff with your kids as they grow! My “kids” are now 20 and 22 - we would look through their keepsake items pretty frequently through the years and weed things out. They’ve now picked a few favorite things to keep and have gotten rid of the rest!

[@kateyare4708]

I agree that going through your sentimental items periodically is very important because it calls the memories to mind and imprints them forever, even after the items are gone.

[@kafemocha5016]

My husband is a retired Master Chief (USN) so I saved ONE little sailor suit/dress for each child. That’s it! When they have families I’m going to want to buy NEW clothes for them anyway.

[@susanoline5823]

Curbside is a fun way to get rid of things and acquire free things. Dog houses, furniture, ping pong table, toys, baby items ... it's like a game seeing how fast it goes ... or doesnt! The funniest one was desk that sat out there several days, and then someone noticed how useful that could be! Unfortunately, that person was my son!!! Lol.

[@darlenebergantzel1534]

I guess I’m not that sentimental. I kept baby books for both of my kids (up to 2 yo), but kept only a few very special things from their childhood. I never kept clothing or artwork. These things were never special to me. I did keep a few toys that were recycled to my grandkids, played with, and finally disposed of when they broke. Instead of giving my kids a memory box when they left home, I gave them a starter box of things they would need as a self sufficient adult.

[@SauerPatchGardening]

This came right on time. I have a bunch of photos from childhood I received after my dad passes away in 2017. Some I just got recently as my step mom went thru our childhood home. I've been putting this task off for quite awhile. So this was so helpful and gave me incentive to get started. 😊