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 😊

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@pinkroses135]

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

[@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 😢

[@Peanut11111]

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

[@susannovak8263]

Me too!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!!!

[@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.

[@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

[@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. 😁

[@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!

[@sherryspearman8650]

Love your videos as a recovering pack rat. As a result of your inspiration we donated a fancy gold jacket that had been passed down and was just hanging in a closet. We donated it to a local theatre and forgot about it until we went to their performance of "The Hobbit" and the lead character was awarded this gold jacket as part of his treasure! Thank you for helping guide us out of our clutter.

[@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.

[@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.

[@susanrnbc]

Used the huge set of Franciscan ware antique dishes I inherited from my grandmother for several years after she passed. Then I stored them for 20+ years. Recently donated all them except for the cream pitcher and sugar bowl to a vintage store that donates their proceeds to Alzheimer’s care. My husband asked me if I was going to cry. Nope. I still have all the memories and I am displaying the cream pitcher and sugar bowl. I feel so much lighter!

[@thomasvella86]

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

[@jennylhenry78]

I'm my family's historian. My mom passed away when I was 24 and six months later her mother died. So I have all my photos, all my mom's, and all my grandmother's. Photos was the very last project I tackled after minimizing. I've been watching Dawn for probably 4+ years now. I did not deal with 3 large bins of photos for about 18 years. It took many hours to sort and cull. I did exactly what Dawn just said, sort in broad categories, throwing away duplicates and junk. I bought 4 same sized photo boxes and also plastic 4x6 photo boxes to fit inside the cardboard ones. About 5 fit in each box, so I have around 20. And each plastic box can hold 100 photos. I mailed off some to my brothers, some to a cousin. And hung up the most sentimental ones. The rest we can easily pull out and find. Oh, and any 8x10s I wanted to keep, I bought an album for. And any larger ones I wanted but didnt want large, I scanned and had printed 4x6 to fit in the boxes. It's SO nice to finally have them all organized!

[@carnation_cat]

I have a project waiting for me that's probably as big as or bigger than yours. I never thought about using photo boxes instead of albums. This may be the key that unlocks everything! Congratulations on your achievement. 🙂

[@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❤

[@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!

[@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.

[@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,

[@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.

[@searlepage4655]

Katrina here 😅... I had a jumper that was my mums , she passed 2017 . I dont wear it much, I thought I lost it about 4 yrs ago and add a near melt down. Im actually in complex grief ATM from my husband of 36yrs. Yesterday I lost mums jumper and you know what it was like oh well. She would of bought it from a thrift store , i never saw her wear it and it really wasnt worth stressing over it . Literally, let it go . Theres a reason for everything . Decided not to beat myself over my widow brain and give myself some grace.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@jenniferv6949]

I love the idea of curating a memory box. When my mother in law finally gave me a cute pair of baby overalls that were my husband's, they were already too small for my boys. My MIL had so much clutter of her own and health issues that would make going thru it hard, that she wasn't able to give us the outfit when it mattered. 😔 I don't want to have so much stuff when my kids have kids that I can't find or get to their curated memory boxes. Thank you for your inspiration and instruction, Dawn!

[@Macsrus5]

I’m struggling currently, getting rid of things from my parents funeral. Ribbons from floral arrangements, sympathy cards, guest books, etc…… I’m glad I listened to this video, it will give me the courage ❤️

[@ciannacoleman5125]

My grandma passed away recently and all the items I took were items I could actively use (without fear of them being “ruined”) and one or two display items. Honestly my favorite item is her cedar chest I grew up sitting on in her living room. 25yrs and the first time I ever opened it was after she passed, it was a fun time capsule. I have always wanted a cedar chest since my mom has one I love & now I have a quality one that also is a happy memory.

[@elizabethfraser2996]

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

[@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. ♡

[@margarethoughton6288]

Removing photos from albums, editing them and putting them in a box is fantastic in reducing the volume. I have always had a memory box for my now adult son, since he was born. I edit it every few years, as what seemed important before changes, but 'the outfit worn home from the hospital' will always makes the cut. I totally agree with displaying and using cherished items. Inherited things you don't love are best sold, and buy something you love with the money. For anyone who struggles to let go of lots of baby clothes could make a memory bear with the material from the clothes, rather than keeping it all. My number one decluttering motivation is I don't want my stuff to be a burden and I appreciate your reminder x

[@pbear7814]

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

[@ladykatietx]

Perfect timing! I'm 27 weeks pregnant with my first baby, just discovered your channel about 6 months ago, and am determined that having kids will NOT turn our house back into the cluttered mess it was before! Great ideas.

[@michelleprice5945]

That's the best gift you can give you and your family. The toys add up quickly! Best wishes with the rest of your pregnancy.

[@ladykatietx]

@@michelleprice5945 thank you Michelle! ❤️

[@ceralith942]

I have 2, 2 years and 2 months, and it certainly is a challenge! Hang in there - pregnancy and the first survival year can be wonderful and challenging and maddening all at once.

[@dianeleslie671]

I WISH I had known all this when my kids were growing up! As a homeschooling mom of 4, we had WAY more (2nd hand) toys, clothes, and 'stuff' than I could manage! (Still do--I'm somewhat sentimental, 'reforming' collector--and hubby is a pack rat of "good stuff"...which he doesn't organize, often can't find when he needs it, and ends up true JUNK once it's set out in the weather or rodents get into it! 🤦‍♀️) We are both learning; this year my focus is decluttering and organizing...and I'm sure will continue into next year as well!

[@claremiller9979]

Congratulations and best of luck to you. My one piece of advice, having an 8 and 6 year old and getting ready to move (and the decluttering that has to come with that) - set Boundaries with your family and close friends about what comes into your home, and stick to them My partner's parents, especially his mum, were and are so much about "more is more" and it's not even good quality because they don't have a lot of money anyway. We tried so hard to be firm but in hindsight i should have been even more firm. One time they brought literally 4 laundry baskets of toys on a visit (they live interstate so visits were, mercifully, rare) and I said no. No more. His mum was pissy with me but she'd been told for YEARS to stop bringing them so many toys. My partner finally got through to them (I hope!) by saying over and over again that what the kids want isn't stuff, it's quality time. Time spent with them, before they inevitably aren't with us any more. So, I think if you say that from the get go, you'll have a much easier time keeping your home less cluttered when your beautiful bub comes along 😊

[@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! 😂

[@elizabethhelen3326]

Also agree about the memory boxes for children - so much of it is actually memories for the parents. Make it a manageable amount for each child…

[@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,

[@historian1922]

Great video, Dawn! One of my friends recently lost her Grandma and she was asked if she wanted to inherit her HUGE Christmas village collection. My friend opted to take a single "building" to display during the holidays. It still reminds her of childhood holidays, but does not take up an entire table (god, not to mention the storage the rest of the year! no thanks!) Similarly, every Christmas my mom bought me an ornament since I was a baby. While her intentions were good (it's just ONE tiny ornament right? well...30 years later...) I don't have room on my tree to put any ornaments that represent my family now, so I kept a few of them (five I think, but may continue to trim the collection down). I felt guilty about not keeping the "collection" together. Tears were shed! But now ALL my holiday decorations fit in ONE box! that is an amazing feeling. And I no longer dread "trimming the tree."

[@desertrat5543]

You’ve probably heard it a million times before, but you should totally have your own book! Especially as a mom, you’d garner such a huge audience.

[@stephaniemills549]

She does have a couple books/guides!

[@sharonbates516]

You have to admit your son holding up the shirt with bright bowtie and 1st birthday pictures are adorable! The one with the sleeper looked shy but the big smile was like, "can you believe I use to be this small?". Too cute. Love your ideas and thanks for sharing.

[@Bri-wc4ib]

I almost started to cry when you gave permission to let go of things that don't bring back happy memories. I have the pregnancy test and announcement onesies I made when we found out we were pregnant for the first time (with identical twins), but we lost them about the end of the first trimester. I haven't been able to bring myself to let go of that box...and yet it makes me sad every time I see it. I probably should just let it go! Thank you!

[@annaallen641]

I have kept a very small box of items that are memories of a baby we lost around the same time. It takes up such a tiny amount of space and yes it’s sad, but I’ll keep it because for me it’s the only physical link that that child ever existed and was loved and wanted. As time has passed the raw grief has eased and it represents that they too are part of our history and 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.

[@SharonKBM]

Thank you for these ideas. They will help me move forward because I am really struggling with sentimental items. I have decluttered so many things already and I just packed up several more items to go to the donation center but I am finding it to very difficult to let some other things go. I am in a very hard and sad season of life and I am overthinking every decision.

[@pippas5808]

Don't be too hard on yourself. It gets easier with time. If something is a real struggle, leave it and come back to it in a few months. I have just got rid of some items which I would have found impossible to part with a year ago. We're all at different stages of the journey x

[@SharonKBM]

@@pippas5808 Thank you ❤ This is great advice and I'm going to just stop decluttering for now. You're right, I can always come back to them later. There isn't any rush.

[@sarahnichols4253]

I'm super sentimental and have a hard time getting rid of anything so thank you for this video. ❤ I'm going to start going through stuff!

[@mothersnature2432]

Dawn I think you are a mind reader! I started following along with your videos about two years ago, and I finally felt ready to tackle the baby clothes that I have stored in the attic! Even though in the back of my mind I’m not sure how I can let them go and The next dayI see you released this video. It was so helpful because it just reinforced the idea that I am ready to let some of those things go. I am curating memory boxes for my kids who are currently 15 and 12. So its definitely time to tackle those baby clothes. Thank you! You have literally changed my life and my mindset about living in the present and having so much less stuff and being so much happier! ❤❤❤

[@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. 😊

[@sarahouser3100]

I was the keeper of family photo albums and made a CD with music for all my siblings and with their permission deposited the books in the trash. Now we each have the best of the best photos with no guilt.

[@natalieeubank4533]

My only suggestion is to switch it to something other than a cd…c players are being phased out and then you won’t be able to look at them

[@Jnelle4]

My parents decided to start decluttering a few years ago (my mom has always wanted to but just didn't have the bandwidth) and even though I've been out of the house for awhile, I really wanted to take responsibility for all my stuff, so whenever I visited I would aggressively drag a few boxes to my car, drive it home, and try to go through it that day or week. I can't say I'm done letting go or that I'm organized (yet), but at least I know this is everything! 😂 Thanks for all the help Dawn!

[@susanfrenette3400]

Hi. I am in my 60s and my four children are now adults, they all don’t want anything that are in the boxes of baby memories or the art work that I kept. They said those are your memories Mom, you keep it or get rid of it when you want. Unlike you, we did not bring them out to look in them periodically, maybe that would have made a difference 🤷🏼‍♀️ Thank you for the video, will try and find Peters book to read.

[@mafbanks]

I love these videos. I’m a “millennial” and definitely grew up in a keep *everything* household. The guilt and anxiety of getting rid of things can be debilitating. I decided I would not burden myself or my children by trying to save everything. Also, just the idea of keeping things that others could actually be using and need, gives perspective and you end up feeling good about donating. Especially things that were practically brand new and donating it so a new mom who needs it feels like they can have something nice for their baby. ❤️

[@RebeccaCapozzi]

I just wanted to say "Thank you!" for addressing the photo's issue. I not only have my own photo's of my Family that I need to go thru, but I have inherited generations of photo's from my Mother's Home. It amazes me going thru them how many "bad" photo's were still kept! I am now resolved to make photo albums for each of my Children, myself, and one for my Mother's photo's and give away the rest. I watch you and your Sister Diana on KZbin. As well as purchasing your Declutter book. Thank you both for all the inspiration!

[@jillprince9647]

We just emptied a storage unit Sunday. Making quick decisions was such a help. If I paused and had to think instead of deciding on the spot it went into the keep for now pile. It helped so much and then was easier to let go when I came back to it.

[@bshows14]

I'm so glad that I was on my way to a minimalism mindset before I moved and before my mom passed away. It has helped me to pick special items and be very particular about what to keep. I am one of 5 siblings, and not all of them share this love for keeping things simple, so it can make things difficult when going through my mom's items. :/

[@charlotteseibert5666]

I'm glad I seen this video when I did I just went through the 2 big totes I had saved of baby toys and clothes I wanted to keep ( thought I would forever) but surprisingly it was easy to let go and gift 90% of it. Thankyou for this video

[@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!

[@donnamacdonald7140]

Hi Dawn, I believe that those of us who have followed you for a good amount of time have figured out how to turn a drawer full of spatulas into 1 or perhaps 2 at best. Practicality wins out when the well organized and tidy drawer appears! However, this area of managing and storing sentimental items needs more attention, time and perhaps sensitivity. So many of us are stuck right here. Perhaps we have been successful in the more mundane components of life which come down to function. However, deciding to keep Grandma's butter dish, silly childhood items or even cards from those no longer near or dear is a struggle. I admit I am not nearly as good at decluttering this category. Please keep these videos coming! Yes, it is possible to make choices about so much of these types of items. BUT, often with a heavy heart. How can it be that so much of life has passed us by? Did we savor enough of those special moments in the craziness of life with a house full of small children or take the time to really listen to the stories of those who have gone before us? It is more about that then the reality of the passing of time. After all, i can always get another spatula can't I?

[@elizabethsydnor5247]

Dawn, your hair looks GORGEOUS!

[@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.

[@everystitchaprayer6268]

I love these back to basics videos! Thank you!

[@juliemattison3839]

Wow! I literally took a bag of baby clothes to the donation center today. My youngest is 22 🙄. The boys really don’t care about their coming home from the hospital clothes. Or MY favorite shortalls they wore. Let someone else enjoy them!

[@thomasvella86]

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

[@Jeanjean2150]

I just decluttered my photos from highschool and early 20's travels. Yearbooks too! I feel so free!!!

[@brendajackson294]

This is my hardest area to manage. I appreciate all the info and wisdom. Now the courage to practice it.

[@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.

[@cheriemancaruso6160]

We are moving and boy has this been eye opening!! I’m so sentimental with my Grandma’s things… but the literally aren’t my style. I have a dear friend who lives in a beautiful Victorian home…. SHE LOVES THEM!!! It has made a big difference in rehoming my beloved items!! ❤ She’s about to get some more soon! Lol 😂

[@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

[@debzsea]

A funeral that I attended had a table set up near the exit door with a huge collection of owls displayed. After the service we were encouraged to take a few to commerate the deceased. I thought it was a lovely gesture and now have a pottery owl 🦉 to remind me of her. She was an avid collector and the family had already selected their favourite pieces. Nice idea to share these, rather than just donating the whole lot to strangers.

[@heartsandmindsathome]

Your labels for their bins are so pretty! I have 7 children and probably 4 large totes of baby clothes - less than what I’ve passed along, but still way too much! I want to go through them and cut squares from my favorite pieces, and make a memory quilt with them! This will greatly reduce the space required for storing those memories, and it would become something useful for when grandbabies come over. 💛-Karly

[@eliannaisaac8391]

Thank you for the comment about only saving things with happy memories. I have something I used to love and now I haven't wanted to look at it. Just realized I associate it with times that I have really bad anxiety. Thank you!

[@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 ❤❤

[@sherryyost786]

I love this series. It never hurts to refresh minimalism. Thanks Dawn for your diligent teaching of us.

[@CassandrasCreativeConcoctions]

A neat way to use keepsake clothing, that you don't want to part with, is to incorporate them into a quilt, I've seen some awesome examples of collected pieces being made into t-shirt quilts, and rag quilts, often given at graduation, or other big life events.

[@joannafoster3423]

Your Back to Basics series has been phenomenal!

[@rosemoore5364]

Thank you. I have decluttered my sewing fabric (not sentimental items, I know). I got rid of twelve big bags of fabric that I did not want, was overwhelmed to the point I stopped learning to sew. I used all your tips and I am now excited to sew again. I am saving the sentimental things for last. Thanks again and have a nice day.

[@kristigeiger3680]

I'm really struggling because so many of my minimal sentimental items were stolen recently and I don't have those items at all anymore. I'm hoping that eventually I can be grateful that the decision was basically taken care of for me, and be grateful for what I have left as well. Thankfully my kids memory bins were spared, but a lot of things are gone.

[@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. ❤

[@cbszoy77]

This video couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Cleaning out my parents’ house, and there are boxes and boxes of things that they saved from childhood. Even though I’ve watched so many of your videos and have very minimal things in my own home, I have had trouble letting go of these things from the past. This video confirms it’s the right decision. I am also ordering the book. Thank you so much for helping me through this difficult stage of my life!!

[@DiRidpath]

Thank you! This is my week area. You always motivate me to declutter more. A lot of the things I've saved for my kids they could care less about, and as adults, they don't want to keep them themselves.

[@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.

[@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.

[@pinkroses135]

It's funny you're touching on this now because downsizing is giving me the space to be the family historian again. Organizing photos by pedigree or timeline helps

[@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 💖

[@LoriZ-y8p]

This is really helpful. I've been going Through this, since february with my mom's stuff. She had passed unexpectedly. And Going through this is By myself was Hard because I had to also deal with All of the hereditary stuff Which was stored in the attic. But I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel Now. And then I'll be able to go through One more time and decide what needs to be shared so I can complete the cycle

[@lisarivers1438]

Hey Dawn I've been watching you for yrs but for some reason THIS video was special I just watched it again.

[@h3arty]

love ya Dawn! just spent the day decluttering my partner's stuff - YES!!! I've got him on board! I'm SO relieved, he had so much stuff! such a big win. I found myself teaching him so many ideas I've learned from YOU! :)

[@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. ❤

[@yolandagutierrez7465]

Sister! Sister! So good to hear your voice- say hello to Sisters from me- prayers always!🙏🏻. Please pray for my protection and the discernment of becoming a third order Carmelite!