Member-only story
8 Practical Tips for Letting Go of Sentimental Items
In Singapore, I have 1 clear box full of mementos I’ve saved for… memories’ sake. The box contains my curated things — things I love, things associated with core memories, or gifts that held great meaning. I’ve had it for years now because letting go of sentimental items is the hardest part of any decluttering journey.
I don’t use anything in the box and don’t intend to ship it to the US, where I now reside. So I could’ve gotten rid of the whole box and not have my life affected. Yet, I’ve looked through the objects in the box each time I come back and always found it impossible to let the contents go.
Some of the objects in the box include my favorite CDs — approximately 60% of them are Lana Del Rey’s albums. Some special books — 3 beautiful “books of spells” my best friend got me, Bill Bryson’s The Lost Continent (a gift and a fun read), a USA travel guide (another gift), among others. There’s a wind-up doll my mom bought me when I was a kid that I will never get rid of. I’ve also kept several cards containing the most meaningful words from friends. Plus a puzzle of the Golden Gate Bridge my best friends gave me, which I’m saving for when my husband comes with me.
