Get Rid Of Sentimental Clutter And Keep Your Sanity With These Helpful Tips

You might be a pro at decluttering your home. Perhaps you remove anything that has lost its usefulness or appeal as soon as you discover that you no longer have a use for it. But there is one clutter category that trips up most people when it comes to downsizing, and that's sentimental items. Whether it's your old childhood teddy bears, journals from your early twenties, or your grandmother's dishware set, there are certain items that no longer serve a purpose but that are still very difficult to let go of. It almost feels like throwing the memory away with the item, tossing out that part of your past. If you struggle with this, try utilizing the calendar method to make the process a little easier. 

The calendar method is all about building momentum so that by the time you get to your sentimental items, it will be easier to make difficult decisions. With this method, you start the decluttering process on the first of the month, with the intention of taking up the entire month to sort through your house and get rid of things you no longer need. You use the days of the month like a binding promise of how many items you'll toss or donate that day. On day one you throw out one thing, on day two you toss two things, and so on. By day 30 or 31, you're committed to chucking 30+ items. By then, you should be more comfortable with making difficult decisions. Here is a closer look at how this method will help you declutter your sentimental items without getting bogged down in emotions. 

The calendar method is great for those who lack momentum when decluttering. Since you start with a small amount and build up over time, it becomes easier with each day. In the beginning, you'll be decluttering for less than 10 minutes. On the first day, you can throw out a receipt in your purse, and on the second day, you can toss an old plastic restaurant cup and promotional pen. But as it becomes easier to part with things, you'll develop a tolerance and build confidence in your decision-making skills. By the 15th day, you will likely have less friction when it comes to parting with items and can make the decisions more easily. 

It's then that you want to start looking at your sentimental pieces. You don't have to prune all of them at once; instead, you can spread them out across the weeks. Perhaps start with something that you know you don't want to keep but have been feeling guilty about tossing, like that birthday gift from your mom you never used or your old high school yearbooks you haven't opened since senior year. Toward the end of the month, move onto the harder things, like your kid's art drawings or your grandma's dresser that is throwing off your room's entire aesthetic. By then, you should have the fortitude to make those tough but necessary calls. If you have a lot of sentimental items to get through, you could also take one month to declutter regular items from your home and then dedicate the next month to just getting rid of sentimental pieces.