Sentimental Clutter – My Life in a Box

(5 minute read)

Are you on a minimalism journey to declutter your sentimental belongings? Sentimental memorabilia is among the most difficult to let go. I recently wrote a blog post titled, How to Get Rid of Sentimental Clutter – Two Questions to Ask Yourself, but yesterday I accidentally stumbled upon another type of sentimental clutter. It’s an altogether different experience that I’d love to share with you.

Inspired by The Minimalists’ 30-Day Minimalism Game, I took the plunge into the depths of my garage. It was day 31 of the challenge, meaning, I had to find thirty-one purge-worthy items.

As you can imagine, the garage was a likely place for me to go. Like many a garage, mine is that place in the house where no one has regularly assigned cleanup duties.   Consequently, my plastic folding work table was overflowing with junk; everything and nothing in particular.   

As I picked up each item, I looked at it with new forethought, deciding whether or not I should keep it. Do I really need this? Can I let it go?

I had previously kept things in the garage that I might need, just in case; things like a bunch of extra large, red hooks and old furniture hardware. The game helped me to let it go. I figured I could buy hooks again if I ever need them.

In addition, I also let go of a few pieces of decor. I didn’t necessarily want them or they wouldn’t have been in the garage, but they were hard to toss because of the personal sentiment that encompassed the style, and of course, the giver.

The garage floor was cluttered with bags full of donations gathered from my last three days of purging, boxes of Christmas decor not yet returned to their usual storage area, and some cardboard boxes waiting to be recycled.

I got it all put away and gratefully returned my car to a nice, warm parking space.

As I was finishing up for the evening, I noticed the large black 4-drawer filing cabinet that was squeezed in between the weight-training machine and a large metal shelving unit, somewhat impairing my ability to easily access the stuff on the shelves.

Can I empty this and get rid of the whole thing altogether?  I thought to myself.  

How easy would it be for me to dispose of the contents of four file drawers that I rarely ever open?  I knew that the entire thing was filled with memories, but also some paperwork, like mortgage documents and old medical files.  I also knew there were many years of my kids’ school pictures as well as files for each of them.  Naturally, they would hold things that I thought were meaningful enough to save.

As I peeked inside the top drawer of the file cabinet and flipped through some tabs, I saw a file labeled “mom”.  No, not going there, I thought.  Next I saw a file labeled ‘Didi’.  Ok, I can do that.  I grabbed it and went in for the night.

Later, after dinner, I saw the old, red, file folder sitting on the dining room table.  I flipped it open.  It was filled with cards.  Oh, okay.  I can get rid of these, I thought.  I’ll just take some pictures of them and then let them go. 

I picked up the first card.  For You, Sweetheart, Happy Birthday.  Then, inside, written in a beautiful script . . ‘Hope your 21st birthday is as special to you as you are to me.  Forever yours.’

Okay, that was a long time ago.  Cute!  Next.  

For My Wife with love.  Inside, the handwritten note said,  “p.s.  How do you like your first ‘wife’ card?”

Oh wow!  I’m holding my first wife card in my hand? Crazy!  Next.  

Another card from hubby! The whole file must be filled with cards from him, I thought. Inside, this one, the inscription said, “You make every day seem like Christmas, baby. I love you so much, sweetheart.”

Awwe.  “baby”!  How cute!  Loving this! Definitely BK! (before kids!)

Then, suddenly the vibe changes.  

For a Lovely Daughter.  It’s from my dad.  He’s long gone but his familiar script is in my hands.  “Whenever I talk to someone about you, I have a very warm feeling which tells me I’m proud and love you very much!  Love, Dad.”

Awe!

On a wrinkled up piece of old stationery, written in script,  “Just for you, Babe, Love Mom.”

Oh . . . mom did love me. 

Next, the mood changes again:

A child’s drawing by my youngest:

“I (HEART) MY MOM – I (HEART) MY MOM.  It’s drawn in aqua blue and yellow felt pen and the hearts are colored  in with yellow.  

“LOVE!”  Next.

A RUGRATS birthday card from my little ones:

“I love you mom and I just want to hug you.  Happy B-day mom.  And from the baby; Happy Birthday (misspelled and written in large, scrawling print) and she signed her name going in a backward direction.

“LOVE!”  Next.

“Mother Dearest,  First of all, I love you!  You’re the best for helping me through life.  You’ve done a mighty fine job!  If there was a mother helping son through life award, you would win it.  I hope you have the best day you deserve.  Happy Mother’s Day.”

OMG!  Undated.  I wonder which phase of his life this was from!  His tone is funnier, lighter.  So Cute!  p.s. . . . that kid was a TON of work!

ABSOLUTELY LOVE!

Next.

An original poem on a hand-made card, written in script by my (then) teenage daughter:

OMG!  She was so passionate!  My emotional tank runneth over!  The punchline was the BEST: ‘You are really just here to love me!’ She not only schooled me on parenting, but warmed my heart as I read how she perceived our parent-child relationship.   THIS IS AMAZING!

It’s just all about LOVE, isn’t it?

As I browsed through the cards and sentiments of a lifetime, I could viscerally feel my heart swelling with love and happiness. This MUST be good for my health to the deepest recesses of my cells. And . . . good for my soul.

How can I merely take a picture of it all and move on?

When I’m nearing the end of my life, sitting in front of my fireplace, possibly alone, don’t you think that these things will bring me joy as I hold each card, soaking up the memories, feeling the love, validating my best life’s work?

What would you do?