How to Declutter Sentimental Things

I know that letting go of sentimental items can feel overwhelming, even paralyzing. Over the years, I’ve worked with countless moms struggling with exactly this, and I’ve seen firsthand how much lighter they feel once they find a way to keep the memories without the clutter. If you’ve got keepsakes piling up—old family heirlooms, stacks of photos, or bins of kids’ artwork—you’re not alone. Let me show you how to declutter these meaningful items thoughtfully and guilt-free, so you can truly enjoy your space.

At some point or another, all of us will have to deal with things that people that we love and cherish give to us that we don’t necessarily want or have room for.

• After my paternal grandmother passed, I inherited her antique deacon’s bench. For years, it fit our home style, it fit the size and shape of our home, and I loved that bench. But then we changed homes and the kids grew and it just didn’t quite fit the same way as it used to. I had to decide whether to keep that bench just because it was my grandmother’s or to part with it because it was causing me stress every time I walked by it.
• I also inherited a white bone China set from my maternal grandmother, but she passed away when I was a teenager, and then later Dean and I didn’t have room for it in any of our houses. So for years, that lovely China set sat tucked in a Rubbermaid tote wrapped in old tea towels and aprons and things like that in my mom’s basement, and then later in my sister’s basement.

I want you to know that it is possible to keep the memories without all the stuff. Here’s how…

How to Declutter Sentimental Things

There are a few things that you can do to help you clear out some of the excess sentimental things that may be cluttering up your home.

1. Do Not Declutter Sentimental Things FIRST!

The very first thing and the most important thing to remember about decluttering sentimental stuff is not to start there.

Instead, start somewhere simple like a bathroom or even a kitchen. Rooms like those rarely contain things that have emotional or sentimental attachments.

2. Know That Sentimental Things Are Not Bad

It’s also really important to accept that keeping sentimental items is not bad in and of itself.

Holding onto those things only becomes negative when you don’t have the space for them or when they’re causing you stress and pressure instead of reminding you of the good memories that come with them.

3. Keep Some, But Not All

So, if you have too much sentimental stuff, what if instead of keeping all the things, you kept a select few items instead?

An example is my grandmother’s bone China set. I was given a massive collection of this lovely white bone China with a gold rim on it.

Does that go with pretty much anything and everything we have in our house? Yes, it does. It’s actually quite pretty.

However, over time, I can only assume that my grandmother purchased additional pieces in case some got broken. The result of that was that when I was given her China collection, it was made up of a random number of something like 11 dinner plates and 15 teacups and saucers, but only eight of the salad bowls.

So instead of keeping all of that, I paired it down and only kept eight full place settings, a platter, a serving bowl, and the creamer and sugar bowl. That’s it.

I did not keep all of it. I kept some of it.

By doing that, I’ve preserved the memories and we enjoy using those dishes. I also have plenty of space to store them.

4. Part With Other Things

On the flip side though, sometimes it is better to part with something and keep the memories in another way, instead of keeping the thing.

I did this with my other grandmother’s deacon’s bench. It just didn’t fit our home after a few years. It didn’t fit what I needed for the kids. It didn’t fit our space. It didn’t fit our design style.

So rather than feeling stressed every time I walked past it, I asked my sister if she wanted it, and she did. Now that deacon’s bench of my grandmother’s lives at my sister’s house.

6 Questions to Ask When Decluttering Sentimental Things

There are six questions you should ask (yourself or someone you’re helping to declutter) when trying to declutter sentimental things.

1. What is significant about this item? Give yourself time to feel the feelings to remember the person you associate with this item.
2. Am I only keeping this because I feel like I should? Is there guilt associated with it?
3. Will I use this item?
4. Do I truly love it?
5. Do I have space for it? (This is a huge one when it comes to decluttering anything but is especially key with sentimental items.)
6. Can I somehow preserve the memories without keeping the item? Can I take a picture? Can I write in a journal about it?

Asking yourself these six questions will give you clarity when deciding what to keep and what to get rid of.

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Remember, there’s nothing wrong with keeping sentimental items—problems only arise when they start to take over your space or add stress to your life. When you’re ready to declutter, don’t start with the sentimental things! Begin with items that don’t tug on your heartstrings. Then, when you do come back to those cherished keepsakes, ask yourself a few key questions: Do I have room for this? Do I genuinely love it? Am I keeping it out of obligation or guilt? With a little reflection, you can find a balance that honors your memories without overwhelming your home.

Do you have sentimental clutter you need to deal with? I’d love to know what you’re struggling with. Or if you’ve successfully dealt with hard sentimental things, I’d love to hear about that too. Let me know in the comments below.