I'm Stephanie Safarian and this is episode 91.

You are listening to the Sustainable Minimalist Podcast, a show about living simply and sustainably with your family.

Here's your host, Stephanie Safarian.

Hello there and thank you for joining me.

This is the first episode in a two-part series that addresses sentimental clutter.

Now you listeners write to me often about your sentimental clutter and I hear you.

What to do with the talented family members paintings? What to do with your box of childhood items,

what to do with your wedding dress.

The list goes on and on.

There is no specific or correct answer to these queries.

I can tell you what to do with your wedding dress.

I can give you suggestions for those old paintings,

but when it comes to sentimental clutter, the truth of the matter

is that only you know what to do with each and every item you're saving, and only you know when you're ready to tackle them.

Now first things first. There's nothing wrong with keeping sentimental items around. There's nothing wrong with with

with displaying those sentimental items.

If you have a bunch of sentimental stuff,

stuff from your childhood or from your past or from your deceased loved ones.

If these things make you happy and they fill you with joy and love and fullness,

then I say go on with your bad self and keep them and keep them close.

But the problem comes when sentimental items hold you down and hold you back.

The vast majority of people I talk to tell me that holding on to that sentimental box is heavy.

...