MEMORY BOX 101 🎨 » what's in a KEEPSAKE BOX, keep sentimental items vs. let go - WHAT TO DECLUTTER!?

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The complete guide on how to make a MEMORY BOX that you or a loved one can cherish for years to come. Find out the eight simple rules on how to declutter sentimental items, what to keep and what to get rid of, memory box ideas on how to store and organize your keepsakes, and more! On my 5-year hoarder-to-minimalist journey, I extreme decluttered thousands of items - over 90% of our stuff GONE -- but I have zero regrets because I was very careful and intentional about how I went about it. Today I'm sharing all my best DIY memory box tips, tricks, and hacks so you can make your own awesome keepsake box too. :)
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» Rattan handwoven memory box: amzn.to/3Hi5zUa
» Vintage suitcase box: shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=982709...
» White & wood keepsake box: amzn.to/3qvQUyR
» Extra-Large wood keepsake box: shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=982709...
» Small woven plastic box: amzn.to/3D8HtsQ
» Large lidded wicker box with handle: amzn.to/3c2ZOvl
» Chic hidden storage box: amzn.to/3DbvbQr
» Large plastic lidded memory box: amzn.to/3wGErcB
» Rose gold caboodle organizer: amzn.to/3c4ZfBf
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► ⏰ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - A deep thinking memory box exercise
02:30 - 8 rules for decluttering sentimental clutter
03:11 - 1) go for small wins
04:19 - 2) peel the layers
05:12 - 3) use it or lose it
08:08 - 4) declutter emotional duplicates
09:16 - 5) separate the wheat from the chaff
10:20 - 6) set boundaries
11:24 - 7) categorize
12:35 - 8) let go with gratitude
13:21 - More memory box FAQs
14:16 - DIY memory box for keepsakes
15:57 - What to put in memory boxes
17:56 - Memory box organizing w/small boxes + vertical storage
18:42 - Should you declutter yearbooks?
19:39 - So can a MINIMALIST have a memory box?
► FACTS ABOUT MEMORY ARTICLE
» bestlifeonline.com/facts-abou...
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ABOUT A TO ZEN LIFE
I was an emotional hoarder who couldn’t let go. My husband grew up poor in rural China. Now we are a happy & debt-free minimalist family living our dream life in Europe.
Minimalism changed my life - now I want to help YOU unclutter your happiness!
OUR STORY: atozenlife.com/about-a-to-zen...
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NOTE: This description may contain affiliate links; these links allow you to find the items mentioned in this video at no additional cost to yourself. While this channel may earn a small amount when the viewer uses the links, the viewer is in NO WAY obligated to use these links.
#minimalism #minimalist #decluttering

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Опубликовано:

19 июн 2024

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Комментарии : 332

@amandadingess8876 2 года назад

The tortoise my mother hand-stitched all night on Christmas eve when I randomly said that Santa was bringing me "a little black lamb and a tortoise." This was the first time I'd mentioned anything about a tortoise. So she raided her box of scrap fabric and stayed up all night sewing a tortoise. I will keep it forever.

@pippas5808 2 года назад

That is such a lovely story. I did the same thing to my mother, but my expectation was for a life-size baby elephant! (Understandably, I was told we lived in the wrong climate for elephants and a baby one wouldn't be happy away from its mother)

@tamarunitamaruni4724 2 года назад

😭😭😭

@suicideshy451 Год назад

😭😭😭😭

@Amandahugginkizz Год назад

Omg this made me cry

@KT-rz7ue Год назад

I just burst into tears when I read this❤️😭

@cjevans6365 7 месяцев назад

My teddy bear! 🧸 We are 51 years old, I’ll never let him go.

@gracesuarez3154 2 года назад

I've had to evacuate my home several times due to the threat of wildfires. Even though my house has not burned down (yet) I know how fragile stuff is. So I've scanned and photographed all my memories (photos and items) so I can walk away from my home without looking back or risking my life trying to rescue a possession.

@morticiaheisenberg9679 11 месяцев назад

I hope you never have to get out and leave it to fire. But I like your idea.

@rachelcalloway7861 2 года назад

My mom passed away when I was 24 and 17 weeks pregnant with my first baby. I inherited her wedding ring (so gracious of my dad to let me have it) and wear it as my wedding ring.

@indiabilly 2 года назад

I used to keep everything sentimental but lately after decluttering non sentimental items I have managed to dissociate the item from the person and I feel so much lighter having let go of the stuff xx

@maceys.22 2 года назад

A gold bracelet that is made from melted down heirloom family jewelry. It also features a ruby (my birthstone). I used to keep it put away for "special occasions" only until I realized I was never wearing it. I put it on one day and haven't taken it off since!

@joannekeith738 2 года назад

Be careful with throwing out the yearbooks. When I was younger I never looked at them. But now, when I am in my sixties, I go back and look at them , especially if I am trying to remember who someone is.

@jbowerdel Год назад

so true! i kept mine because I was the editor!! haha! but have given my kids theirs to decide for themselves and finally got rid of one I had of my mom's!

@thunt9697 Год назад

Omg!!!! You are amazing!!! I come from a home where my mom saved every single item that her mother touched. She passed these things on to me and made me feel like I had to keep, save and never use or touch these things because these items belonged to her. I have kept these things for now almost forty years. I’ve moved it over and over and felt guilty if I even thought about getting rid of these things. At 56 years old, I’m finally to the place that I can let go of things. After my mom died, two years ago, I know it sounds crazy, but I finally felt free to begin letting these things go. Thank you for your channel!!!!!

@AtoZenLife Год назад

🙏

@leoren2685 2 года назад

I forgot to mention my prized item(s): My grandparents were very active family historians, and I have a very un-fancy red binder with all of the photos glued onto paper with their handwritten notes about family history. I also have a Civil War reunion booklet from my great grandfather (who fought and survived a famous battle). As a historian (PhD level), these family history-related items are invaluable and remind me so much of happy hours at my grandparents' house talking about these histories.

@TheDrawingFactor Год назад

I was decluttering my mother's house months after she passed away, and I found a little notebook she kept from when I was a baby. She wrote a lot of things about my birth, about picking my name, my first words, my first birthdays, things I did and loved when I was a toddler, things she loved about me and made her laugh. I cried for hours reading it, and I know I'll never get rid of it. I'm glad that I decided to declutter, or I would've never found it!

@debnelson3979 2 года назад

I have the school bell that my Mom used to ring for her class to come in from recess back in the 1930s, a pair of leather baby shoes that my Grandmother made for her son (my dad) from my Grandfather's old gloves....these are just two of the treasures that I hope to pass on to one of my seven children.

@joy2bme 2 года назад

I have three small stuffed animals from my childhood that I will never declutter. One of them in particular comes out of the drawer whenever I need her, like when my dad passed away. Then she returns to the drawer when life has settled down again. I will probably tell my children to bury the dolls with me so they don't feel obligated to keep them after I'm gone.

@iamjane9628 2 года назад

That is a great idea.

@eileencarroll6418 2 года назад

Now in my 60s, I am interested in the concepts in the book Swedish Death Cleaning. That book suggests that a box of purely sentimental things of no monetary value be labeled as ok to dispose of upon death. I believe it is also important that items like gold, jems, listed artist works, etc. be labeled to be sent to auction if no family member wants the items. Doing both is a gift to family so that they can dispose of a memory box without fear of accidentally throwing out something valuable. I really like that you are giving your boys options on whether or not to keep items in their boxes. When my mother gave me a memory box of things she had saved for me (newspaper clippings, my baby clothes intended for my children, etc.) , it was very painful for me. I felt like such a disappointment to her because I did not live up to her hopes that I would be more successful and "give her grandchildren." I am happy about making all the life choices that were right for me, but that memory box transaction tarnished our relationship, especially when I felt I had to lie about decluttering all the contents.

@pippas5808 2 года назад

I have the letters my father wrote to me when I was 7 and he was working overseas for 6 months - they're falling apart from age and frequent reading now, but I'll never get rid of them. I have two memory boxes (both about 1 foot square), one is a wooden one I inherited from my grandmother and the other is a decorative cardboard one given to me by a dear friend. I love that my memories are stored in things that are themselves memories! If anyone is struggling to let go of items after a bereavement - give yourself time. When my father died 8 years ago, I couldn't even bear to throw out his last shopping list. Now, apart from the letters in my memory box, I just have half a dozen items which belonged to him, all of which are in regular use around the house. Being able to let go of a deceased person's belongings is part of the grieving process and it can't be rushed x

@AtoZenLife 2 года назад

Thanks for sharing! ❤️‍🩹

@Savannah-ed4rv Месяц назад

I couldn't agree more! My husband died in 2011 at the age of 51 and it was years and years before I could look at anything of his without breaking down. I have been able to donate or throw away quite a few of his things over the last several years but I dread getting into things like his medical records, that are still in a box and drawers. I have kept them for insurance purposes and every time I look at them I think back on how much he suffered. It's definitely something that you have to do with the right time for you.

@janebutz5375 Год назад

50 years ago, I got the dubious honor of emptying my mother’s attic stash of stuff. She filled the attic; my dad filled the basement. He was going to move in with my sister, and I had two months before going back to school. Siblings abdicated any responsibility. My thinking was all-or-nothing. I gave away a lot, and then carted around the rest for years. In retrospect, I think I did a pretty good job. As I was able, I would revisit things and each time I moved there was less. Two years ago, we sold a 6 bedroom 200 year old house AND barn that we had had for 30+ years. And, the previous year I had been hospitalized 4 times for acute depression. So, yes, I get this! I am happy to report that I got good care and am back on my feet. Family and friends in recovery helped enormously. We sold our house and began renting, starting with just the things I would need. As the closing date came, I added things I might need in a future permanent house. I loved the way the place felt in the beginning. Now I feel like I’m living in a sardine can. But I know it’s temporary. I am so looking forward to the next big declutter. It feels just like losing a lot of weight. And to answer your question, which started all this, I discovered a black ink blueprint of my grandfather’s summer cottage I had never seen and didn’t know about. This was my safe place as a kid. As a preservationist, I love blueprints! Where this came from I don’t know, but I framed it and it has pride of place here. I will never part with this. Love what you are doing and love the quotes! Here’s one for you from Mark Twain: “Love is knowing how to hurt someone and NOT doing it.” Thanks for letting me share!

@TGYtco 2 года назад

I love minimalism, but there are 2 categories of things I can not get rid of. One is pictures of my dad. He passed away when I was 30. My older son was 3 years old, and my younger son was 3 months old. I want them to know him, and they love to hear stories about them. The other category is the books I read to my boys when they were little. They are 17 and 14 now, but every time I get the bins out to declutter, I am flooded with memories of reading to them. I remember their favorite pages and the cute things they said every time they saw a certain picture in each book, and I just can't do it! Eventually, I may feel ready to let go of some pictures or books, but I am waiting until I feel it.

@ColleenJoudrey 2 года назад

I have a quilt that was made by my great-great grandmother in the 1880's. It's heavy, warm and one of my favourite things.

@AtoZenLife 2 года назад

Wow, do you use it or display it! That is SO COOL.

@ColleenJoudrey 2 года назад

It gets used as our extra blanket during the winter months.

@Savannah-ed4rv Месяц назад

That is so awesome! I think people nowadays don't appreciate the handmade items. I have heard that young people today don't want their family's stuff, but there's so much history there and knowing that someone made it with their own hands to me is extra special ❤

@jennifershelly6147 2 года назад

I had the HARDEST time after I decluttered my wedding dress. And I think because it almost was taboo to do so? Had a few people gasp when I mentioned it and felt so much worse. Turns out my own mom no longer has hers and I immediately felt peace with my decision. So I guess deep down I felt like I was the ONLY one and felt because of that I was in the wrong. So if you feel regrets, take time to reflect and see WHY so that you can make peace with your decision.

@AtoZenLife 2 года назад

Good tip! I sold my wedding dress right away, Jennifer, but nobody has ever questioned my decision or said anything about it. It’s interesting how the people around is can shape our perception! Cheers and thank you for sharing your story. ❤️

@iamjane9628 2 года назад

I donated my dress after holding on to it for several years. No regrets. I hope it provided value to someone else after me!

@KatrenaS 2 года назад

I burned mine…..it had a stain, so it really wasn’t ‘sale-able’…no regrets 🙌

@becca377 2 года назад

I’ve just donated mine to an amazing charity that helps couples that want to marry and have been diagnosed with terminal illness. I only got married a few months ago but I am completely good with passing it to someone who can enjoy it and hopefully can make them feel special.

@pippas5808 2 года назад

I bought a very simple dress in natural fibre, so I'm planning on dyeing and shortening it so I can rewear it to smart events.

@Ripplesinthewaters 2 года назад

Oh, Sweet Marissa! I can tell you’re struggling right now. Big hugs from me! Sentimental stuff is all I have left to declutter. I have it all in about 15 bins, which is wasaayyyy down! I’m working on it bin by bin. Thank you for these ideas on how to deal with it all. Hugs!

@madelinelizabeth8 2 года назад

I'm the type of person that keeps little memory pieces like tickets to events and hotel cards and sucks. Especially in partner relationships. I recently saw this cool idea of putting these small memory pieces into a binder with clear pockets (specifically those clear pockets that have already been divided smaller). It worked out so well and my partner really loved seeing all our little memories together. ❤ we plan on putting a few pictures in to go with some of the collected items. You can decorate the outside to make it really pretty to go on a bookshelf so you can easily pull it out and enjoy it. And if the relationship doesn't work out you can always reuse the pockets later haha 😆

@gemmasidney8938 2 года назад

That's a really cool idea! I still have a few old concert tickets from some of my favourite bands, I laminated them and use them as bookmarks :)

@katharineboyd2793 2 года назад

I used to tape items like these into my diaries. This was back before people started making tape that was acid-free and photo safe. Whoops. But at least for right now they’re still legible enough to scan, so I’m in the process of doing that while they and the diaries exist.

@vivio2852 2 года назад

This is such important information, and so unique. I don’t see anyone else, taking this deep of dive into emotional hoarding. I was a minimalist for decades, before the was even a word for it, but I have been an emotional hoarder

@FGSAtlanta Год назад

My most treasured item belonging once to my Mom is her diary from HS when she & my Father were dating. I cherish it tremendously. She passed away summer of 2020, and I do not have a relationship with my Father. This diary is the only real memory that helps me deal with these losses. It’s the only thing that proves my parents once loved one another. That’s more precious than rubies. ❤

@Hookstohugs 2 года назад

I love my memory box. I go through it once a year at least to check what’s in there is meant to be there. It’s a hug in a box x

@gertyglockenschpitle7711 2 года назад

My husband's mother recently passed away. I sorted and scanned over 77 years of pictures, and created a website for the family. I will also make memory books for my kids. I kept the prints from the 1930's and 40's, but I was surprised that I did not feel the need to keep all 4 tubs of photos. I may never be a minimalist, but I think I am progressing in my decluttering. Keep the memory, not the stuff. I don't know that I would have the strength to actually shred pictures. Another family member will have to take care of that.

@wandrousvindella716 2 года назад

My son's hand print & the cards he gave me. Unexpectedly lost Paul October of 2020 and it truly is a life sentence of grieve. It will hit you when you least expect. But slowly the memories make me smile and often laugh ~ hugs sweet Marissa !

@Savannah-ed4rv Месяц назад

So sorry about your son. My brother passed at age 42 suddenly and it took a lot of years for my mom and I to remember him without sadness. I want to encourage you though, that time will help those extreme grief feelings and I hope that you can keep some very good memories of your son!

@happyluv 6 дней назад

Yes, you are so right. It is a lifetime of grief, you are never the same. It's like wearing a mask and walking between two worlds . You need to function , but it feels like you're faking it to make others feel better. A part of us has literally died, there's no coming back from that.

@amydepaul3039 11 месяцев назад

My Blue Elephant stuffie from childhood named Blue Ellie. My mom got it for me from a thrift store and it was my most beloved possession as a child.

@MJ-cz5gx 2 года назад

I actually never knew that memory boxes was such a widespread thing! I don't know anyone who has one. But after I had children I got a box for each of them where I put in their awards, ticket stubs (only first occasion ones) and various items that symbolise a major event in their life. Now that my youngest child's dad has passed away, he has a second memory box where he keeps special items from his dad's life

@EricaLucasLoves 2 года назад

This is not a pipe. I’m going to use that to get back to Decluttering sentimental stuff. Thank you for this video!

@AtoZenLife 2 года назад

I look forward to those videos! 🙌

@nathalie_batumi1327 2 года назад

'Ceci n'est pas une pipe' is from Magritte.

@emmamendez6230 2 года назад

I have this small blanket my mom crocheted for me when I was younger in my favorite colors, at the time, which were neopolitan ice cream colors. It’s tucked away in a box and I don’t use it for fear that I will ruin it. It makes me smile every time I take it out. My older sister had it somehow and claimed it was hers until I asked what the colors meant and she couldn’t explain the choice of brown, pink, and cream. 😂

@Setyourhandle8080 2 года назад

I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS! I totally relate with your journey ! My dad was 55 years old when he had me and was from the depression era and didn’t throw anything away. My mom passed when I was young and we kept everything. Also went minimalist and now I have four kids so your videos are so so helpful.

@AtoZenLife 2 года назад

Thank you for sharing your story, Meena. I think stories like ours are more common than people realize. ❤️ glad you find my videos helpful!

@clairegibney6488 2 года назад

"This is not a pipe" mind blown 😲. I love your channel and blog. I think this is my favourite video so far - great advice and very practical.

@YvetteODowd 2 года назад

I carefully curate my memorabilia. At 58, with three adult children and three grandchildren and experiencing the steady loss of our parents, aunts and uncles, knowing what is really important has changed over time. Stuff isn't the person who owns it and memories are not stuff, however stories are priceless and certain items keep stories alive through sharing. I have scrapbooked several generations of family photos, from tin type photos of my grandparents in infancy right through to my own infant grandson. By creating albums of pictures and stories, it is a history of our family and the lives we live. Together with a small collection of bits and pieces from the past, which are touchstones in oral history sharing, I connect my grandchildren with my grandparents by sharing their stories. My own treasures are displayed where I can see them every day: my old teddy bear, my first doll gifted by an aunt, my childhood book collection. They are part of my life because I see them everyday. My children and grandchildren see them when they visit, so they have meaning and context.

@carlh-thehermitwithwi-fi679 Год назад

as a professional organizer, i have to say miss marie said one thing that resonated. "an item from our ancestors connects us with the past, as their hands and our hands connect through time" One of my prized possessions is my mother's price list from her business - she owned it for 25 years! It sits behind me, on the wall. "prices as of April, 2007". and it was done by a calligrapher for her. it is framed, and i touch it everyday. Mom died in 2011. and yes, Marissa, Miss Marie always puts sentimetnal stuff LAST..she calls it "kimono". THIS is a wisdom i didn't know.

@victoriajenkins1424 Год назад

One guideline I’m setting in my sentimental declutter is valuing things I did vs things that just happened to me. So, my own writing is more important that the little notes people have left me.

@DemetriPanici 2 года назад

*“We go on multiplying our conveniences only to multiply our cares. We increase our possessions only to the enlargement of our anxieties.” - Anna C. Brackett*

@pocu321 9 месяцев назад

I sent three of my four yearbooks to my friend from school back home. Her mother could only afford to buy her her senior year book. So I kept my senior year book and sent the rest to her. I had them for the first half of my life. She can have them for the second half of her life.

@omniaomnia9078 2 года назад

From Egypt 2021/11/19 Marrisa I started minimalism journey a year ago, after I realized that clutters makes me nervous and stressed . I watched all your videos in 3 days 🙈 Hours of sharing feelings, experience and even memories . Thank you for being here,you encouraged me to continue my journey without fear ❤️ I couldn't get rid of sentimental clutters but now I am more strong. And I am proud of your family (you & your husband ) for sharing your past ones without shame of being poor one day ❤️ Love you so0o0o much ..

@Savannah-ed4rv Месяц назад

Have you progressed in your journey of minimalism?

@kathrynbiglin3124 2 года назад

Thank you so much for covering this topic, I love your balanced approach that still respects and honors loved ones and sentimental items without feeling the need to keep EVERYTHING! I will say that I keep one thing separate from all our other sentimental items - the letters I've written my daughter on every single birthday (and a week after she was born). I plan on giving them to her on her 18th birthday, but they are irreplaceable and go in our fire-proof safe just in case!

@h3arty 11 месяцев назад

i just cleared out my memory box that i've kept for 23 years. it was soooooooo gooooood to free up space and let go of things that no longer sparked joy inside there. i can't believe i kept my ex's stuff for 3 years omg so happy i cleared it away. thank god.

@StephanieSaintRemy 2 года назад

The cristal hedgehog!!! My mum had one and I inherited it after she died. My sister and I shared the whole collection but I told her the collection should stay together so she can have my half. I love that I can still see them and think of mum, but I don’t have it in my home as it’s not my cup of tea. Great video, working out what to keep can be just as stressful as working out to let them go.

@gerigowers8318 2 года назад

New viewer. So many of the things in this video apply to me. Barbies in boxes, Swarovski Club pieces (the first piece that a friend gave us that got us started was that hedgehog), my Mom's cedar chest filled to the brim with things she saved when I went to school right up to probably every card I ever got (and the ones my Dad got from my Son - he's now 43), my 2 granddaughters' extra school photos, photo albums and slides going back to 1959 and so on. Man, I'll be binge watching your videos probably til you come back after the New Year.😁 I'm a sentimental hoarder and now my 13 year old Granddaughter, who lives with me, says when I'm gone, she'll want to keep everything, so now I have to figure out how to get rid of things before I turn her into a hoarder. Just as I was getting mentally ready to declutter some of my parents' stuff, my husband passed away and now I can't part with his things. Geez! PS - your Mom had beautiful handwriting.

@jandkhilbert Год назад

A ceramic heart with a lid that has my baby girls handprint at 3 years old. She's 22 now. I keep my favorite earrings in it

@rebecca7697 Год назад

My great-grandmother's Knitting & Crochet Needles and a single (completely hand sewn ) little girl's dress that she made me when I was 5. I use her needles whenever I'm either knitting or crocheting and the dress is carefully boxed up with a clear lid ... The little dress wasn't fancy by any means, it was made for an active little farm girl, but I absolutely adore it.

@juliepetri2484 Год назад

I have been pairing down our possessions for many years and sentimental items have truly been the hardest. I have a memory box and have gone so far as to cut out the logo off a tshirt that is sentimental and just put that piece of the shirt in the box. But your video is the BEST explanation and examples of how to do this for others I have come across in all these years! So WELL done! ❤

@naomibowman3728 Год назад

This is very funny because I’m just starting on my declutter journey and I honestly just started grabbing gifts and things around my house that I thought I would never get rid of…. And started just chunking them into the trash can and then took the trash out!! Grandma will never know right? ❤❤❤

@naomibowman3728 Год назад

And it started a revolution inside myself and my home!! 🤲🙏🤲🙏🤲

@madalenacasalribeiro6430 2 года назад

This was perfect. I've been carefully selecting the most precious items to put in a memory box. Must say that after declutering thousands of items I regret one🤦🏻‍♀️. It was a special little toy my mother ther gave me years ago. I felt so so guilty after and I still don't understand how it happened but I've talked to my mother and she understood and now it's on the past. Not gonna do that again 😜. I still don't know the size or type of box because I'm still in the process and also need to do it for my daughter but we'll get there. Thank you so much for all your help all this time through our journey 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗. I think also that the idea of a DIY box is great. We love crafting in this house so it would be a memory in itself. Big hugs Zen fam 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗💗💗💗💗💗

@margotyoung2880 Год назад

I have siblings and sons. Each of them will appreciate one or two pieces. Think of siblings and children as you reduce 'clutter'.

@JWarfield 2 года назад

We recently decluttered our year books. We tore out every page that had me or my husband in them. We labeled everything and then scanned the files. we put them in a specific folder that we can easily pull up if our kids ever want to see it. Then we shredded the year book and recycled most of it.

@peachettte 2 года назад

I am currently helping a very sentimental friend declutter her home and this is extremely helpful. Your videos have a beautiful flow and one can tell how hard you work to have them make sense. Thank you!

@SmooshGoo 11 месяцев назад

That inarco head vase is gorgeous

@AtoZenLife 11 месяцев назад

Yes, I love it 🥰

@Chippasunshineblog 2 года назад

I have a memory box for myself with all the treasures from my childhood. I also have another box that is just letters and notes from loved ones. I treasure the notes and love to read them. I had a difficult time decluttering my kids artwork so I decided to take my time. I went through my oldest daughter's art first with her help. She couldn't believe the things I kept. Working with her I quickly realized I had kept these things for me and not her. She didn't want any of it but I couldn't just throw it out, so I had a book made and threw out the pictures. I did keep only a few that I now display. I will start on my son's art this month with his help.

@mjcossel6136 2 года назад

I keep too much of this stuff too, but it’s hard to know what to part with. Time will tell.

@jbowerdel Год назад

my daughter in law found a company that made a photo book of her daughter's art-she had kept their and her favorites in an art portfolio for a few years, and then turned them into a book that they often look at. One or two were actually framed and hung on the wall-and they let the others go.

@YosefCruz22 2 года назад

Thank you for putting it out there that it's not necessary to get rid of those sentimental items you want to keep if you want to be a minimalist. I limit myself though in keeping really small sentimental items that can fit in my thin wooden memory box that I bought online last year that is 11 x 6.5 x 2.5 in. Most of them are photobooth photos with my friends, film tickets I've watched with my friends and family, concert tickets and other invitations from events that I want to remember, bday cards and letters, and letters my friends wrote me before we went to separate schools. Now my MOST prized possession is my dog's collar who passed away over 5 years ago. He was my best friend and I was so sad when he passed when we only had him for 1 year and that is one of the things I will NEVER let go because it helps me think that he's always beside me and protecting me. My memory box actually started as a small tshirt box that came with a tshirt my friend gave me as a gift then a bigger thin box that's around 11x9x1 inches and then a shoe box. Then I decided that I didn't want these much sentimental items that I never used or remember where I got them. I used to keep a lot of receipts with the things I ordered and the date helped me remind that I bought this or ate in that restaurant with my friends that day. So I thought to myself, most of these didn't make sense because my friends and I always take photos whenever we are out and about. So I threw them all away because the photos made more sense than the receipts I kept. Some of the bigger and bulkier items I kept are now either thrown away, displayed or is being used for my everyday activities.

@judyludden 2 года назад

Thank you so much Marissa for all the work you do! You make me cry and laugh in every video and I keep sharing to friends and family! I love this. Thank you for walking with us with our journey!

@truthlover83 2 месяца назад

My daughter says her favourite treasure is her cat teddy. We are decluttering treasure boxes today so we can travel and your video is helping. Thankyou.

@esmahodzic8722 3 месяца назад

For me a trick is also to take a picture of an item that I am somewhat sentimental but, unsure about. It helps transition more easily.

@beavadakkoot 2 года назад

I'm already pretty minimal naturally, I don't have a hard time giving away. But to make it easier, I just declutter sentimental things once or more times a year. This helps to let go easier since time helps me to not be attached anymore. For example, things that I was holding onto 1 year ago, don't seem important 1 year after anymore 🥰🥰

@beckyunderwood4220 10 месяцев назад

I have a coffee mug that my mother used, and now I use it too. I also have the journal my father wrote on our family trip to Europe. I made extra copies with some photos for my siblings.

@GabyCes Год назад

So, Anastasia is very important story to me. My one thing I wouldn't dream of letting go is my Anastasia music box. It was gifted to me by one of my best friends AND I filled it with memories of each time I went to see Anastasia the Musical. Each time have cost a lot of effort and money and brought a lot of joy to me. I carry the music box with me to Broadway, Madrid and Sao Paulo and it is signed by the actress playing Anya in each production. At this point it represents hours of planning with my friends, sewing, traveling and having so much fun and emotion... That if I have to let go of things, I wish this to remain with me.

@zishmasafi4503 Год назад

I was keeping my wedding shoes because of their sentimental value. We moved house after house and those shoes moved with me, along with many other things. I always assumed that they would stay with me to remind me of that special time. Today while watching your videos I was also decluttering my shoes. I came across that pair, tried it on and regretted not using it and decided to start using it since it looked so good. And on closer inspection I realized it had come apart. I wasn’t married too long ago. Been six years, that shoes wasn’t very expensive either. It was just my attachment to that. Anyway, I’m happy to let it go. And I know it will make life a whole lot easier. Everything has an expiration date, whether that’s what we want or not

@roarmaus 2 года назад

2:17 Yup! Did that recently. Feel emotional gremlin sneaking up on you? Quick sip of hot tea/cold water will help jolt your response from high to calm.

@Shamizen 2 года назад

When I was small my dad did a lot of nice and fun handcraft projects. Once we built a stove for my dollhouse, the stove is made from scrap wood, has got a door and our names written underneath. This is the very item that made me think of a memory box to begin with 😍

@kristynamatulkova5771 Год назад

A picture of my dad from his army service. He is about 18 in that picture and we look sooo much alike. He passed away when I was 17 and I will definitely keep this picture forever.

@megfeeley2559 Год назад

My grandmother's Asian -style lamp. I have lugged that thing, stuffed it into bins in other people's attics when I'm on the road. I really do like it. My son and his wife don't; neither does my sister. And they don't know my grandmother like I did. It meant a lot to her. I remember it when my grandfather insisted on selling their house and moving into a (nice) rental apartment. I think it was hard for her, but he knew he would not live long. So she 'traded' that she could hire a fancy decorator for the apartment. It was the 60's. It's the only thing left from that apartment.

@sage_lyn 2 года назад

I got one year book at the end of elementary school, middle school, then high school. It’s cheaper and easier to keep.

@MintyChild 2 года назад

This hit hard right away. I have never been a horder of sentimental items and my mother could never understand why I don't keep everything from when I was little or want all the things my grandparents pawn off on us when they no longer want it. However, I am finding the hardest time getting rid of sentimental things involving my kids. From my late Nana I have a ring she gifted me that I wear on special occasions and that is enough for me to think of her often. I also kept 1 card from each of the kids 1st birthdays from each relative for the future.

@gifttanz Год назад

Also re: memory box decoration, using items or photos that are part of the memories for the box is cool, I made one that used photos from a personalised calendar then used a sealant over the top.

@charliedarlin Год назад

A chair with an iron burned mark on the fabric. It was my great grandma's chair whom I loved very much. She died when I was 2 and yes, the chair is worth nothing money-wise but it's i good shape and it's now my office chair and I never want to part with it ♡♡♡

@SoundslikElnaJosefine 2 года назад

What a great video, Marissa!! I am really grateful for all the thought you put into them, because it is such great value to me as I watch them❤️ My most valuable item is a small stone carved angel, a wall decor that my little sister bought for me in Italy just before she died❤️

@AtoZenLife 2 года назад

Thank you for watching and sharing your story with us, Elin. ❤️

@claremiller9979 9 месяцев назад

Love this, it's made me realise I need to do this with my kids, they are definitely old enough to have their own memory boxes. I have a memory box with stuff from high school, my time in Japan as an assistant English teacher, and my early work career when I travelled a lot.

@margielor1579 2 года назад

My postcards and magnets I collect when I travel they're just so precious to me. Also good old paintings that I put so much effort to finish it.

@Michelle_Ellen87 Год назад

Also, thank you for giving me permission to get rid of my yearbooks! Can't wait to fuel our bonfire this weekend!!!!

@maui1778 2 года назад

I would never want to declutter a small ceramic owl piggy bank that belonged to my grandfather. It is on display in my home, my grandfather was an avid money saving frugal man. We walked to the bank together every week. He would be so proud of my husband & I for the happiness we have together, our frugality, commitment to each other (& commitment to our financial goals). The piggy bank is a cheeky ironic reminder of him & all of the other stuff.

@Michelle_Ellen87 Год назад

Thank you for sharing this! I keep our memory stuff in plastic bins instead of boxes. When I was 4, a hurricane destroyed just about everything in our house. Every picture on the wall was water-damaged. Still living in a hurricane zone so the important things need to be waterproof.

@hayleyredd5092 2 года назад

Omg I have been waiting for this video! I can not wait to put my memory box together!

@katestanislawski1277 2 года назад

Thank you Dear Marissa ❤️ I love watching all your videos!! Thank you for all your efforts and heart you put in your videos!! You are my inspiration and motivation 🙏😇 I actually have one piece of art 🖼 that sparks so much joy for me , like nothing else . It’s like a quintessence of my happiest childhood days ! 😻🤗😍

@Huggible11 2 года назад

A sentimental item that I'm having a hard time decluttering is my Mom's photo albums. There's 3 that take up a lot of space and I'm ready to go through them after a few years my mother has passed. My two sisters on the other hand though aren't. I've told them that they can hold onto the albums then so it doesn't take up space in my home, but they said no because they didn't want it taking up space in their homes and they didn't want to get rid of any of pictures. There's tons of pictures of places and people we don't know and don't have anyone to tell us who or what they are in some photos. I feel like I'm stuck. I know they'd be upset if I just went through it myself, but I can never get them to sit down and do the task with me.

@AtoZenLife 2 года назад

That’s very unfair of them, Patricia. The tough love part of me wants to say go through and get what you want, and then give them a pick up date otherwise they are gone. 🤷‍♀️ If they aren’t ready to sort for it, but they aren’t willing to let go, it should be in their home IMHO. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

@joy2bme 2 года назад

If you are able to send them to a digitizing service, you can pay to have them converted to digital files. Then you can give your sisters copies of the files. Think of it as a Christmas gift to them and be done with it.

@leoren2685 2 года назад

I would also try to digitize the photos of people you don't know. Having done that, tell your siblings you have digitized those items are going to get rid of the real photos - and see if they step up to take them.

@Huggible11 2 года назад

I appreciate the digitized suggestions, but I am not one for digital copy of photos nor are my sisters. We prefer actually flipping through pages in photo albums. It's a matter of downsizing the photos to maybe fit in one album rather than three. I'm not willing to pay for a service to digitize them or take the time to scan them myself when more than half of them should be tossed.

@marygracemurphy8181 2 года назад

I would say to go through the albums by taking the pictures out and sorting them into piles of ones you would like to keep and ones you don't want to keep. Then you should pick the album itself that you like the most and put the keep photos in that one and then the ones you dont into the other. Once that's done and you feel good about it you should set a deadline for your sisters to come look at the ones you dont want or you will just give the albums you dont want to them if they havent came to look at them by then. Or if they cant find the time to come over you can maybe video call your sisters and show them and see how they feel about the ones you dont want.

@iceblueaquamarina7389 2 года назад

This video is so helpful, Marissa! 😍 Thank you so much! ❤️🤗 Last night, I sat down with more than a dozen of big moving boxes I brought over from my parents home which I barely dared to touch within the last 3 years. I always openened one or two of them, started crying and closed them again. Yesterday I picked out some stuff and came across two fake orchid plants ☺️ my mum just loved and always talked about how real they looked. I could not imagine ever letting them go as they meant so much to her. But I remembered that a family member also liked them and I asked her if she was willing to “adopt” them. Let’s see how it feels like to let go one of the big memories. 🙂 Yeah, I know it’s a kind of cheating because I told her not to throw them away and hand them back to me if she doesn’t like them anymore. ☺️ But that’s my way of making my very first steps. 😉 Only 4 more stories, a garage and a craft workshop for me to declutter all by myself...🙈💪 I’m not ready to display memories or photos in my apartment yet. I’ll work with a couple of memory boxes for now. But maybe some day...🙂 Lots of love to you and your family! 🤗

@reese6235 2 года назад

This helped me narrow my memory boxes from 5 huge ones to 1 big one! Thank you so much!

@AtoZenLife 2 года назад

Happy to help! ❤️

@quoththeraven13 2 года назад

I’ve been waiting for this! 🙌

@Grace-ul4el 2 года назад

Marissa, I recently found your channel and I have binged watched all of your videos. I love how informative, fun, and heartfelt they are. Your channel is my happy place. Now I'll be anxiously awaiting your videos each week!

@tomniewkurza 2 года назад

This example with pipe made me cry, great video!

@AtoZenLife 2 года назад

I’m glad you found it meaningful. ❤️ Thanks for watching!

@TracyLWard-tg6tr 2 года назад

Love, love, love your videos. You have such great insight.

@OdinsSage 2 года назад

I digitized my year books. I found it a good compromise between not wanting to keep the physical item but worrying that I would "regret" not having them anymore.

@porcupine783 2 года назад

How did you do it?

@LeMErin21 2 года назад

I just recently stumbled upon your channel, and I really love your practical approach and just general aesthetic. Thank you for the great content!!

@BlindIntoTheSun 2 года назад

Sometimes I feel a bit emotionally damaged, because there actually isn’t any item I would never declutter because it means a lot to me. I mostly keep stuff because it’s convenient to have.

@madelinelizabeth8 2 года назад

It's okay if convenience is more important to you than the emotional items and trinkets. As long as you are happy with the things you have and you store then thats all that matters! 😊

@thatswhatisaid8908 2 года назад

You aren't damaged. It's not sensible to attach emotions to stuff. But most people do.

@AtoZenLife 2 года назад

Yes, like the others said it’s okay not to have attachment to stuff! 👍

@iamjane9628 2 года назад

Same here.

@crystalfolse3208 2 года назад

Great ideas. Can’t wait to start one. Thanks

@Lizzy43645 2 года назад

OMG the hand prints!!! Genius!

@lindascull6327 2 года назад

This video was so awesome so many helpful tips-I just love all your videos- thank you so so much! Not in order of importance: will never declutter my father's physics book, my mother's handbook from beautician School (1940) pic of her wearing the earrings she gave me from that Era .. my sister (who recently passed) her earrings/necklace,pics of us as children, baby pictures of my son and husband🥰

@HolyMoly432 8 месяцев назад

Thank you so much for this video. I have decluttered so much stuff, but I am so stuck on the sentimental items (papers in particular). I have saved every card and letter for almost my whole life and I am 70! It is overwhelming. So many life events - children and grandchildren, parent, grandparent and sibling deaths. This video is very inspiring. A word to those younger than me - don’t go down this path! Just let things go, and you won’t be overwhelmed when you get to be my age.

@Zoe-wl3uw 2 года назад

Thank you! So helpful! I’ve been putting of creating a memory box and now I feel ready to begin. ❤️

@gifttanz Год назад

I made a memory frame, I took a deep set Ikea frame, put my favourite picture of the person, then set some of the items around the frame, so for my two grandmas, one has her watch in it and a doll she made for me, and the other has my other grandma and some of the art she made.

@VictoriaBouchard Год назад

This is so incredibly helpful!

@ic1843 2 года назад

This was so incredibly helpful. I hope you realize how much of an inspiration you are. I have so much less stress knowing what to do with my sentimental things and how to process it all thanks to you. Your videos are life changing!

@k.0910 2 года назад

Marissa, Awesome Tips & Lots of great content! Thank you for sharing. Blessings to you.

@paigepink5429 2 года назад

This was very helpful. We are about to move to a new state so we are going through these harder things. I used to be an emotional hoarder as well and been on the minimalist journey for 2 years.

@jarduanaodgvods 2 года назад

Watched a lot of your videos and especially the parts about (financial) guilt and memories has helped me part with many things I was stuck on from clothes to memory-infused things. Thank you.

@ShinobiEngineer Год назад

Thank you for sharing this! 🙏

@everydayminimal 2 года назад

I LOVE THIS!! So first, my most treasured item is a coke can shaped into a camera. I love coke and I am a photographer, so my daughter found this for me and bought it with her own money when she was about 11. It is proudly displayed on my shelf! Second, OMG your glasses!!! I have literally the exact same pair from my childhood!! Too funny!!! Thirdly, I have a very small memory box for myself and my daughter has one as well! Since finding a minimalist lifestyle a few years ago we have really been very intentional about what we have kept...I also just kept a couple pages of my yearbooks as well and tossed the rest! love ALL of this advice and tips as always!!!

@KhairulAnwar-mp8lo 2 года назад

My huge pile of technical books. I love them!

@mskaykay126 2 года назад

Hi Marissa! I love your videos! I always feel inspired to declutter and simplify my life. :) As far as my most precious treasures, I would definitely say pictures because I have a visual representation of fond memories and they take up virtually no room! In relation to this video, I am proud to say I went from two HUGE keepsake boxes to a much smaller one! Going through these boxes with my mom definitely revealed that most of the items I was keeping weren’t that significant to me and my mom realized she only kept these items out of guilt. Overall, it felt great to let go of these unnecessary items and negative feelings.