It's Hard to Let Go of Sentimental Things

Do you have piles of photographs shoved into shoeboxes and scattered loosely in drawers? Do you have ratty old concert t-shirts in boxes in the attic? Have you been hanging on to things from your past in an attempt to re-live those wonderful moments?  I was and all that stuff was robbing me of the joy of the new life I wanted.

When I started my full-time RV adventure, I dreamed my motorhome named Belle would be a haven of peace and adventure. Instead, I found myself surrounded by clutter, stepping over piles of stuff and catching things as they fell out of the overhead bins.

One day I realized that I hated RV traveling, not because of the driving but because of all the stuff I had to deal with when it was time to move. That's when I knew something had to change.

Live in the Present Not the Past
What kind of life do you want to live now? Are the things you have stored in your home supporting this life?  Are these things bringing you joy? If not, why are you keeping these things?

When I asked myself these questions, I realized I was keeping things from my past life that no longer supported the life I want to live as a full-time RV camper.  At the same time, I was keeping things from my parents', grandparents' and great-grandparents' past lives. Some of these items are true treasures and I am working to find a better home for them than the basement bins in my RV. Others are items whose meaning is a true mystery to me.

Yet, despite this realization, I felt too guilty to remove these sentimental items from my life and my RV. Why is it so hard to let go of things from the past? Why is sorting sentimental things so emotional? What can make the process easier?

Konmari Method Can Help You Sort Sentimental Things
Sorting sentimental things was the most difficult decluttering I did in my RV. I don't think I could have done it if I hadn't read Marie Kondo's book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up". Marie seems to ask the right questions or make a statement that helps you really think about your motivation for keeping things. Of course, she is famous for her "does it spark joy?" question, but it was her statement about photographs that really helped me.

"Photos exist only to show a specific event or time."

This statement helped me realize that I don't need hundreds of photos from a vacation trip. Several beautiful, well-representative photos can help me remember the entire vacation. Really, who wants to look through hundreds of photos when a well-selected smaller amount can beautifully tell the story?  To sort photos, Marie has you take them out of the albums. I know this sounds like a pain, but it really helps you to find those photos that are true treasures. You know, the ones that make you smile! And, it is easier to let go of the extra photos when they are already out of the albums.

The konmari method also helped me to sort through the antique photo albums I inherited. Initially, I started out by making copies of every photograph in my ancestor's photo albums. (I didn't take the photos out of the albums since they were glued in.) Then I realized, I didn't know most of my grandparents' friends or the events in these photos? Applying Marie's method helped me to focus my time and energy on copying photos of ancestors that were labeled with names and places of importance to our family. It also helped me to acknowledge that I am not the best caretaker of these treasures. I can send them on to a family member or historical society with no feelings of guilt or remorse.

Only Keep What You Truly Love
I know this is a rather vague statement, but I can honestly tell you that there will come a point in the decluttering process where you look around and realize that you are surrounded by only those things you love and use regularly.  There isn't a magic universal amount of stuff that is going to make everyone happy, but each of us will know when we are keeping all the right stuff. Now, when it is time to pack up and travel to my next destination, I know that the things I need to pack away are treasures and I don't mind the time it takes.  Now, my full-time RV life is one filled with delightful adventure and a whole lot less stuff!

Learn More About the Konmari Method
I started my Konmari tidying adventure in November 2019 and finished sorting my last box in March 2020. It was a lot of work and very emotional, but definitely worth it!

You can read more about my journey to declutter my RV using the Konmari method by clicking on the links below.

Using Konmari Method to Reduce Clutter in My RV Motorhome, Again!
Do Your Clothes Spark Joy? Konmari Organizing Helped Me Find Out

Are You Being Buried Alive in Paper?: Konmari Steps 2 and 3
Get Rid of Old Technology: Konmari Your Electronics
Is Your Bathroom is a Happy Place? Konmari It
Declutter Your Kitchen So It Works Better For You
Tools I Use Regularly In My Full-Time RV Life