It’s easy to bang on about how we should ruthlessly throw out the things we don’t use and lead a minimalistic lifestyle, but some of that junk has quite a lot of sentimental value. So how can you cut back on clutter, without getting rid of all your sentimental things that don’t REALLY have any use anymore? Well, here are some suggestions:

Make it artistic
If you have a box full of old birthday cards or cinema tickets from when you first started dating your boyfriend, then instead of hiding them away, you could display them like pieces of art in your home. That way you get a nice reminder of the things or people you love every day.

Use it or lose it
If you have a piece of jewellery that means a lot to you, you should wear it every day instead of saving it for special occasions. The same if you have a set of dishes that belonged to you grandmother – chuck out the ones you use every day and use them instead if you want to make some space in your kitchen. You may be terrified of losing or breaking things than mean so much, but how likely is that really? You may as well get some actual use out of them.

Take a photo (it’ll last longer)
If you really have to debunk some of your stuff, then take photos of the really important things. At least then you haven’t completely lost the memories.

Tell the story
Documenting the story behind the sentimental item is such a fun thing to do, and when you look back in years to come you’ll be so happy that you didn’t just throw it out. Whether you write it down, make a vlog, or record some audio, your memory will last forever. File it away for when you need a little pick me up.

Image from Pinterest