De-cluttering Memories |
Have you noticed lately how many TV shows, magazines, and internet sites are
offering to help us de-clutter our homes and lives? This latest craze is perfect
for parents. While some of us struggle more than others, the reality is that we
all have more stuff than we really need.
The dictionary refers to clutter as “disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness.” Even if your “stuff” is not impeding movement, in all likelihood it is reducing effectiveness. Are you buying things twice because you can’t find something? Or shoving boxes or piles of stuff you haven’t had time to sort through into closets when company arrives? These are signs of reduced effectiveness!
Many of these boxes and piles are filled with what we consider special memories of our family and of our children. There’s Aunt Anne’s teapot, Great Grandma’s dish set, and every drawing, test and project your child has worked on. Getting rid of these things can take us on an emotional rollercoaster.
An easy solution is to allocate a set amount of space for your “keepsake” stuff. When it is full, you have to decide what you really want to keep so your collection stays under control. You may choose to store your keepsakes in old suitcases that can fit into the décor of a rustic room, or you may decide to use another method of storage like baskets or storage bins.
But first you have to weed through the stuff you have. As you go through, you will quickly find that you can’t save it all. I’ve found that photos can often replace the real thing, leaving space for more treasured items. For instance, photos of school projects or photos of your kids with their favourite toys, which can be kept in an album. Keep only the items you can’t bring yourself to part with.
After you’ve scaled down the collection, don’t just pack it away for good. If you have ever opened a box from parents years after the items were put away, you will understand why this is not the best option. Many of the memories are your parents, not yours. Many of the items mean little if anything to you.
Instead, you want to make your family’s memory boxes – one for each of the kids, one for you and your husband, individually, and as a couple, and one for your family as a whole – a part of your lives. Once your collections are together, begin the tradition of opening them up annually. Open personal boxes on birthdays, your marriage box on your anniversary, and your family box on Family Day. The key to enjoying these memory boxes is to grow the memories. Tell stories and share memories so the items become as important to your children as they are to you.
The dictionary refers to clutter as “disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness.” Even if your “stuff” is not impeding movement, in all likelihood it is reducing effectiveness. Are you buying things twice because you can’t find something? Or shoving boxes or piles of stuff you haven’t had time to sort through into closets when company arrives? These are signs of reduced effectiveness!
Many of these boxes and piles are filled with what we consider special memories of our family and of our children. There’s Aunt Anne’s teapot, Great Grandma’s dish set, and every drawing, test and project your child has worked on. Getting rid of these things can take us on an emotional rollercoaster.
An easy solution is to allocate a set amount of space for your “keepsake” stuff. When it is full, you have to decide what you really want to keep so your collection stays under control. You may choose to store your keepsakes in old suitcases that can fit into the décor of a rustic room, or you may decide to use another method of storage like baskets or storage bins.
But first you have to weed through the stuff you have. As you go through, you will quickly find that you can’t save it all. I’ve found that photos can often replace the real thing, leaving space for more treasured items. For instance, photos of school projects or photos of your kids with their favourite toys, which can be kept in an album. Keep only the items you can’t bring yourself to part with.
After you’ve scaled down the collection, don’t just pack it away for good. If you have ever opened a box from parents years after the items were put away, you will understand why this is not the best option. Many of the memories are your parents, not yours. Many of the items mean little if anything to you.
Instead, you want to make your family’s memory boxes – one for each of the kids, one for you and your husband, individually, and as a couple, and one for your family as a whole – a part of your lives. Once your collections are together, begin the tradition of opening them up annually. Open personal boxes on birthdays, your marriage box on your anniversary, and your family box on Family Day. The key to enjoying these memory boxes is to grow the memories. Tell stories and share memories so the items become as important to your children as they are to you.
About the Author
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Helen Williams, The 15-Minute Mom
"Making Time for What Matters Most" Learn more about Helen Williams, The 15-Minute Mom
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