Day 16 - Tackling sentimental items

We all have sentimental items.  We have moved them from room to room, from home to home, heck even across the country.  These items hold onto something deep in our psyche - fond memories of people and or events.    We not realize the need to hold onto them.

Back to the family homestead - Mom has lots of stuff.  Some of which is from our childhood.  Years ago, to her credit, and after emptying her mother's home and now my Dad's passing, she's been purging the 'stuff'.  The boxes of pictures are finding their way into albums, other items are  given back to the giver, or just given away.  She just gave to her grandchildren over Thanksgiving a packet of each of their letter's to grandma.  They are almost all in college and she said they had so much fun laughing and poking fun at each other of their notes they wrote way back then.

What she did is create an experience to share with each of them.  Before my move to this location, I spent a year or so cleaning out 'stuff'.  I do have a box - yet to be opened since my move here - that has these sentimental items stored in it.   It still has the shrink wrap on it.  One good thing - nothing has been added to it!  

The little tree pictured here - it has ornaments from both my grandparent's homes.  I so enjoy it that this tree stays up all year long.  The pipes to the right of them are from my Dad - I can play the one on the right - it's his chanter to his bagpipes.  

In thinking and purging 'stuff', look around and say to yourself, if I was to relocate to another planet right now, what would I do with this 'stuff'?   My lace and crochet would go to various guilds that I belong to; the balance of books would go to the library for their book sales; from some of the ornaments I'll give to my nieces and nephews as they get their own homes, pass along a bit of tradition.  

We all have sentimental items.  My question has been asked, now it is time to think about what I would do with those items if I was ready to blast off to another planet!  

If you'd like to read more, visit the creators of this challenge for more helpful hints.  

Success for Day 16 - item for donate box - an extra wine rack from storage that would need to be displayed if it was to be useful - nope, don't need or want it.


Today's Challenge - Day 17  - Declutter your shoe collection - and - find one item to put in the donate box.