Do you attach sentimental meaning to objects? A ticket stub from your first concert; the locket your parents gave you; a cheesy souvenir from a memorable trip? I for one, am an overly sentimental person - I can find “significance” in nearly every material item I come across (“but this napkin memorializes my trip to Disney during its 100th anniversary celebration!”) and I often struggle to part with things others would immediately label as trash (a warning sign for a future segment on Hoarders?)
Last week I went to the Orthopedist and he said I no longer needed the cumbersome brace I’d been sporting for weeks (yay!) As I left the velcro-hinged contraption behind, I thought “but we’ve been through so much together...” before rolling my eyes and realizing that this was a bit much, even for me! I think it's important to save sparingly but "smartly". Once I get past the initial “do I even have a place to keep this?” analysis, I try hard to fast forward and guess whether in a few years the object will bring me back to the time or place where it gained its meaning. Dried flowers from my prom corsage? Not exactly stirring my emotions; old birthday/holiday cards? I am forever grateful to have saved handwritten notes from loved ones who are no longer with me. Some things become junk as time goes by, but others become personal treasures.
How do you decide what to throw out and what to hold on to? Have you ever thrown something away that you regretted afterwards? (THIS is a very cool idea; I could see myself making little rings for vacations, milestone celebrations, etc)
Image via PinterestTuesday, March 13, 2012
But it has sentimental meaning!
Do you attach sentimental meaning to objects? A ticket stub from your first concert; the locket your parents gave you; a cheesy souvenir from a memorable trip? I for one, am an overly sentimental person - I can find “significance” in nearly every material item I come across (“but this napkin memorializes my trip to Disney during its 100th anniversary celebration!”) and I often struggle to part with things others would immediately label as trash (a warning sign for a future segment on Hoarders?)
Last week I went to the Orthopedist and he said I no longer needed the cumbersome brace I’d been sporting for weeks (yay!) As I left the velcro-hinged contraption behind, I thought “but we’ve been through so much together...” before rolling my eyes and realizing that this was a bit much, even for me! I think it's important to save sparingly but "smartly". Once I get past the initial “do I even have a place to keep this?” analysis, I try hard to fast forward and guess whether in a few years the object will bring me back to the time or place where it gained its meaning. Dried flowers from my prom corsage? Not exactly stirring my emotions; old birthday/holiday cards? I am forever grateful to have saved handwritten notes from loved ones who are no longer with me. Some things become junk as time goes by, but others become personal treasures.
How do you decide what to throw out and what to hold on to? Have you ever thrown something away that you regretted afterwards? (THIS is a very cool idea; I could see myself making little rings for vacations, milestone celebrations, etc)
Image via Pinterest
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