Some life events occur which prompts you to downsize your possessions in order to live more simply. You decide to start with your adult son’s childhood-through-college items since he moved out several years ago. Most of the items you saved have sentimental value to you. Do the objects have the same importance to your son?
1. I first gathered up all of his possessions...left behind when he moved out...from the attic, closets, and shelves.
2. When I sorted his collectibles, five categories emerged: stuffed animals and baby quilts fashioned by family members; special toys and children’s books; other books; school-related papers such as certificates of achievement and report cards, etc.; and photos and his baby book.
3. Next, I purchased five Sterilite containers for those five categories and placed the items in each container by category.
4. The filled containers stacked neatly into one corner of a spare closet until I delivered them to my son after he and his small family moved into a town home that was roomier than their previous apartment.
5. My minimalist son looked through each container and quickly decided what to keep for his young son and himself; the rest became a donation.
Some children seem to have a much easier time letting go of mementos we hold onto for them for years and years, for sentimental or other reasons, while other children have a greater emotional attachment and keep most all of their belongings acquired from babyhood to the present.