How to Keep Memorabilia

Most people keep things for sentimental reasons. Memorabilia is an important part of our lives, and everyone in the family should feel justified in keeping meaningful pieces. The key is figuring out what to let go of, what to keep, and how to preserve the pieces that matter most. What is the best wisdom for how to keep memorabilia?

Deciding What to Keep

Because memorabilia is rooted in emotion rather than logic, deciding what to keep can be difficult. Sorting through it alone can feel overwhelming. Nevertheless, we need to regularly review our keepsake collection to keep it from getting out of control. As I often say, “Too much of anything is hard to enjoy.“

When you are trying to figure out what is worth holding onto, consider these two rules of thumb:

1. Keep items that bring you joy when you look at them.  For example, objects that remind you of a favorite time in your life, an accomplishment that you are proud of, or a person whom you love. After all, keepsakes should provide an emotional lift associated with a memory.
2. Let go of items that elicit a negative emotion, such as guilt, regret, sadness, or pain. Possessions which stir undesirable feelings are doing the exact opposite of what memorabilia is all about. Bear in mind that there is no “should” with sentimental possessions. For instance:
   • If the wedding album from a previous marriage makes you cringe, you are free to let it go.
   • If you hate the way you look in your graduation photo, throw it out.
   • If you spent a lot of time and money amassing a collection, but no longer want the collection in your home, donate it.
   • If you don’t like something you were given as a gift, you are free to get rid of it. A family connection alone isn’t a good enough reason to keep an item. You won’t forget the person simply because you got rid of something he/she gave you.
   • Your home is meant to be lived in, not used as a storage unit. If you are burdened by family heirlooms, reach out to family members to see if they can share the burden. If they cannot, let them know what you will be keeping and that you will be donating the rest.

Storing What Matters Most

Once you’ve decided what you want to keep you are ready to assign it to appropriate containers and storage locations. One simple solution is to get a large container (or two) into which you place your special things. I suggest every family member be given such a container and labeled with their name. Popular choices include a plastic bin, a designated drawer, or a decorative box.

A keepsake container works well for a variety of objects and, if your collection is modest, may be all you need. However, some people have more extensive memorabilia that they wish to store distinctly, rather than mixed in with other items. Here are some thoughts on how to store specific types of memorabilia.

Photos

Photos deserve special consideration because they require different storage and preservation methods. (You can read more here). Generally, you want to store photos in a space that is:

• Climate controlled.
• Designed to keep the photos from getting damaged, such as in an acid free photo album or photo box.
• Organized and searchable (e.g., with keywords, tags, or chronological grouping).
• For digital photos, backed up. The general suggestion is to have double digital backup (e.g., one on an external drive, on something like “Picture Keeper”, and a second copy in a cloud-based storage location). For your favorite photos, make a printed hard copy as well. This might be some favorites that you hang on the wall, or photo books you print once a year or after a vacation.

Clothing

Like any belonging, clothes can carry emotional value. We often keep sentimental clothing for a purpose other than covering our bodies. If you have some favorite clothing items (e.g. a varsity letter jacket, the dress you wore when you got engaged, etc.), keep them, but not in your closet. Move them to a designated memorabilia box (a bin, labeled by name) or a wardrobe box/bag. Since you aren’t wearing these pieces, they can be stored more remotely, such as in a spare bedroom, in a cedar closet, or in the attic. Be aware that clothing is vulnerable to temperature swings and insects. If you want more tips for storing clothing, click here.

Artwork

Most parents are emotionally attached to a child’s artwork. Especially when they are young, kids tend to bring “masterpieces” into the home almost every day. The secret to managing artwork is to break the management of it down into steps.

1. Hang it up when it first comes in.
2. Move it to a temporary storage location as it comes down to be replaced by newer pieces.
3. Review the work annually and keep only the best pieces.
4. Potentially digitize the collection.

You can see more detail on this approach in this post.

Beyond the artwork made my children, you may have other types of artwork that carry sentimental value. For instance, a painting of the first home you lived in, or a piece made by a family member. The key to storing artwork like this is ensuring that it is kept in a place where it will be safe from the elements. Does it need to be framed and covered with glass? Is it in a place where the afternoon soon won’t damage it? Are you storing your pieces in a location that is safe from flooding? If you have more than you have space to display, consider investing in containers designed specifically for holding art, such as an artwork storage bag, portfolio, or artwork rack.

Trophies, Medals, and Awards

Trophies and awards are unique in the way they represent accomplishments. They often remind us of some of the best moments in our lives, bolstering our confidence and giving us motivation for future endeavors. However, not all trophies, medals, and awards carry the same emotional benefit. For example, prizes and trophies that were given for simply “showing up” generally don’t have enduring value. Furthermore, the passage of time can also change the way we feel about an award. For instance, a prize received in preschool may not matter much to a teenager.

As with artwork, it works well to set aside space where celebrations of current achievements can be displayed and enjoyed. Shelves are good for trophies, while hooks work well for medals. Paper awards can be placed in frames and hung on the wall.

As new awards are earned, older ones can be removed and either stored in a bin or discarded when they lose their emotional “punch.”

Souvenirs

Souvenirs are fun to buy but can easily become clutter. What seems wonderful in the moment may seem less appealing as the years pass. Before you head out on a trip take the time to intentionally assess whether all the souvenirs you currently have on display are still “justifying their real estate.” Do you still love them? Have you got tired of seeing them and are ready for something new?

If you want to keep all of your souvenirs, but lack space to display them, consider rotating them as décor in your home. Not every piece needs to be out at all times. For future trips, consider purchasing artwork for the wall, holiday decorations, or clothing instead of knick-knacks. (You can read more about the best strategy for souvenirs here.)

Paperwork (Tickets, Playbills, Sports Programs, Maps)

Many life events come with paperwork. Whether you keep it or not is up to you. If you decide you wish to keep it, designate a location where you will collect it. For instance, you have make a hanging filed called “Memorabilia,” either by year or by person. It doesn’t matter if you add to the front or the back of the file, just be consistent with your approach.

It’s a good idea to review this file annually. As with other keepsake pieces, you may find that older pieces of paper mean less as the years go by.

Going forward, you can either leave them in your storage spot, or move them to a decorative box. If you have a lot of paper, you may want a box for each year (remember to label it). Items can also be digitized and added to a photo book or photo collection.

Collections

Collections often begin as souvenirs or gifts, and then take on a life of their own. Read here for more details on collections. Collections are meant to be displayed and enjoyed. If you want to collect, you need to decide where the collection will live. Some you might be able to hang on a wall. Others might need to sit on a shelf. Some items are popular to collect (e.g., trading cards, postcards, etc.) and you can find containers designed specifically to hold them. Remember to consider how you will protect the pieces from wear and tear, and if you have valuable items, to insure them.

As with the souvenirs, you may choose to display only a portion of your collection at one time. Also, if at any time you find yourself with too much of a good thing, you are free to cull your collection and keep only your favorite pieces. When word gets out that you collect something, it is easy to find yourself with more than you ever wanted.

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More than almost anything else you own, memorabilia benefits from regular review. The whole reason we keep it is so that we can look at, reminisce, reflect, laugh, share, and smile. If all you ever do is gather, containerize, and store your keepsakes, you are missing out on the inherent benefit of keeping them.

The best way to review memorabilia is by establishing times when you will review it. For example, you can set one date each year when everyone looks through their memorabilia boxes, such as around a loved one’s birthday, a holiday, or the last day of school. Reviewing keepsake containers can also be a fun rainy day project.

Alternatively, you can decide that you will review memorabilia whenever it feels like “too much,” such as when you can’t fit items into your box anymore, or the shelves holding your souvenirs are feeling crowded. You may wish to review a few photos each day. I’ve recently begun searching the current date in my photos app each morning. Not only am I finding many photos I no longer want (and can easily delete), but I’m enjoying reliving past experiences. It only takes about 2-3 minutes.

One final thought: don’t be too hard on yourself when it comes to shedding sentimental possessions as this is the one type of object you can’t easily replace. When in doubt, keep it. As long as you come to periodically reviewing it, you’ll have another chance to rethink your decision in the future.

Memorabilia isn’t valuable because you own it. It’s valuable because it helps you remember the people, places, and moments that shaped your life. Choose the pieces that continue to tell your story, protect them well, and revisit them often so they can keep bringing you joy.

Where do you keep your memorabilia?