You are Loved: Category 5, Sentimental
“Really important things are not that great in number.” – Marie Kondo
The sentimental category concludes your tidying festival. Your decision making muscles are strong and will be put to the test when tackling items that may conjure up big feelings and past versions of you.
Pace yourself. There are no wrong answers.
General tips:
• Remember to review any items that you came across in the first four categories and put aside for the sentimental category. The perspective that you have on what sparks joy is informed now by getting almost entirely through the KonMari Method™. Trust that you will be able to decide now with your sense of joy finely tuned.
• If you’re on the fence about any item given to you by someone else (a gift, items passed down, greeting cards etc.), consider this question. Did this item convey a feeling to me from the person who gave it to me? In many cases, that was the main purpose of the item, and once the feeling is conveyed and felt by you, it has served its purpose. That might not always be the case. If it is the case, this question might allow you to let go of those items with gratitude rather than keeping them around because it feels like you must to hold onto the item to hold onto a feeling.
• As with other categories, keep it with confidence if you’re keeping it. Curating sentimental items gives them the honor that they deserve and an opportunity to display or use them to their fullest. The heart in the photo? The story is listed below.*
Other tips for the sentimental category:
• Finding it hard to get started with photos? Start with ones that are clearly not keepers- eyes closed, scenery shots that are unremarkable etc. Those can go first. Think about the highlights of a trip/experience, the best moments that convey the spirit of it.
• Resist the urge to send sentimental items to your parents’ home. Marie Kondo mentions this specific tip in both books. How likely will you be to open those boxes again? Not likely. How fair is it to ask family to house boxes that you will likely not open? They may want to embark on their own tidying process, in which case, they’ll have more to deal with.
• The items that are hard to discard because of “off” energy or big feelings? In “Spark Joy,” Marie Kondo discusses how to handle these items that might be hard to process because there is an emotional tie (photos of an ex, stuffed animals or items from a departed loved one). Adding a pinch of salt to the discarded bag or putting photos in an envelope or bag with faces pointing inward are a few tips that might help you feel more closure and comfort.
Processing the items in the sentimental category has the potential to release you from parts of the past, connect you to yourself and increase the feelings of love and joy in your surroundings.
*The heart in the photo is a Christmas ornament from my mom. She passed away in 2007. My brother gave it to me a few years ago. Most of the year it stays by my desk. It’s on the Christmas tree in December. My birthday is right before Valentine’s Day, so it feels special to me in that way as well. It’s a simple ornament that holds meaning. No rules as to how/when it’s displayed, and it gets to shine because I’m keeping it intentionally and with confidence.