Every person has some sort of memorabilia. In many cases, these objects are kept for their sentimental or historical significance. It is a reminder of important people and events in your life. If you do not have a strategy to organise and store your memorabilia, it can quickly become disorganised, numerous, and cause a physical and emotional burden. Because of this, it is crucial to set limits.
A smart way to exhibit these sentimental items is to utilise memorabilia framing. You must also know how much space you need for storing these memorabilia. What is a reasonable number for you? Your collection of memorabilia shouldn’t keep you from utilising or enjoying your space at present. The intention of keeping memorabilia is to remember the past while enjoying your present life.
Preserve objects that bring joy to your life when you look at them
You might want to consider getting rid of things that cause negative feelings and guilt. Avoid holding onto something out of guilt or obligation. Items that elicit these feelings get you stuck in a negative past and typically do not honour or give positivity to your present life.
Let go of things you’re not using.
You might want to consider letting go of things that you are not using anymore. The emotional burden of holding on to the item far outweighs the benefit of utilising it.
A question to ask yourself is why you are keeping the item. It would help if you had a clear answer to why you should hold on to each memorabilia. It will determine if it is worth keeping. It would be best if you are specific with your answer. Listen to yourself when you answer these questions and try to see if you’re making sense. Memorabilia tend to be emotional remnants of the past, and the answer doesn’t have to be logical. However, it needs to fit with your goals on why you should save the memorabilia.
5 Ways to Organise Memorabilia
- Make sure to prepare yourself
Selecting and organising memorabilia tends to be an emotional experience compared to managing neutral areas such as a kitchen or office. Memorabilia are a repository of memories, whether good or bad. Because of this, you need to plan your project slowly and keep an open mind. You might need a helping hand to talk to and share feelings when they arise. Consider talking out loud to give voices to whatever you’re experiencing.
- Collecting the pieces
Like organising most projects, the effort of organising memorabilia pieces starts with consolidating your items in one area.
- Sorting your memorabilia
Sorting will depend on the types of items you want to include in shaping your collection. Consider the story you want to tell with your pieces. As an example, you might want to sort photos, letters, and trinkets by events or by the person. Sorting by events makes sense if you are building a timeline of memories. If you want to have a person’s memory box, you must collect pictures and other artifacts connected to that person.
- Pruning your collection
Prune down your collection to have memorabilia that effectively preserve memories of a person or event. Focus on quality over quantity. Limit the number of memorabilia you store when you prune your collection.
- Preserving memorabilia
At this point, you have identified items that you truly value and honour. Store these items in containers that will preserve them for a long-term—research on how to store items such as photos, paper, and fabric. You might want to consider memorabilia framing for flat items such as photos, awards, and diplomas. It will help if you plan where these memorabilia would be exhibited in your home and ensure that the containers can adequately protect them.
Conclusion Memorabilia hold sentimental value since they are remnants of the past. You might want to hold onto these keepsakes to acknowledge how you were built today. Although your values and beliefs might change, the good times and bad times of yesteryears provide you with a reminder that you have the strength to go on.