Decluttering

I'm at a point where I want to get rid of stuff. But I am always stuck on things like yearbooks. I have mine from MS, HS and college. I also have my mom's from HS (mom passed away in 2012). I don't speak to anyonce from MS, HS or college. And I certainly don't know anyone my mom went to HS with.
Someone please give me persmission to throw them away.
But seriously, what do you do with stuff like this. Even cards and certificates. Heck even my college degeree. Like if I get rid of the paper, I still have the degree so what am I keeping it for? Lord knows it is one of the most expensive pieces of paper I own though.

Re: Decluttering

My yearbooks were lost somewhere along the line and it makes me very sad. I wouldn't throw them away if I were you. I'm sorry. But if you really want to maybe take some photos of some of the pages that you might want to look back on at some point and then toss them.

Decluttering

I'd probably get rid of my mother's yearbook, but keep my stuff for a while. I feel like my daughter may want to look at my stuff at some point. And, I know it's really morbid, but I've seen people display old yearbooks and stuff at wakes. So, maybe when I'm dead (at a nice old age -- LOL), my family may want them for my wake.

Re: Decluttering

Re: Decluttering

I can't find my yearbooks either- but if I do find them, I won't throw them away. I have so much clutter and the smallest house with no basement that God ever created, but I would just find a shelf in a closet somewhere for that.
I hear you though- it's out of control the amount of "stuff" we amass in our lives.
Just "stufff" that you don't want to throw away because it's "sentimental" but my God I can see how those people on those hoarder shows get their start.
Aren't yearbooks available online somewhere- I feel like I read that one of those sites like Classmates has them or something.
That would be a great thing actually.

Re: Decluttering

Decluttering

I don’t know, I’d probably toss. I have no idea where mine even are.

Decluttering

I definitely wouldn't keep my parents. I don't think I still have elementary or middle school yearbooks but I think I have high school. I have one small bin of memorabilia from all stages of my life so if it fits in there I don't mind keeping things. You could always scan a few key pages and get rid of the physical books.

Re: Decluttering

I would hold on to the yearbooks and throw everything else away.

Decluttering

I would hold onto my yearbooks, but if you really don't want to you can donate them to your school b/c I'm guessing they'd always like more copies. I would't really keep anything of my parents but I'd scan the photos to save.

I rarely keep cards, but like with most things - you can scan and toss the original. I'm planning on doing that with a lot of my old photos. Nothing that's really meaningful, but I never had a great camera so most is grainy from a DC 110 camera so I'm ok tossing the originals.

Re: Decluttering

TBH................things like you mentioned I would never throw away. Too many memories and sentimental value there for me. That being said, I am SUPER organized, love to declutter and let go of things but just be sure when you do, you are 100% okay with your decision BEFORE letting it go. Certain things aren't replaceable. To keep things like yearbooks from cluttering my life, I have a memory box (large Tupperware container) and I keep special things in there and I tuck it away in the attic or garage to store.

Re: Decluttering

Keep your degree. I would keep the high school year book, maybe just senior year, and cut out your photos to keep from the younger grades to put into the back of the senior yearbook. If your mom's school is local, you could call them to ask if they want the old yearbooks. Otherwise, cut out to keep your mom's photo and discard the rest of the yearbook.

Decluttering

I would never throw away yearbooks, especially a parents who is no longer here! That is irreplaceable! But you do you.

Decluttering

I would keep all the yearbooks, including your mothers’, and your degree. To me, those are not things to throw away. I clean and declutter all the time, so I throw out a lot, hardly save anything... but those things I’d save.

Re: Decluttering

I have my hs yearbook, my college yearbook, and the college one form when I was a jr, because i worked on it. It actually has my name printed on the outside because they did that for the staff. I think I am getting rid of my HS yearbook. Looking through it doesn't really do anything for me.The other ones are harder because I worked on them. If I had my parents' yearbooks, I think I'd just take out any pictures of them.

ETA- my parents have my degree framed. My husband did need a copy of his degree for a promotion, so that I would keep.

Message edited 10/14/2019 8:50:14 PM.

Re: Decluttering

Re: Decluttering

Toss 'em.

I'm sorry, I just recently had to help go through my parents house and garage to move them and my family made fun of me for throwing away "precious childhood memories." Nope- it's clutter and it was nice and nostalgic for that minute while we were going through the boxes but the reality is these are boxes that moved with them SEVENTEEN years ago and were never opened. So let's be real, how much will they be missed?

ETA: I'd keep your degree and photos, but not a yearbook.

Message edited 10/15/2019 11:09:06 AM.

Decluttering

I would not be able to throw away the yearbooks - let someone else do it when I die and they have to go through my stuff lol

As for you degree - definitely don't throw it away. I had my law school degree professionally framed and had to bring it in to my current job when I was hired and they had to make a copy of it. You never know when you may need that

Re: Decluttering

Yearbooks can be stored away and honestly I would love to look at my Great grandmas yearbooks to look at the names and hairstyles of the time. I think you should save them for future descendants as a way to feel connected to them.

I am very big on decluttering and am known the get fed up and just throw stuff out on a whim that’s laying around and even I would keep the yearbooks for my future grandchildren to look at, even if only once.