The liberating art of letting go – how to cope with sentimental clutter

Books, old photographs, travel trinkets, things you’ve inherited – when it comes to decluttering, it’s these kinds of sentimental items that rarely make it to the dump or donation pile. Instead, they gather dust on shelves or are stored away in boxes somewhere at the back of a closet. But holding onto all things sentimental can seriously stunt your decluttering efforts, and experts say hanging onto lots of unused stuff can even affect your mental health.

Several studies show a link between disorganisation, clutter and mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and feeling constantly stressed. “Decluttering physical spaces helps your mind feel decluttered, which helps your mental wellbeing. And the opposite is also true,” says Candice Cowen, a clinical psychologist from Johannesburg.