Top Clutter-Free Methods to Keep Memories

Pictures and videos weren’t always reserved for digital storage on your phone and computer. There was a time where boxes of photos and video cassettes cluttered every space in the home. If you remember those times, it’s only natural that you want to avoid becoming a memory hoarder—especially if you know a family member or friend that won’t let go of sentimental objects. Our top clutter-free methods to keep memories will make sure that you can use your home’s storage space as efficiently as possible.

Sort Through Your Sentimental Items

The first step to storing memories without cluttering your home is to sort through what you already have piling up. Whether you have plenty of photos and tapes from all generations in the 20^th century or have only recently acquired a collection of memories, sifting through what you must keep or what you don’t need is essential to the de-cluttering process.

Once you have an idea of how much sentimental stuff has taken over your home, you’ll know how much work you have in front of you. It may help to sort by precious memories that you need to keep and things that are no longer necessary—such as duplicate photos, irreparably damaged photos and objects, or photos without meaning.

Create Digital Photo Albums Instead of Physical Albums

Photo albums take up more room in a home than you may realize. As you acquire more physical photo albums and clutter, you may stop looking at the older albums because they’re so inaccessible. By converting your photo collections to digital scans and creating a digital photo album, not only will you create something that will always be accessible, but you’ll also conserve space in your home. You can also take the opportunity to mix older photos with the newer photos you’ve taken on your phone in your digital album. The accessibility and flexibility of digitally scanned photos make it one of the most popular of the top clutter-free methods to keep memories.

Convert Old Tapes to Digital Formats

The VCR may be obsolete, but your tapes with home videos don’t have to wither away along with it. Convert your home videos to a digital format and you can watch them whenever you want to on your computer or easily share them with friends and family. Once they’re on your computer, you can recycle the physical tapes or find a more creative way to dispose of them, such as an art project.

Snap Pictures of Sentimental Objects You Want to Part With

When it’s time to let something go, the hardest part is the moment right before you part with it. If you’ve attached memories to mundane physical objects, like clothes or old dishes, take pictures of them to remember their importance forever. When donating them, know that they’ll have better homes with people who will use them rather than remain stowed away in your closet or in the back of your cabinet. No matter which method you use to slim down your home’s clutter, taking your storage back will improve your mood and help you create a cleaner living space.