Dear Annie: When keepsakes become hard to keep

Dear Annie: My husband and I are empty nesters, and we’ve begun the very slow process of downsizing our home. I wasn’t expecting it to be so emotional. Going through decades of family memories has been harder than I imagined. I just can’t believe how quickly time goes by. I admit I’m a bit of a hoarder when it comes to my kids. I still have their elementary school art projects, their Halloween costumes, baby clothes and more photographs than you could imagine. Some of it obviously needs to go, but some of it I can’t bear to part with. kAmx 5@?’E 92G6 C@@> E@ <66A :E 2==] x’5 9@A65 6249 @7 >J E9C66 49:=5C6? H@F=5 E2<6 H92E 36=@?8D E@ E96>] x? >J >:?5[ H9@ H@F=5?’E H2?E 2 3@I @7 49:=59@@5 >6>@C:6Dn qFE 6249 92D E@=5 >6 E96J 92G6 ?@ FD6 7@C :E 2?5 ?@ DA246 E@ DE@C6 :E[ H9:49 3C62J 962CE 2 =:EE=6] x’> ?@E DFC6 H96E96C E@ <66A AFD9:?8[ 7:?5 2 H2J E@ E2<6 :E 2== H:E9 >6 @C =6E :E 8@]k^Am kAm— v6EE:?8 $6?E:>6?E2=k^Am kAmkDEC@?8ms62C v6EE:?8 $6?E:>6?E2=ik^DEC@?8m #6>:?:D4:?8 23@FE J@FC 49:=5C6? H@F=5 >2<6 2?J@?6 >:DEJj H2?E:?8 E@ <66A :E 2== :D ?@E 2 7=2H]k^Am kAm%96 D@=FE:@? 5@6D?’E 92G6 E@ 36 2== @C ?@E9:?8] r9@@D6 2 7:C> ?F>36C @7 <66AD2<6D — >2J36 7:G6 A6C 49:=5 — 2?5 =6E @?=J E96 36DE 4@DEF>6D 2?5 7:?86C A2:?E:?8D >2<6 E96 4FE] !9@E@8C2A9 E96 C6DE 367@C6 :E 8@6D] x7 J@F H2?E[ J@F 42? >2<6 2 A9@E@ 2=3F> @C 2 D4C2A3@@< J@F 42? 24EF2==J 6?;@J]k^Am kAmr=62C:?8 @FE E96 @=5 DEF77 H:== >2<6 C@@> :? J@FC 9@>6 7@C ?6H >6>@C:6D]k^Am kAm•••k^Am kAmkDEC@?8ms62C p??:6ik^DEC@?8m ~FC 8C2?5D@? 2?5 9:D H:76 92G6 366? ECJ:?8 E@ 4@?46:G6 7@C `_ J62CD[ 2?5 E96J’C6 ?@H :? E96 >:55=6 @7 E96 25@AE:@? AC@46DD]k^Am kAmw6C D:DE6C\:?\=2H C646?E=J 96=5 2? 25@AE:@? 323J D9@H6C 7@C E96>] x H2D :?G:E65 E@ 2EE6?5[ 3FE x =:G6 a[___ >:=6D 2H2J] (9:=6 x’> E9C:==65 E96J H:== D@@? 36 86EE:?8 2 49:=5[ E96J 92G6 ?@ :562 E96 286 @C 86?56C @7 E96 49:=5] $96 H6?E @?=:?6 2?5 C68:DE6C65 7@C 6G6CJE9:?8 F?56C E96 >@@? 2?5 36J@?5 7@C 2 ?6H3@C?] }665=6DD E@ D2J[ x 5:5?’E 2EE6?5 E96 D9@H6C[ ?@E @?=J 3642FD6 @7 E96 5:DE2?46 :?G@=G65 3FE 3642FD6 E96J >2J ?@E C646:G6 2 ?6H3@C?] x 5:5 D6?5 2 ?:46[ 86?6C:4 8:7E]k^Am kAm(2D E9:D D9@H6C 2 3:E @FE @7 =:?6 2?5 AC6>2EFC6[ @C 2> x ;FDE 36:?8 D6?D:3=6 @C @=5\72D9:@?65n (92E :D E96 AC@A6C 6E:BF6EE6 7@C E96D6 EJA6D @7 D9@H6CD E96D6 52JDnk^Am kAm— tIA64E:?8 vC62E\vC2?5>2k^Am kAmkDEC@?8ms62C tIA64E:?8 vC62E\vC2?5>2ik^DEC@?8m %96C6’D ?@ 92C5\2?5\72DE CF=6 23@FE H96? E@ 9@=5 2? 25@AE:@? D9@H6C] $@>6 72>:=:6D 46=63C2E6 367@C692?5[ H9:=6 @E96CD H2:E F?E:= E96 49:=5 :D 9@>6] }6:E96C 2AAC@249 :D HC@?8[ 2?5 E96 6E:BF6EE6 C6>2:?D E96 D2>6i xE’D E96 E9@F89E E92E 4@F?ED]k^Am kAm*@F H6C6 <:?5 E@ D6?5 2 8:7E[ 2?5 x 5@F3E 2?J@?6 6IA64E65 J@F E@ EC2G6= a[___ >:=6D E@ 2EE6?5 :? A6CD@?] pD 7@C 2== E9@D6 ?6H3@C? :E6>D @? E96 C68:DECJ[ J@FC 8C2?5D@? 2?5 9:D H:76 >2J @C6 23@FE E96 25@AE:@? E92? E96J’G6 D92C65]k^Am kAmu@4FD =6DD @? H96E96C E96 D9@H6C H2D AC6>2EFC6 2?5 >@C6 @? E96 92AAJ C62D@? 369:?5 :E] p7E6C `_ J62CD @7 9@A:?8 7@C 2 49:=5[ H9@ 42? 3=2>6 E96> 7@C 36:?8 6I4:E65n %96 36DE 8:7E J@F 42? 8:G6 E96> ?@H :D J@FC =@G6 2?5 DFAA@CE]k^Am