Do not keep these items belonging to a deceased person

Making room to welcome what comes next

What if clearing out the space around us also allowed us to create space within ourselves? Sorting, donating, or organizing the belongings of a deceased loved one is neither “forgetting” them nor disrespectful. It’s a powerful symbolic gesture, a way of saying: “You remain in my heart, but I choose to move forward.”

A gentle approach is to start with the least emotionally charged items. Then, over time, you can choose to keep one or two important mementos—a photograph, a piece of jewelry, a letter—and part with the rest. Donating these items to a charity or someone in need can also give new meaning to this detachment.

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