January is a time to naturally start new files, get rid of old paperwork. In our house, we also use the cold, dreary months to revisit the attic and our keepsake boxes. I have several boxes of keepsake items and papers which I annually open in the comfort of the living room with a fire in the fireplace and an old movie playing in the background. I create a pleasant atmosphere to enjoy the memories held in each box.
As I pull each item from it's container, I enjoy the message in the card, the memory of the birthday, or the sweetness of my grandmother's handwriting. With each encounter I test the tug factor. Does this card pull on my heart with the same strength as last year? Has it grown in importance to me or diminished?
I can use the same test with anything in my home. The tug test can be a great help in determining the level of importance for any possession. As an example, I will give up my CDs long before I'll give up my grandmother's ring, and my piano is more important to me than my couch.
The key is to set aside a tug time. Each year, intentionally spend time testing your tugs... learn which of your belongings are growing in importance, and shed or share the items which no longer pull on your heart.
So what items in your home have superior tug strength?
(c) 2011 Sheri Smith Bertolini
Went through my memory box lately...I still have the sun/moon from The Fantastiks, my barbie dolls, and part of my arm cast from my 3rd grade break, and will not part with any of them. Some things at the bottom, however, I wondered why I kept. So I tossed those so a few new things could fit in. I pondered throwing out the letters from my first boyfriend at age 14, but in the end I kept them, because they are just so darn hilarious! :)
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