How long should you keep your children's stuff?
This article explores the emotional difficulty parents face when deciding whether to discard sentimental items belonging to their children. It highlights how objects often serve as physical anchors for memories, making the process of downsizing a significant psychological challenge.
Why it matters
It addresses the universal human experience of attachment to material possessions and the psychological impact of decluttering in later life.
School uniforms, report cards, toys, drawings, crafts and greeting cards can sit in boxes for years before someone finally asks: “Should we throw this out?”
Isra'a Emhail Digital Journalist 24 August 2026 8 min read Caption: Kirsty Ross still holds on to a couple of crafts made by her now adult children. Photo credit: Supplied / Kirsty Ross Each Christmas, Palmerston North mother-of-two Kirsty Ross smiled when she unpacked a mouldy clay decoration her son made in preschool.
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