boxing up memories

Scouring my studio last night, after Miss Kaz had helped encourage me in my weekly mini studio sort-out, it occurred to me, yet again, just how much stuff I have accumulated.

I have never lived in a flat as big as the one in which I currently reside, and I think I thought it would be OK to fill it up with stuff to make it seem less empty, not realising that one day I would move out, most probably into a smaller flat. Now that time is approaching and I have to make some pretty big changes.

Being the sentimental little thing that I am, I have rather a lot of "memory boxes", as well as boxes full of letters and cards, and although sentimentality, in general, is an OK trait to have most of the time, when it comes to flat-moving it's probably the worst.

I need to get rid of an awful lot of "stuff" but when that stuff reminds me of a particular time or place or person or occasion, it starts to get difficult. You would've thought that memories would suffice, but for some reason I feel as though I need to have something material that I can hold and touch, to complement the memories.

birthday memory box // scrapbox memories // memory box // memory box table

As a child, my mum used to keep all my birthday cards, birthday party invites, tickets from days out and similar mementos in scrapbooks, so it's no surprise that I find myself hoarding these things now. Except, instead of keeping everything in books, things are now kept in boxes: lots.of.boxes. If I can bring myself to go through all my stuff, throwing/giving away anything for which the memory can be substituted for something smaller, I could end up with only one box of scrapbooks and perhaps one other of "things" - after all, some things are just not substitute-able.

I can only imagine how refreshing, cleansing and freeing it must be to get rid of stuff, and considering I want to make a new move to a new building in a new area, surely I should try to get rid of some of the old stuff that's cluttering up my studio/house/life, and start anew.

I'm actually quite excited at the prospect - and though it seems a little terrifying, I think it could be really good for me. What do you think?

Do you keep a memories box?

Have you ever completely de-cluttered your life?