Sentimentalism, The Minimalists Roadblock!
Posted on 26. Jul, 2010 by Forest in General, Minimalism, Opinion
I’ve been trying to cut back on things recently and really hone in on this whole minimalism thing but just take a look at that tatty t-shirt in the picture on the right. I have plenty of t-shirts and really don’t need to hold onto this anymore…. The problem is it holds sentimental value. As far as I can see sentimentalism is definitely one of the biggest roadblocks getting in my way on my journey to complete minimalism!
Remember Children Can Burn Too!
Yep “Remember Children Can Burn Too”, that is what it says on the shirt. It’s a shirt that I got about 10 years ago now. My best friend at the time was friends with the guitarist from the now disbanded punk band named 3DB’s down. I grabbed this shirt at one of their shows and from that perspective it holds a good memory with my best friend. My best friend Joe passed away a year or two after that.
The shirt is also partly responsible for my current partner and I having an excuse for a quick meeting in London shortly after we had originally met in Montreal. I had met her whilst on vacation in Montreal, Canada and we got along really well. Anyway I ended up sleeping over at her place one evening and I left my blue shirt there. By chance she was passing through Heathrow airport a few months later and managed to grab a 2 hour lunch with her and got the shirt back…. This helped our early relationship blossom.
What do I lose if I throw the shirt away or give it away?
In reality I lose nothing, the shirt is nearly dead and I normally just wear it around the house now. It would free up space in my cupboard (of course collectively with other stuff I need to get rid off) and I should not miss it but…..
Sentiment isn’t reasonable…..
Rationalism is something often positioned in total opposite to emotion. Being sentimental is an emotional response that is pretty devoid of rationalism, so it’s a completely messed up circle that can’t be explained completely, at least not with rational thought!
What do I “ideally” think…
One of the biggest steps to becoming a minimalist is to reduce your belongings down to the bare essentials. Literally looking at each item and deciding if it has a use in your life. Sentimental items need extra will power to disband of and a true minimalist has often found a way to deal with losing such things or limiting to just a few.
I completely believe a minimal lifestyle for reducing stress, improving finances and giving freedom and mobility. I also think it clears the mind and allows you to focus on important tasks bringing a more full life.
Ideally I believe most sentimental items can be discarded (sold, given away, recycled). If really needed it’s not hard to take a photograph, write a journal entry or somehow document the loss of the item.
What do you think I should do with the Shirt?
Of course the shirt is just one shared item here, I have a few more blocking my way. I am interested in how you deal with such things and what you would do with this specific item as well as general sentimental items.
Help me, what should I do…..
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24 Responses to “Sentimentalism, The Minimalists Roadblock!”
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Jeremy: I think the media plays a big part in that. US me...
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Forest: Thanks for the comment Jeremy. I guess you are rig...
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Tracey
26. Jul, 2010
Since you have now publicly addressed the sentimental power of the shirt, including a sweet tale and photo, you can let it go.
Or you can cut it into rags and let it finish off it’s life as a useful member of your household janitorial staff…
It is now immortalized so, no worries…
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Forest
26. Jul, 2010
Hi Tracey, that’s a good point
…… Rags is a good idea, I like Lara’s pillowcase idea too (see below) 
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Lara
26. Jul, 2010
I think you should keep it! You can either repair the worn-out parts or you can reconstruct it into a pillow case..still functional with sentimental meaning. There is nothing irrational about that.
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Forest
26. Jul, 2010
Re-purposing is a great idea and yes that is a very rational idea
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Red
27. Jul, 2010
Great idea to make it into a pillowcase! I love that! Because it has such sentimental value (and because you still wear it!), I was going to suggest keeping it. Sentimental things that we still use are not clutter. The problem with sentimentality comes when we hoard everything, attaching sentimental value to it all. (See my girlfriend A’s pack of gum issue on GRB! lol) Or when we don’t value the items. We think they hold sentimental value, but then we stuff them in a closet and pull them out maybe once a year. But when it’s something with sentimental value that we use or display properly, I see no reason to donate it! What would happen if you donated this shirt? You would just pick another to “wear around the house.”
If you do decide to turn it into a pillow case, I hope you post pictures! I think that would be super cute!
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Forest
27. Jul, 2010
Hey Red, you are right. The main reason I am trying to cut down is that I own enough newer shirts and just need to de-cluter a bit, this shirt isn’t getting worn a hell of a lot so it’s in the ready to go part of it’s life…. The pillow-case idea is great though and Lara (actually my partner, I didn’t know she was going to read this post!), I guess, doesn’t want the shirt to go either!
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Michelle Adams
27. Jul, 2010
Sorry Forest, I’m not going to be much help as I say you must keep it!
I know we could assign loads of ‘reasons’ to many ‘things’, but if we’re honest with ourselves then we know what is TRULY precious and I think this t.shirt fits that category.
It’s in memory of your friend and of the wonderful gift it brought you in meeting up with Lara again. If it were mine and keepsake boxes were ‘allowed’ in a minimalist’s life, I’d use the fabric of the t.shirt to cover the keepsake box. In the box are the most precious memories of your life. Include a little booklet with an entry as to why something qualified to gain entry into the box; obviously it will have to be pretty special or else it will fill up too quickly, and you need to leave room for the many years ahead of precious moments!
You can hand that box to one of your children if you have them in the future or someone very close to you will no doubt cherish it one day.
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Forest
28. Jul, 2010
Hey Michelle,
I have a few boxes of possessions at my Mum’s house that need to be sorted but one of those boxes is things that I can’t part with. Things like a book that has a piece of work from every year of my preteen life, some little toy dinosaurs and medals from various events in my childhood and a few from young adulthood too.
It’s funny that Lara read this post (she usually doesn’t read my blog) and suggested the pillowcase idea. I think for sure that is what I will do for now and then maybe later the fabric could be used for something like covering a box or bound to a homemade book.
If I ever have children (not planning on any right now) then it would be nice to have such memories to pass on.
Thanks for your comment
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Judy
30. Jul, 2010
Whenever I have ‘too’ much in the house, I use the adage, “Is it beautiful, useful, or loved?”
It has to fall into one of those categories or out it goes!
For clothing specifically, if I haven’t worn it in two years – out it goes…. of course, there could be exceptions, tuxedoes for example….
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Forest
02. Aug, 2010
Thanks Judy, my main issue is that i am not settled so am effectively in travel mode…. SO I have to keep things very light in general. I think I will be repurposing this shirt.
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ConsciouslyFrugal
30. Jul, 2010
“Sentiment isn’t reasonable…..” But it sho’ is sweet.
I, like others here, would turn it into a pillow case. But then again, I’m a sucker for sweetness.
I have several old t-shirts from my days working with Habitat for Humanity that were specially made for some of the faith-based coalitions I worked with. I have kept them for YEARS. It’s nuts. I finally decided to repurpose them and make a quilt. Although it might not be “rational,” I deeply appreciate the memories and warmth I feel when I look at those old shirts and am reminded of my experiences. Sometimes stuff is just stuff. Other times, it’s a tie to the past. I have no problem being tied to good memories. But then again, I’m not a minimalist!
Now, the 14 million other things I own that have no sentimental value or purpose? Yeah. That crap needs to go.
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Forest
01. Aug, 2010
I think Blankets are great things to make from sentimental materials. My partner Lara has been talking about starting one like that for years….. Get rid of the pointless stuff for sure
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Sim
30. Jul, 2010
You can cut the image away and and sue it on something else lioke a patch. or put the image in souvenir box do you have a souvenir box? Are u could take a really iDef pict of the image and get rid of the short.
I like your subject because its the maine reson that i can<t be minimalist
I got so many souvenir that i can,t trow away and cool old t-shirt that are unique. I store them and that it.
or some one once told me that its good luck the burn
souvenirs like that has in a ritual.
tell us what ure solution when you will find one.
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Forest
02. Aug, 2010
Hey Simon,
I think it’s going to become a pillowcase or something like that. The biggest problem with me and storing things is that I am always on the move in many ways… I will likely be leaving Egypt next year and will have to head off somewhere else and there is no room for excess things…. Minimalism is key to traveling comfortably
.
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Financial Samurai
31. Jul, 2010
Keep the shirt forever. The sentimental value of things is priceless!
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Forest
01. Aug, 2010
After some great comments I think it’s going to become a pillow case or some other useful keepsake
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Carol@inthetrenches
03. Aug, 2010
I have a suitcase of treasures. They make sense to nobody but me. But, I’m glad I keep them.
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Forest
03. Aug, 2010
Hey Carol, if you have the space and no intention to move anymore I can’t see a real problem with it.
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simply stephen
04. Aug, 2010
Forest…it’s interesting to see the gamut of comments here.
While sentiment is certainly a strong theme, is the true memory not ingrained in your mind. You have this blog to capture it, you have your memories, you have pictures in the shirt.
Why not green it? Turning it into a pillow case is certainly a fantastic idea as it creates a new life on something that would otherwise be turned into a rag.
Holding onto the past can be done in such a way that you can let go of something in the present and enjoy the future. Maintaining the past can be a recipe for stagnation.
That being said…I still have a small box of memories that I will probably never throw out, but 90% of them are gone.
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Forest
05. Aug, 2010
Hey Stephen, I hold onto very very few items these days but for some reason because my partner values the shirt too it makes it a more interesting item…. Right now it’s definitely heading for a pillow case. Something i can keep that is practical too. I will also be starting a very small keepsake box soon.
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Barb Friedberg
05. Aug, 2010
I am one who can purge ANYTHING. But don’t worry about 1 t shirt, it’s nothing. If you like it keep it, if it has good memories, hang on to it. Just don’t repeat with everything you own. But one shirt…. no bit deal.
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Forest
05. Aug, 2010
Hey Barb, that’s a good skill
…. I’m pretty good overall but this shirt got me. It will be being re-purposed though so it is still useful.
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MinimalBandit
05. Aug, 2010
If you have several shirts that have sentimental value I read that you can have them sewn into a quilt. You just send them off and a week or two later they send you a quilt. This would be a useful item and special one as well.
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Forest
06. Aug, 2010
Thanks Steven, it’s only 1 shirt right now so it’s likely to become a pillow case….. I would like a quilt of things one day though.
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