Emotional Ties Had Become Shackles Until the Cobwebbing Declutter Method Helped Me Blow Away the Stress and Guilt of Letting Go

A landing at the top of a staircase with green handrails, and matching green door and trim. Red detailing painted around the trim. A yellow sofa on the right hand side, next to a round wooden side table with a lamp on it. .

I come from a family of sentimentalists. My childhood drawings from 20 years ago still line the walls of my dad's 'mancave', and my mom is still holding onto baby shoes I barely wore. It is a family habit that has been passed on to me.

However, as I get older, the things that are most important to me have shifted, and the old sentimental 'clutter' weighs me down more than it ties me to the past. Yet it is still so tricky to clear out, often filling me with guilt when I think about getting rid of these things.