Got an item in your home that has been passed down through the generations? It could be anything from a wedding ring to a large wall painting. These items are known as family heirlooms and can be treasures for some people, and sources of clutter for others. If you’ve been umming and ahhing as to whether to hang onto an heirloom – or perhaps several heirlooms – it could be worth asking yourself a few of these questions to help you decide whether to keep or dispose.

How much sentimental value do they have?

If you’ve inherited many possessions, it could be important to work out which ones truly have sentimental value and which don’t. An object may remind you of your parents or grandparents – but have you got any strong memories attached to it? A guitar that your dad used to play to you as a child could be of huge sentimental value and worth keeping. A lamp that you vaguely remember was owned by your grandma is probably not going to be any great loss – especially if you have other heirlooms belonging to your grandma that evoke strong memories.  

What is their financial value?

It can be worth getting family heirlooms professionally valued. You can then weigh up their sentimental value and financial value. If you’re financially struggling, a valuable family heirloom could potentially be worth selling. Other heirlooms could meanwhile be worth keeping as an investment. If an item has no sentimental value and no real financial value, it may be a sign that you need to donate it. If an item has sentimental value but no financial value, you may decide that it’s worth keeping on to as there’s no benefit in selling it or donating it to anyone else. 

Is it practical to keep them?

Heirlooms that take up valuable space or that you have no use for may be worth getting rid of – especially if they are of no real sentimental or financial value. For example, a canoe gathering dust in your shed could be impractical to keep if you’ve got other stuff you need to put in your shed and have never used the canoe. You should also consider getting rid of items that are broken and unusable. An old radio that doesn’t work is probably not worth keeping. 

Are they to your taste?

Some items can be practical to keep, but may not be your taste. For example, you may need an armchair, but your grandparents’ floral armchair from the 60s may not be the solution. Similarly, you shouldn’t keep paintings that you’re too embarrassed to hang on the wall. 

Does your next of kin want them?

If you’ve got kids, consider whether they would appreciate being handed your heirloom. Some items that you’re not too interested in could be worth handing down to your kids. For example, you may have no use for an old camera, but a daughter who is into photography may value it. There may be some cases where it’s worth keeping an heirloom for several years until a child is able to have it themselves – such as a valuable heirloom that is likely to grow in value over time. If you don’t have room for it, consider whether it’s worth keeping in storage units. An example could include a valuable book collection belonging to a grandparent.

Can it be repurposed?

My sister-in-law has a company called Glass Fantasy Company (@glassfantasyco) that creates jewelry out of china that people can’t or don’t use anymore, but have sentimental value. Instead of using the plates and glasses, they wear a piece of it on their neck or on their finger and they can carry the memory with them vs. having unused dishes cluttering their kitchen. Another idea is taking clothes or other material that hold memories for you and making them into a quilt or a piece of art. You can get creative about how you preserve memories through the things that represent love.

So, should you hang onto it?

It’s worth weighing up all the above factors when deciding whether to keep an heirloom. Only by doing this can you truly determine whether an heirloom is treasure or clutter. Don’t hang onto an item out of guilt. It is your possession now and not that of your ancestors.

If you are struggling to have a functional and tidy home, check out this post here.