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Somewhere along the way, we all got the impression that decluttering our homes should be easy. If you don’t need something, you simply...let it go, right? Well, if you’re anything like me, that is much easier said than done, especially when it comes to items that tug at your heartstrings like photographs and letters.

We’ve outlined six things people tend to have the hardest time saying goodbye to — plus, how to let them go.

1. Study notes, schoolwork and old notebooks

We get it. You’re really proud of that A you scored in your college lit class (fair), but do you really need to save the paper that got you that grade? Probably not.

If there is anything you really want to keep (hey, maybe you do have use for the notes from chem class), use an app like Evernote to scan the document and store it virtually.

2. Books

If your book collection is numbering in the hundreds, then you may want to start narrowing in on your favorites. Start by sorting your reads into three piles: books you want to keep, books you want to donate, and books that could be repurposed for styling around your home (anything with a pretty, colorful spine is often useful for filling open shelving, even if you don’t necessarily reread it).

3. Photos

Pictures are one of those things that we all find ourselves hanging onto, and I’m inclined to just tell you to keep everything. After all, we all rarely print out photos anymore, so any that you do have lying around are probably old and special. That being said, there are a few ways to organize your photo collection, weed out any unnecessary shots, and protect your favorites.

For any pictures that lay unprotected in a box, there’s EverPresent and ScanMyPhotos. EverPresent can scan and digitize everything from old photos and scrapbooks to letters, film reels, and audio files, guaranteeing that if it’s special to you, it can be saved.

4. Appliance manuals

I created a folder on Google Drive dedicated to manuals and warranties, then went through the files one by one to determine our needs. Anything that I could find online (like the manual for our washer and dryer) was downloaded digitally, saved onto my drive, and trashed in real life. Anything that I couldn’t find a virtual copy for was scanned and added that way.

5. Heirloom items

While heirloom items (think: World War II mementos from grandpa or your great aunt's silk scarves) aren't necessarily something you need to get rid of, they are yet another place where your home could benefit from a bit of smart organization.

Companies like Framebridge can expertly highlight your sentimental items with shadowboxes and frames meant to protect your pieces with museum-worthy precision while making for a gorgeous piece of home decor.

6. Greeting cards

I truly delight in giving (and receiving) written cards and thus have saved nearly every birthday, wedding, anniversary, and “just because” note I’ve been sent over the years. However, as you can probably imagine, my collection was growing a bit, ahem, out of control.

My suggestion: Keep any cards that boast a sweet handwritten message from a loved one, and part with the ones that only have a signature and nothing more.

(Real Simple magazine provides smart, realistic solutions to everyday challenges. Online at www.realsimple.com.)

©2026 Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.