Losing someone we love is one of life’s deepest heartbreaks. In the aftermath, we often cling to anything that connects us to the person we’ve lost — their belongings, their scent, even the smallest keepsakes.
It’s natural to want to hold on. These relics can feel like lifelines to a past we’re not ready to let go of. But not every item brings comfort — some quietly prolong our pain and make it harder to heal.
Here are four types of relics you may want to consider releasing — not to forget your loved one, but to give yourself space to grieve, grow, and eventually, find peace.
1. Reminders of Painful Moments
We tend to cherish memories, but not all memories are joyful.
Pill bottles, oxygen tanks, medical equipment, a worn-out blanket from endless sleepless nights — these objects often carry the weight of suffering and decline. Keeping them around can anchor you in th
Letting go of these items doesn’t mean erasing their memory. It means choosing to remember them in their strength, joy, and love — not their f
2. Unfinished Projec
A half-knitted scarf, an open journal, a woodworking project that never reached completion — these may seem precious, but they often stir up the aching question: What if they were still here?
These reminders of potential lost can trap you in grief, always looking back.
Instead, consider passing these projects on to someone who can complete them or give them new life. In doing so, you’re allowing their memory to move forward rather than stay frozen in time.
3. Clothing
There’s something hauntingly intimate about the clothes they once wore — a favorite sweater, a coat that still carries their scent. And while these can bring fleeting comfort, they can also keep us from accepting the reality of their absence.
It’s okay to keep one special item. But holding onto closets full of clothing can become a barrier to healing. You might consider donating them to someone in need, turning sorrow into kindness — a legacy your loved one would likely be proud of.
4. Favorite Items
Whether it’s their beloved coffee mug, worn-out baseball cap, or the book they read a dozen times — favorite items feel like they hold pieces of the person we lost.
But holding onto too many of these mementos can overwhelm us emotionally and physically. What starts as comfort can quietly turn into a burden.
Instead, choose one or two items that carry the most meaning, and place them somewhere special. Let them serve as gentle reminders of love, not anchors of grief.
Healing Through Letting Go
Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting. It means making space in your life and heart to move forward, even while carrying your loved one’s memory with you.
The most meaningful legacies aren’t found in objects — they live on in the love we shared, the lessons we learned, and the ways we carry that person forward in how we live, love, and give.
Your heart has room for sorrow and healing — and in time, even joy again.