7 Childhood Mementos You Should Keep ...

One of the childhood mementos you should definitely keep is your favorite toy. I've still got the toy dog I was given for my first birthday and I'll never part with him. I'm not a particularly sentimental person, but he went everywhere with me. He's a part of my history. If you have a toy like him you should definitely keep it.

Photos can never be replaced, so you should keep your childhood snaps. Looking at them will bring back many happy memories, especially of people that are no longer with us. Do throw out pictures that are over-exposed or have heads cut off. It's not worth hanging on to photos if you have no idea who the people in them are, and nobody can identify them.

Handwritten items can be really special, as they are a beautiful reminder of people we have lost. For example, I have a piece of paper with some notes my dad made. What it says isn't important, but it's a connection with him. And that's something really special as nowadays people are writing by hand less.

Have you been hanging on to any of your toys? If they're collectable items then they're worth keeping; if they're damaged or dirty throw them away. Collectables can command high prices, but do check that yours are really worth something. Don't just keep them because they're old, as they'll be taking up space.

One really lovely thing to keep is a lock of your baby hair, if your parents thought to keep one. You might be surprised at how different the color of your hair was when you were a baby! It's something that won't take up much space, unlike some childhood possessions.

Have your parents hung on to every report card and certificate you ever brought home? Most of them can go - you don't really need to hold on to your 3rd grade report or a certificate that says you can do a handstand. But if there's one report that says something really lovely about you then keep that one.

One thing you should definitely keep is any books you really loved, especially if they are nice copies. It doesn't matter how old you are, you're never too old to read a story you've always loved! Throw them away if they're in poor condition though; you can always pick up a better copy.

There's no point keeping every little thing from your childhood just because you can't bear to throw anything away. They'll just gather dust in boxes. Be honest - how much of it do you really look at anyway? A good solution is to take photos of your items and throw the actual objects away. What is your most treasured possession from your childhood?