When my mother was preparing to move from Arizona to Colorado so she could be closer to the grandchildren and great grandchildren, she was obsessed with giving me her stuff. I’d already taken several pieces of furniture over the years, a couple of paintings, and two sets of china, and still she wanted me to take more.

“Here’s my Penn State yearbook,” she said handing me a weathered, green volume with 1948 stamped on the front.

“No, Mom. I barely have room for my own yearbooks.”

Then she dragged a large, two-handled bag across the floor. “These are the notes I took when I was writing my books. You should have them.”

While it’s true that my mother wrote a handful of historical fiction novels over the years, the idea that I might want her old research had me stumped. “Mom! What would I do with it?”

But she was already off, pulling more things out of the closets for me to take.

Recently, my sweetie pie found himself facing the same issue. His dad and stepmom were preparing to move into an independent living facility in Vancouver, Washington. “What do you want?” Ryan’s father asked. A number of firearms had been handed down over the years. There was also a grandfather clock that had been lovingly passed from generation to generation. But when Ryan and I discussed those possessions, we realized we had no use or room for any of them.

And we are not alone. Many younger people are simply not interested in family heirlooms. Millennials, especially, are turning away from possessions, instead focusing on making memories. According to The Simplicity Habit article “Sorry Parents, Millennials Don’t Want Your Stuff,” “… many millennials are renting smaller spaces close to urban areas. And instead of filling their homes with stuff, many prefer to fill their lives with experiences and adventures.”

The article goes on to say exactly what Millennials don’t want: wedding dresses, dinnerware, dark heavy antique furniture, figurine collections, antique dolls, and old school technology like sewing machines and film projectors.

There are several problems in regard to our stuff. One, as previously mentioned, is that young people tend to live in smaller homes and have nowhere to put those spoons you collected from all 50 states or that stack of 1970s rock-and-roll albums perched in the back of your closet.  

I know what you’re thinking. These possessions have sentimental value. But you have to remember, those are your memories. To your kids they’re just so much clutter, objects that will hold them down.

“The more stuff you have, the more difficult it can be to embrace that sense of freedom,” the article explained. “You can’t just pick up and go. You can’t just sell your stuff and travel. You’ve got a house full of things you need to make arrangements for instead, which can be a big barrier. Which is why many Millennials don’t want stuff.”

Now, your kids are not dopes. I’m sure they’d be happy to accept things that have monetary value. So if you have a few original Picasso’s hanging around, or perhaps a large collection of jewelry bearing high-quality gemstones, or a bag of 18th century gold daubloons, I’m guessing your very smart children would say, “Sure. Mom! Okay. We’ll take those.” But let’s be honest, most of that stuff you’re handing down has probably depreciated in value over the years and really isn’t worth very much.

So…what do you do? Donate, donate, donate! Find your local Goodwill or thrift shop. Or, if you need the cash, take it to a consignment store or sell it online. The thing is, don’t make family members feel bad for not wanting your stuff.

As a bonus…you might be surprised by how much better you feel once you’ve spent some time decluttering. So get to it!

Anne Montgomery’s novels can be found wherever books are sold.

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