When it comes to decluttering and getting rid of meaningful items, there are two schools of thought: you can acknowledge that you don’t use them and that they don’t serve a purpose and throw them away; or you can get really emotional and make excuses to keep them. I’m a big advocate for getting rid of stuff, but I understand that it can be hard. Here are a few ways to let go of meaningful items while also giving yourself space to get into your feelings.

I really like this advice from Be More With Less because these three ideas give you the space to cherish, respect and say goodbye to the memories you want to let go of.

Build up to the big stuff first. I’ve been on a big declutter mission for a few months now, and I didn’t start by throwing out my pile of old birthday cards on day one. It’s easier to throw out receipts, trash, broken items, and clutter, so do that. You can use a technique like the calendar method, where you give yourself a certain amount of stuff to throw out each day, and work your way up to throwing out anything with sentimental value. In this case, think of your brain as a muscle; it needs to be trained to throw things out. You need to work up to it, not dive right in.

Next—and I really like this one—tell how the items make you feel. Take pictures of them. Write about them. Invite a friend to help you, and tell that friend the story of the item, why you kept it, and what it means to you. Making space for the item (and maybe even making new memories in the process) is a great way to honor it, even if you know it has to go. When I’m getting rid of old photos, I do a quick snap of the ones that mean a lot to me, but that I know I’ll never actually dig through a physical album to see again. Let the item live on through a story or photo, so you can let go of the actual item.