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Recognizing change
Do you need ideas for how to create unique keepsakes by upcycling sentimental items? You aren’t alone.
Change happens. Our kids grow up and become beautiful, independent, compassionate, productive, creative adults. Not to brag, but that is how I describe mine and I bet that list describes your adult kids to some degree.
Life happens. Parents get older and rarely need all the things they have collected over their lifetime. The things that tell of chapters in their life story. The story that connects with your story to build a legacy.
Adventure happens. Maybe that dream job is calling, so you move across the country (or the world). Perhaps those grandkids are tugging at your heart and you find yourself moving to be close enough to experience life with them on the regular.
Grief happens. Most of us have experienced loss of some kind, whether it is job loss, divorce, empty nest, losing a loved one or maybe downsizing because of one of these events.
If I were a betting woman, I would bet that you have experienced more than one of the events mentioned above. These events have the potential to stir emotions and force you to deal with “stuff”. The literal kind of stuff and the figurative. You may have to deal with the dreaded task of reducing sentimental clutter. That is a process that takes energy and resolve depending on how much you must sort through. Going through your adult child’s room and reducing the sentimental things they have collected is quite different from cleaning out your elderly parents’ home. Nonetheless each task requires you to process emotions and release some guilt. Through that process you can find freedom from the burden of letting stuff hold you down.
Upcycling Sentimental Items
If you have already succeeded in reducing your collection of sentimental items, I hope that you feel some relief of letting go of stuff. Even though you have reduced the number of things you are saving you might still be wondering what to do with the special items that you have chosen to keep. Or maybe you are still staring at a bigger pile than you had planned to keep because you just cannot let go of some things. That is okay. Letting go is a process.
This article gives you ideas for how to create unique keepsakes by upcycling sentimental items. Some are creative uses and some more practical. These ideas will help you get stuff out of those boxes in the garage and start seeing it with new eyes.
Get those creative lenses on and find some unique ways to make keepsakes with little Johnny’s trophies or Dad’s old shirts. Put on your practical hat and get those items out of a box and put them to good use around the house. Let’s get started!
Repurposing Clothing and Fabric Items
When children grow out of a certain stage parents sometimes want to preserve that stage or those memories by keeping some of those cute outfits. Although, parents save baby or kids clothes when they think they may use them again as hand-me-downs. Sometimes it is hard to pass on or get rid of a particularly special outfit like that precious outfit with the matching baseball cap or that favorite dress with the scotty dogs on it.
I have a storage bag with such items that I have saved because they were favorites of theirs or of mine. But I used to have a large plastic bin of clothes that I kept, however, over the years I have reduced it down to a smaller collection. If you have some stored away that you think you may need to reduce there are some questions you can ask yourself that may help you reduce sentimental clutter. If you want to keep children’s clothing items for sentimental reasons but know that they will not be worn again consider some of the following ideas for repurposing them.
A Word about Hierloom pieces…
Heirloom pieces such as christening gowns and bonnets or historical pieces may need special treatment and care to preserve them well. Perhaps you can esearch your fabric on older pieces and learn the best way to clean them. The best way to display and enjoy these heirloom pieces would be to frame them in a shadow box. You will find this is particularly effective if you add other sentimental pieces in with the gown such as ribbons, letters, and photos. This makes a meaningful family history piece.
It can also be very difficult to get rid of all the clothing worn by parents and grandparents that have passed away. I found it hard to get rid of all my Mom and Dad’s shirts. Maybe your Dad had a great collection of quirky ties or your grandmother wore dresses of a particular pattern or style that was unique to her. Those bring back such vivid memories, but what should we do with a closet full of clothing that we will never wear? Consider these ideas for how to create unique keepsakes by upcycling sentimental items.
How to Upcycle Sentimental Clothing
Memory quilts – Create a quilt using fabric pieces from multiple clothing items. If you are not a sewer, you can find one that specializes in making memory quilts. Memory quilts make beautiful gifts to pass on to children or grandchildren for a special occasion.
Quilted table runner or wall hanging. If there is not enough fabric to make a memory quilt, make a smaller piece that can be used regularly.
Throw pillows – These can be made from quilting pieces as mentioned above or using a shirt in a favorite pattern or style to create the pillow cover.
Rag garland – Use a worn work shirt or leftover pieces from quilting to cut strips of fabric. Sort the strips according to a certain color or create a beautiful mix of colors. Tie the strips along a ribbon or twine of the desired length for the garland. All the strips should hang down in a kind of tassel formation of similar length or make it short and puffy! Use as a decorative banner across your mantel or hutch or even as a garland on a Christmas tree.
Aprons – restyle a men’s shirt or ladies dress into a fun apron. Mix and match by using pieces from multiple items.
Tote bags – bags can be made in virtually any size or style with various types of fabrics. Bags can be quilted or pieced or made with men’s ties. A pre-made bag can be embellished with fabric using an applique technique or if you prefer a no-sew method use fabric glue.
Create Decor
Christmas ornaments – There are endless possibilities for using fabric to make Christmas ornaments! Here are some easy options:
- Fill a clear ornament ball with strips of fabric and a vintage photo of the loved one.
- Cut fabric from a sentimental item into simple shapes (star, heart, bird). Sew around the edges and use fabric stiffener if needed. Or you can sew two of the shapes together and stuff to make a puffy, 3-D ornament. Add embelishments to make each one unique.
Unique uses for special items: A silver tray can elevate every day, mundane items. Use them to corral stuff on the entry table, hold cosmetics or toiletries in the bathroom or even art supplies in the craft room. The same goes for a silver cream pitcher or sugar bowl. Whatever you can imagine it holding give it a try. Grouping several together also makes a beautiful vignette on the coffee table, buffet or even your worktable! Put them to use in a way that speaks to your head (useful) and your heart (beautiful).
Framed as art. Use sections of tattered quilts, vintage lace pieces, vintage doilies, vintage hankies or scarves or heirloom pieces to frame for display.
Items that work well for these ideas:
- cotton shirts and dresses
- denim pants and shirts
- men’s ties
- vintage hankies
- scarves
- tattered quilts
- t-shirts
Use various accessories as embellishments:
- ribbons
- lace pieces
- vintage buttons
- monogrammed items
- men’s ties
- vintage costume jewelry
Repurpose Other Items or Collections
Dishes, China, Crystal, Silver
- A collection of mismatched plates can be hung on the wall to create a unique display.
- Chipped or cracked plates can be broken into pieces for making mosaics. Useful pieces to make are photo frames, flowerpots, trays, or garden stones.
- Use lonely tea pots, cups, or bowls as containers for succulents or other small plants.
- That bowl that your grandmother always used for Sunday dinner could find new life as a catch-all on the entry table, a fruit bowl or part of a centerpiece on the dining table. Instead of keeping it in the back of the cabinet or in a box in the garage put it to use for you.
- A silver tray can elevate every day, mundane items. Use them to corral stuff on the entry table, hold cosmetics or toiletries in the bathroom or even art supplies in the craft room. The same goes for a silver cream pitcher or sugar bowl. Whatever you can imagine it holding give it a try. Grouping several together also make a beautiful vignette on the coffee table, buffet or even your worktable! Put things to use in a way that speaks to your head (useful) and your heart (beautiful).
Collections
Get creative and find new ways to display collections. Keep in mind that you do not have to keep EVERY item from a collection. Pick the ones you love and pass the others on. Other family members might love some of your mom’s cookbooks or your dad’s model cars. For example, vinyl records would make an eclectic, funky wall display.
Can you think of other collections to display?
Do you have some beautiful silverware? Gather them together in a pretty pitcher so that the patterns are visible.
Vintage wool stadium blankets look inviting rolled up in a large basket, hanging on a decorative ladder or stacked on a stool. This display adds to the cozy atmosphere and the blankets are ready to use at the same time.
This is just the tip of the iceberg! I hope your mind is swirling with lots of ideas for those sentimental things you have decided to keep. There are SO many ways to create unique keepsakes by upcycling sentimental items. Message me if you have some favorite collections and you need ideas for how to use or display them. I would love to brainstorm some ideas with you!
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