Getting rid of mementos, cards etc. Do you?

[ThePickleMan]

I have been divorced 3 years and got rid of a lot of previous sentimental Stuff that I couldn’t bear to look at. But today I’m tidying and have come across a big box of birthday and anniversary cards, some with some lovely stuff written in them. I’m struggling because Ex had an affair which is the reason for divorce. I should just burn them all shouldn’t I?

You do with them what you want. Whatever makes you feel better. But burning sounds good.

I got rid off the wedding cards before I left, my ex never did cards anyway.

Make a little effigy of your ex. Throw the lot on a fire...

Take a photo of them then burn. If you want to look back you’ll have a single usb with the photos on of them in a drawer rather than a full box and it’ll feel good to burn and move on.

I know it’s not the same but rather than boxes full of kids drawings I’ve been keeping a few but taking photos of the rest and putting them on a usb. I’m getting a photo book made of their artwork when there’s enough to fill it. It’s the same principle I suppose of wanting to get rid of something because of space and clutter but feeling sad about having to do that

It means it’s not cluttered but I don’t have the guilt of throwing things. If I want to look I can, and if not it’s out of sight out of mind

I like the effigy and burn them idea!
I also like the idea of a USB stick rather than box full of stuff. I’ll do that for the kids art which is next on my hitlist of “stuff” to sort out.

If you never came across them, you wouldn't miss them. Those kind words you're reading in those cards are lovely, but they don't apply to where you're at now. I'd just toss them in the bin. It's ok to let it all go, OP.

I got rid of everything. Wedding dress, wedding album, deleted any social media posts; basically eradicated any trace of him. It helped and was cathartic. However, recently I discovered some photos of us together on my OneDrive and decided to get a handful printed. They will be stored and hopefully one day I can look back without a tear in my eye. It will get easier as time passes.
Just to say that I had no children with him.
I have kept everything from husband #1 as he was the children's father and I consider these things to belong to them.

I gave my 2 k wedding dress to the Air Ambulance charity!
I binned anything in our home he had chosen and decorated my bedroom and bought new bedding! Like the week I threw him out!!
Was blissful!!

Thank you all for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it.
It’s true that if I hadn’t come across them I wouldn’t miss them. I think I’ll feel better getting rid. I have plenty of photos and I don’t mind keeping them and passing them on to the children if and when they want them.

I gave my wedding dress to a lady who makes gowns out of them
for babies who have died

This made my cry😢

I am freshly separated, year and a half, not yet divorced. Slowly clearing out the house I live in after he had moved out. The other day I got to the box of greeting cards with intention to toss them, but did not. Not sure why I have been keeping them anyway, I never went in to ready them again, but could not throw them away now either. I do not think I would throw away pictures, my wedding gown or anything like that though. Happy or sad it was my life, my memories.