How much of your past do you keep?

I'm clearing out my house and having a good old tidy up.  I've found some strange things that Hubby has keep as momentos - his first ever tax disk, a Creme Egg wrapper, a few things from him childhood...

I, on the other hand don't have much of sentimental value like that and have been wondering whether to throw out even more.

For me, memories are more important than trinkets, which take up space and clutter up the place.

Are you a collector or a thrower when it comes to your past?

I am trying to sort out two generations of stuff.  The house has a lot of stuff my mother collected from my grandmother - tonnes of photos - often several copies of the same ones and mostly of people I haven't got a clue about.  My mothers certificates, nursing badges, grandmothers guides belt - not too many trinkets I feel I aught to keep a lot of it but really why??  A fair bit of jewellry mostly costune but a few old fashioned diamante stuff that I will keep not sure when I will wear it but I like it

I have a couple of things of my own form my past but not a huge amount really

I have found a book from my childhood, but it is a nice book and one that I would like to pass on to the next generation when they are old enough.  So far the rest has been just essential paperwork and a few formal photos of me at special occassions and events.

I'm a very big sentimental fool. I keep movie stubbs, cards etc. I've tried to be more brutal over the years but it's still hard.

I try to be good - but i do like going through things again and remembering the memories.

At the moment I am reading this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mysterious_Flame_of_Queen_Loana

Which is a book about a man who loses his emotional and personal memory and uses his childhood book collection to try to get it back.

Be careful what you get rid of you may need it one day

I've just found pictures from my hen night.  So much about it that I had forgotten, but the alcohol might have had something to do with that.  My bitch manager is in some of them, but I will keep those anyway.

No photos of me when I was stuck in the toilet though, and unable to get out.  That's the one thing about the night that I remember clearly.

I keep very little.  I've got a few things that remind me of places or occasions, quite a few photos (but I'm going to have a cull of them soon).

I keep things like maps or guide books from holidays - they might come in useful another time - but rarely bring any souvenirs home.

I've got nothing at all from my childhood, but a few bits of (non-valuable) old jewellery which my mother has given me.  I never wear them though, it just seems wrong to get rid of them (in case she asks for them back?!)

Gig tickets (about 100 of them), sport tickets, sports programs, festival wrist bands and running medals are things I've kept. I used to keep cinema tickets but have stopped that one now and thinking about it, apart from the medals, I think I should probably get rid of the rest as seeing the tickets / programs etc don't really invoke any memories.

My wife has a few things from when we first met, but nothing substantial that takes up much room.

I've got thousands of records & books, but otherwise not a huge amount. When my now wife came to the UK and I sold my house she persuaded me to adopt the 5 year rule - it you haven't used it in 5 years you don't need it. I did sneak a few exceptions through, but in general I stuck to it and it was actaully quite liberating. And filled a skip!

Found the photos that I used to stick on the wall when I moved into new student digs.  Those I will certainly be keeping.  Lots of photos of friends falling of chairs when drunk etc as well as some nice ones from my graduation, and a few that were from school.