you don't know how much time you have on the mortal coil, nor do you know that you'll still have the mental facilities to reminisce one last time down memory lane. I've been cleaning out the cellar the last few days, the first two were mostly benign junk, of very little value either monetary or sentimentally.
Today I'm digging deep into my mother's numerous storage containers. Of the three boxes I managed to wade through, at least 90% of it was out and out junk. I recycled what I could but unfortunately many of the boxes were of material unsuitable for reclamation. Gift boxes with gilding, jewelry store logos of foil or gilt. Just so much crap that is only going to the landfill.
I'm sure she probably wanted to save this stuff so she could look at it and relive the memories of days gone by again. How was she to know dementia would rob her of that? As a child of the Great Depression (and a frugal New England Yankee), she saved bags, packing materials, pads, backings and just a staggering amount of stuff of utterly indiscernible significance.
Do yourself (and any loved ones, or even family if you don't love them ) a favor. Clean out your junk now, yes, it is going to a landfill but it's going to go there anyway after you die. Don't inflict this upon another person