Moms are natural memory keepers, but some of the things you hold onto first are exactly what crowd your closets, cabinets, and attic. Research on parental keepsakes shows the average parent saves nine items from a child’s early years, with one in seven keeping at least 20 different things, so it is no surprise your home can feel overrun with nostalgia. If you want breathing room, these are 12 things moms tend to cling to that should be the first to go.
1) Children’s Artwork from Early Years
Children’s artwork from preschool through elementary school is one of the biggest emotional clutter traps. A 2022 survey by the National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals found that 68% of mothers retain children’s artwork from those years, averaging 50 pieces per child. That volume quickly turns into bins of finger paintings, collages, and construction-paper turkeys that never see the light of day. When every drawing is saved, it becomes impossible to distinguish the truly meaningful pieces from the rest.
Letting go of some artwork does not mean erasing your child’s creativity. You can photograph or scan the best pieces, create a rotating gallery on the fridge, and then recycle the rest. This approach respects the sentimental pull while preventing boxes of paper from taking over closets and under-bed storage. Editing the collection to a handful of favorites per year keeps the memories accessible instead of buried in a dusty tote you never open.
2) Maternity Clothes Post-Pregnancy
Maternity clothes are another category that lingers long after their practical use. Real Simple reports that 75% of new moms hold onto maternity clothes for an average of 3 years post-pregnancy, even though only 15% are planning another child immediately. Organizing expert Donna Smallin Kuper notes that “Maternity wear is bulky and outdated quickly,” which means those stretchy jeans and empire-waist dresses often just hog prime closet space. You may tell yourself you will wear them again, but the statistics show most pieces never get a second life.
Keeping a small, curated capsule of the most comfortable or versatile items is reasonable if you truly expect another pregnancy soon. However, hanging onto every top and dress for years locks up hangers you could use for clothes that fit your current body and lifestyle. Donating gently used maternity wear to local shelters or resale shops helps other moms while freeing you from a constant visual reminder of a past season. Your wardrobe should serve who you are now, not who you were three years ago.
3) Outgrown High Chairs
Outgrown high chairs are bulky reminders of the baby stage that often camp out in kitchens long after your child graduates to a regular seat. According to decluttering tips on baby gear, high chairs from brands like Graco are kept by 60% of families for more than 5 years after the child’s use, taking up about 4 square feet of kitchen space. That is a significant footprint in a room where every inch matters for meal prep, traffic flow, and storage. Once your youngest is safely in a booster or standard chair, the high chair is essentially a freestanding obstacle.
Many parents justify keeping it “just in case” for visiting cousins or a hypothetical future baby, but the data shows these chairs often sit unused. If you are not actively planning another child soon, consider selling or donating the high chair while it is still in good condition. Passing it along to another family or a community organization turns a space-hogging relic into something genuinely useful. Your kitchen will feel more open, and you will reclaim valuable floor area for a small island, extra shelving, or simply easier movement.
4) Baby Books and Milestone Cards
Baby books and milestone cards feel sacred, which is why they so often end up in long-term storage. Reporting on sentimental clutter notes that 82% of moms preserve baby books and milestone cards, with an average of 24 items per child. These keepsakes are frequently packed into attic boxes measuring 2×3 feet, where they are rarely revisited. The intention is to protect precious memories, but in practice, the items become part of a growing archive you almost never have time to open.
Instead of defaulting to “keep everything,” you can choose a smaller, more intentional collection. Select the baby book you actually filled out, a few milestone cards with especially meaningful notes, and perhaps a first birthday card. The rest can be photographed before recycling or passed on if they are generic. By shrinking the volume, you make it more likely that you will actually flip through these items with your child later, rather than leaving them to age in a dusty attic box you dread sorting.
5) Old Bottles and Pacifiers
Old bottles and pacifiers are easy to forget in the back of a cabinet, but they carry more risk than reward. A 2019 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, cited in Parents, found that 55% of mothers keep old bottles and pacifiers from brands like Philips Avent, allowing them to accumulate dust and bacteria over 7 years. By that point, the plastic may be degraded, the nipples are no longer safe, and the items are unlikely to be used again. They become clutter with potential hygiene concerns rather than useful backups.
From a health and safety perspective, these items should be among the first to go once your child has moved on. If you plan to have another baby, it is often safer to replace bottles and pacifiers rather than relying on gear that has been stored for years. Clearing them out also frees up cabinet space for current needs, like reusable water bottles or lunch containers. When you declutter this category, you are not just tidying, you are reducing hidden risks in your kitchen and nursery.
6) Toddler Toys Past Their Prime
Toddler toys, especially large playsets, tend to linger long after your child has aged out of them. Organizing expert Regina Leeds notes that 55% of moms cling to toddler toys like Fisher-Price playsets well past age 3, filling about 10 cubic feet of playroom space. That is the equivalent of several storage bins devoted to toys your child barely glances at anymore. The emotional pull comes from remembering how much joy those toys once brought, but the reality is that they now crowd out puzzles, books, and games that match your child’s current interests.
Rotating toys and setting clear age-based cutoffs can help you decide what stays. If a toy has not been used in months and is clearly below your child’s developmental level, it is a strong candidate to donate. Passing these items to younger kids in your community or local preschools gives them a second life. In return, you gain a calmer, more functional play space where your child can actually see and enjoy what they own, instead of wading through bins of plastic meant for toddlers.
7) Nursing Pillows After Weaning
Nursing pillows are deeply associated with early bonding, which is why they often outstay their usefulness. Real Simple’s reporting on sentimental clutter notes that nursing pillows from Boppy are retained by 70% of breastfeeding moms for 4 years after weaning, despite no reuse. These pillows typically occupy nursery drawers or closet shelves, taking up space that could store current bedding, toys, or seasonal clothes. Once breastfeeding is over, the pillow becomes a symbol of that chapter rather than a functional tool.
If you are not actively nursing or pumping, it is worth asking whether the pillow is serving any real purpose. Some moms repurpose them for reading nooks or floor seating, but if yours is just wedged in a drawer, donating it while it is still in good condition is more practical. Letting go of the pillow does not erase the memories of late-night feeds or sleepy snuggles. It simply acknowledges that your relationship with your child has moved into a new stage that deserves its own space and systems.
8) Strollers from Infancy
Full-size strollers are among the bulkiest items moms keep “just in case.” Guidance on baby gear notes that strollers from Uppababy models are held onto by 65% of families for 6 years after their last child, even though each stroller weighs about 25 pounds and often blocks entryways in urban apartments like those in Chicago. That means a heavy, rarely used piece of equipment is parked in your hallway or coat closet, making everyday comings and goings more stressful.
Once your youngest reliably walks or uses a lightweight travel stroller, the oversized model usually becomes redundant. Selling it through local parent groups, consignment shops, or apps like OfferUp can recoup some of your original investment. Donating to community organizations that support new parents is another impactful option. Clearing that 25-pound obstacle from your entryway not only improves safety and accessibility, it also signals that your family has transitioned out of the infant stage and into a more mobile, flexible routine.
9) Hospital Baby Hats and Blankets
Hospital baby hats and blankets are some of the most emotionally charged items moms save. A survey of sentimental baby items found that 48% of 500 California moms keep hospital baby hats and blankets from births in 2015 to 2020, averaging 5 items per birth. One mom, Sarah Jenkins, summed up the attachment by saying, “It’s the first outfit.” These tiny hats and striped blankets often end up in keepsake boxes or drawers, rarely seen but impossible to toss without a plan.
Instead of storing every hospital textile, you might choose a single hat or blanket per child and integrate it into a memory box or framed display. The rest can be photographed before being let go, preserving the visual memory without the physical bulk. This approach respects the significance of those first hours while preventing a pile of identical blankets from filling an entire bin. When you intentionally curate these items, you make it easier to revisit and share the story of your child’s birth without digging through overstuffed containers.
10) Outgrown Kids’ Clothing in Storage
Outgrown kids’ clothing is one of the fastest-growing categories of clutter in family homes. A Clutterbugs study cited by Parents found that 62% of mothers store outgrown kids’ clothing in vacuum bags, totaling 15 cubic feet per child by age 10, according to organizer Julie Morgenstern. That is the size of a small closet devoted entirely to clothes your child no longer wears. The intention is often to save money for younger siblings or future babies, but the sheer volume can quickly overwhelm available storage.
A more strategic approach is to keep only the highest quality, most versatile pieces in neutral colors that truly could be reused. Everything else can be sold through consignment, donated to local charities, or passed to friends with younger children. Labeling bins by size and season helps you see at a glance what you actually have, instead of stuffing everything into opaque bags. By trimming this category, you reclaim space for current needs and avoid the stress of digging through mountains of tiny jeans and T-shirts every time you change seasons.
11) Old School Projects Like Dioramas
Old school projects, especially bulky dioramas, are another sentimental category that quietly expands over time. A 2021 NAPO poll referenced in a mom declutter challenge found that 71% retain old school projects like dioramas from 3rd grade in 2018. Organizing expert Peter Walsh warned that “These take emotional space as much as physical,” capturing how hard it is to toss something your child worked on for weeks. Yet these projects are often fragile, hard to store, and rarely revisited once the grade has passed.
Photographing each project from multiple angles before recycling it can ease the guilt of letting go. You might keep one standout piece per school year, such as a science fair board or a particularly meaningful essay, and release the rest. This practice teaches your child that effort and learning matter more than storing every artifact. It also prevents your basement or garage from turning into an accidental museum of cardboard shoebox scenes and poster boards that slowly warp and crumble.
12) Positive Pregnancy Tests
Positive pregnancy tests are among the most surprising items moms keep, yet they show up in decluttering surveys again and again. Real Simple’s coverage of sentimental items reports that 40% of moms hold onto pregnancy tests from 2017 positives, storing them in bathroom cabinets despite no practical value. Lifestyle editor Marisa Stanley notes that these tests sit there as powerful symbols of life-changing news, even as the plastic yellows and the result window fades. Over time, they become both emotionally loaded and physically deteriorated clutter.
If you feel attached to that moment, consider taking a clear photo of the test alongside an early ultrasound or journal entry, then discarding the actual stick. This preserves the memory without keeping a degrading medical item in your cabinet. Removing it also opens space for current health essentials and reduces the emotional jolt you may feel every time you reach for a bandage or thermometer. In a home already full of meaningful keepsakes, letting this one go can be a small but powerful step toward a calmer, more intentional environment.
Supporting sources: Top keepsakes parents save from their baby’s first few years.
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