Yes, it can even be hard for a pro organizer and "minimalish" mom to let go.

One of our summer projects was a room refresh....the first in more than a decade for my teen. In many ways, a kids room becomes a scrapbook of their life under your roof. A collection of their childhood seasons, sports played, vacations experienced, favorite stuffies, sports player or artist faves adorn walls and shelves (and maybe collect some dust). For our family, the priority in our kids rooms has always been a place to REST. Our formula for setting up a kids space has always been:

Bed + Nightstand with lamp, Desk + Chair, Dresser, Bookcase for Books + Treasures

Of course our kids always make it their own with favorite things gracing the walls. When we have repainted a space we have given our kids a handful of approved choices to make it their own.

So, back to the summer refresh. To my surprise, this kid was ready to get rid of a fair amount of those childhood items. I mean, this IS how I have taught my kids - to let go of what no longer serves them. The heart twinges for myself were unexpected. I mean, I thought after painting you would just put those trophies back on top of your bookshelf.....for you to deal with as a grown-up.

But, nope. Sometimes even kids realize that "participation" trophies don't hold much value. So, some were tossed and a few went into a box in the attic for now.

Children truly teach us as much, if not more, than we might teach them. They move through different seasons and interests and favorites as they become who they are. How might our kids shifting from one phase to the next teach us more about letting go and embracing who we are today and how we've grown rather than getting bogged down by the past? I loved the little kid years as much as I felt how challenging physically they were. I also love watching my kids mature and grow into themselves. What a ride.

Some pro tips when it's hard for our mama hearts to let go:

Remember their room can be a form of self expression and also where they learn life long habits about how to care for a space.
Add a couple favorites to the keepsake bin
If necessary, store items temporarily in a box in the attic (with a date to review in 6 months) - it often matters less when you come back to it.
Take a photo
Pass along outgrown toys, books, clothing and wall art/posters to younger neighbors, friends or family members. Their excitment makes it feel so much better.
Extend yourself tons of grace and maybe focus on decluttering something easier (like the car's glove box or your purse) to build up that muscle.
Don't get stuck in the past and instead enjoy THIS current season
Remember you still have the memories even after you release the items.

Our simple nursery in our first home in Massachusetts was simple with a crib, secondhand dresser that doubled as a changing table, handmade art in frames that have since been repurposed, and the rocking chair my mom rocked me in as a baby The bright Sherwin Williams Lime Rickey walls reflected my joyful mood at becoming a mother.

Only a year later we moved to Richmond so we kept things simple by setting up the room in a similar way. We painted the same weekend we closed on the house and found out we were expecting baby number 2. Eventually the room evolved slightly with the addition of a hand me down bed and dresser and bookcase to store and display all the books, treasures and lego creations.

Now, heading into high school, we gave the teen the ability to update the room, which led to new paint (they participated in this chore! Life skills!) and a simpler space plan by moving clothing into the closet and eliminating the dresser. This snap was before all the favorite posters went up on the wall too. I’m sure it will continue to evolve over these next few years headed to adulthood.