Here are items you should not keep that belonged to a deceased person, especially if they were used intimately or cannot be properly cleaned.
This isn’t about being disrespectful. It’s about hygiene, emotional wellbeing, and sometimes safety.
1. Used Toothbrushes
This is one of the most common items people keep for sentimental reasons, but it shouldn’t be kept.
Toothbrushes harbour bacteria, saliva, and old biological material. They have no real practical use and keeping them can delay the grieving process.
Better: Dispose of it, or keep a note or photo of a favourite mug instead.
2. Bed Pillows and Mattresses
Mattresses, pillows, and bedding absorb sweat, skin cells, and bodily fluids over years.
Unless the mattress or pillows were nearly new and professionally cleaned, they are usually not worth keeping for health reasons.
Better: Keep a clean blanket, quilt, or cushion cover that holds memories.
3. Old Underwear and Socks
These are deeply personal items that are rarely suitable to keep or donate.
They carry bacteria, dead skin, and wear. Keeping them often brings more sadness than comfort.
4. Perishable Food and Medications
Do not keep:
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Leftover food or drinks
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Half-used medication
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Opened creams, ointments, or eye drops
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Expired prescriptions
These can spoil, become dangerous, or be misused.
Better: Return medicines to a pharmacy for safe disposal.
5. Used Razors, Nail Clippers, and Personal Grooming Tools
These can carry blood, skin, and bacteria.
Razors especially should be handled carefully and thrown away.
6. Soiled or Stained Clothing
Some clothes hold strong memories, and that’s fine. But heavily stained, torn, or soiled clothing — especially from illness — may do more harm than good emotionally.
Better: Keep one or two clean meaningful items, such as a jumper, scarf, or coat.
7. Unwashed Hospital or Care-Home Items
Things like hospital gowns, slipper socks, or disposable care items usually shouldn’t be kept.
They can carry infection or remind you constantly of the most difficult final days.
8. Broken or Empty Containers
Empty perfume bottles, old glasses without lenses, or broken objects often get kept out of guilt.
If the item is broken or unusable, it’s okay to let it go.
Better: Keep something small that was used often and still has positive associations.
9. Firearms or Dangerous Items
If the person owned weapons, ammunition, or hazardous materials, these should be secured or handed over to authorities if you don’t know how to store them safely.
10. Anything That Causes You Distress
This is the most important one.
If an item makes you feel anxious, guilty, haunted, or deeply upset every time you see it, you don’t have to keep it.
Letting go of an object doesn’t mean letting go of the person.
What Is Worth Keeping
You don’t need to keep everything to preserve someone’s memory.
Often the best items are:
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Letters and handwriting
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Photographs
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A watch or piece of jewellery
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A favourite coat, scarf, or hat
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Recipe books
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Tools or hobby items
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A clean blanket or quilt
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A small ornament they loved
Bottom Line
After someone dies, people often keep too much out of fear, guilt, or grief.
But keeping used, unhygienic, or distressing items doesn’t honour the person. It often makes moving forward harder.
Keep the things that bring comfort and good memories. Let the rest go without guilt.