After my mother died, it took me nearly two years to clean out her house. Deciding what to let go of was a tedious, sometimes tearful, process. My father built their house and my mother had lived there for nearly 60 years. Her Depression-era childhood, nostalgia, and love of pretty things fueled her hoarding and collecting. I experienced a mild sense of guilt about not keeping some items and a sentimental attachment to others. Ultimately, I hired an auction company to dispose of what remained.

Oftentimes, we hold on to items thinking they will prove valuable to our children or grandchildren, but in reality, they become a burden. Here, we asked the experts which most-often-saved items are usually overvalued and unwanted: