Do Not Keep These Items Belonging to a Deceased Person
When a loved one passes away, the emotional weight left behind is immense. Grief does not end with the funeral; it lingers in memories, routines, and in the physical belongings the deceased leaves behind. Clothes still hang in the wardrobe, personal items remain untouched, and everyday objects silently remind us of their absence. While some belongings can be comforting keepsakes, many cultures, spiritual traditions, and even psychological studies suggest that certain items should not be kept after a person’s death.
This article explores items that are traditionally, spiritually, and practically advised not to be kept after a person has passed away, along with the reasoning behind these beliefs.
1. Clothes Worn at the Time of Death
One of the most commonly mentioned items is clothing worn at the time of death, especially if the death was sudden, violent, or involved illness.
Why not keep them?
These clothes are believed to carry strong emotional and energetic imprints of the final moments.
Seeing or touching them may repeatedly trigger trauma and grief.
In many traditions, such clothes symbolize the end of physical life and are meant to be released.
What is usually done instead?
Disposing of them respectfully
In some cultures, burning them as a symbolic act of release
Keeping these clothes may anchor the family emotionally to the moment of loss rather than allowing healing to begin.
2. Personal Items Used During Severe Illness
Items such as:
Bed sheets
Pillows
Medical aids (oxygen masks, catheters, hospital gowns)
Reasons to let them go:
Hygiene concerns, especially if illness was infectious
Emotional distress associated with prolonged suffering
These items are linked with pain, weakness, and dependency
Psychologically, keeping such items may subconsciously reinforce memories of suffering rather than memories of the person’s vitality and life.
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