Across cultures—from the American Southwest to Central Mexico—there’s a growing recognition that personal belongings of the deceased can hold onto more than just sentiment. Spiritual traditions speak of the “energy” that lingers in items that were close to the body or spirit of a person. Even for the skeptical, there’s something to be said about the unease certain objects provoke—or the heaviness they seem to bring into a space.

Here are four types of objects that may be better left behind—not out of disrespect, but in the name of release, clarity, and healing.

1. Underwear or very intimate garments

It may feel odd to even mention, but garments like underwear or underclothing are among the most energetically charged items. These were worn closest to the skin, day after day. Spiritual traditions often say such pieces absorb emotions, moods, and even pain.

Keeping them in drawers or storage boxes can create what some believe to be “stagnant energy” in the home—subtle but persistent unease, disrupted rest, or emotional heaviness.

What to do instead: A respectful farewell is enough. Wrap them in white fabric and bury them, or donate them if they are clean and usable—but don’t keep them as mementos.

2. Mirrors With a Past

Mirrors are more than just functional decor. In folklore and spiritual circles, they are sometimes described as portals—reflecting not only our image but the energy of the space and people who used them.

A mirror once owned by someone who has passed can become an object of subtle discomfort. Many people report strange dreams, disturbed sleep, or unease after placing an inherited mirror in a new home, particularly if it was used in a bedroom.

What to do instead: You might choose to cover it in dark cloth for several days before discarding or donating it. In some cases, simply removing it from your space can make a surprising difference.

3. Jewelry You’ll Never Wear

Heirloom jewelry can carry great meaning—but it can also carry emotional weight. Precious metals like gold and silver are believed to absorb energy, especially when worn regularly. If the person who owned a ring or necklace endured trauma, illness, or sorrow, that piece may hold onto more than you realize.

When such items are tucked away out of obligation rather than joy, they often serve as quiet reminders of unfinished grief.

What to do instead: Consider having them melted and redesigned into something new. Give them away with intention. Or sell them if you feel it’s time to close that chapter. The value lies in the love, not the object.

4. Very personal religious objects

Rosaries, crosses, devotional statues, annotated prayer books—these objects are deeply personal. They were held, prayed with, and often infused with emotion and spiritual longing. But if you don’t connect with that same belief, or if the item brings sadness or guilt instead of peace, it may be better to part with it.

What to do instead: You can donate these objects to a local temple, church, or religious community. Alternatively, store them respectfully out of sight in a neutral space.

Letting Go Is Also a Form of Love

Sometimes the hardest part of grief isn’t saying goodbye to a person—it’s letting go of the pieces of their life we thought we had to keep.

But real love doesn’t live in an object. It lives in how we carry that person forward: in how we speak their name, in the choices they inspired us to make, in the lives we lead because of who they were.

You’re not dishonoring anyone by releasing what no longer supports your healing.