What to do with old journals?

14 June 2024

Way back in the day, in the 1990s and 2000s, I used to write in a journal fairly regularly. It’s how I handled stress. But I found that I would just beat myself up when I journaled and feel worse. So I stopped. Since I had room in a file cabinet, I tossed the old journals in the back of a file drawer.

Now I’m moving. (Which is why I haven’t been blogging.) When I cleaned out that file cabinet, I found the large stack of journals. I glanced through a few and really didn’t enjoy what I read. So I put them aside for disposal.

Two days ago, The Shred Truck came and shredded all those journals (and a lot of other stuff). It felt great!

I told my neighbor that I shredded them and she touched her chest and gasped. She seemed genuinely shaken that I would destroy them. But I saw no need to keep them; they contained nothing I’d want others to read and I don’t have room to store them.

These journals are distinct from my Bullet Journals the blank journals in which I’ve been keeping track of my daily life for the last 2.5 years. I’m just finishing up my 14th journal since I started in December 2021. They’re an invaluable resource (right now) and I do refer to them. The journals I destroyed were more personal and emotional.

I am very much at peace with my irreversible decision, but I know it’s not for everyone. What do you do with your old journals?

Photo by Bookblock on Unsplash

Tagged with: decluttering, journal writing, moving

Comments

For any of your readers based in the UK: consider The Great Diary Project at the Bishopsgate Institute. (They do only take diaries from the UK, though – if there’s something like this in the US, I’d love to know! They’re amazing sources for historians!) https://thegreatdiaryproject.co.uk/

Alice June 17, 2024 08:55 AM

I know what you mean about feeling great to get a lot of old stuff shredded and removed. I only recently realized that I don’t have to save, or reread, old journals. The process of journaling might (or might not) be therapeutic, but I don’t have to spend time revisiting all that. Not required reading!

Linda June 30, 2024 04:24 PM

I had a similar experience. When I read my old journals, I was surprised to see how long certain things had been weighing on me. It just made me feel worse. And like you, I definitely didn’t want anyone else coming across them either! I may still have a few, but plan to do some decluttering soon and will let them go then.

Janet Barclay July 3, 2024 10:13 AM

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