How to get rid of sentimental objects and heirlooms and feel good about it.

This is One Thing, a column with tips on how to live. A pair of silver boots meant for a New Year’s Eve party in Los Angeles. In the process of cleaning things out, I was reunited with the ’80s cassette player my late father had given me when I was a kid. I wanted to get rid of the bulky boom box, yet throwing it out felt like renouncing my father’s love. As I considered what to do, I photographed the player, wrote about the cartoon stickers I’d plastered on the speakers, and posted about my dilemma on social media, sharing the importance of the boom box with my friends and followers.