Posted by Lauren Jaques - Senior Buyer, Frames and Furniture on 24th Oct 2022

Where Do You Store Your Keepsakes and Secrets?

The nostalgia that stirs within whenever we get a moment to flick through photo albums, read old love letters, or rediscover the treasures saved from your child’s earliest years is unlike anything else. These keepsakes can bring what seemed like distant memories flooding back in an instant.

Perhaps the desire to reminisce leads us to hold on to these keepsakes and sentimental trinkets for years to come.

But where do we keep these treasured keepsakes and mementoes?

We were curious to learn more about the kinds of keepsakes and sentimental items most Brits keep hold of through the years and where they choose to store them. So, we surveyed 500 people across the UK to learn more. Here’s what they revealed.

Which possessions do we keep?

Sentimental keepsakes

More than 59% of the Brits who took place in our survey say they hold on to sentimental keepsakes, such as old gifts and prefer to store them in their bedroom. (a)

For some, it might be holding on to travel souvenirs or photos from your gap year. For others, a cinema or gig ticket from the first date you had, or maybe even your favourite childhood teddy bear that you can’t bear to throw away.

For those who have kids, keepsake boxes are often filled with milestone memories. Everything from their baby’s first pair of shoes to the countless pieces of pre-school artwork are keepsakes you can treasure forever. This probably explains why more than 65% of the parents surveyed said their bedroom is mostly filled with this type of sentimental memento. (b)

Precious photos

More than half of those taking part in our say it’s treasured photographs they can’t bear to part with (c), and it’s easy to understand why. While we can store thousands of photos instantly on digital platforms, there’s nothing quite like flicking through photo albums and marvelling at the low-quality snaps produced by the trustee disposable camera or classic polaroid. It's the feeling of being able to physically hold something in your hand that many of us yearn for in this digital age in which we find ourselves in.

And the older we get, the more moments in life there are to document. Witnessing your children get married or capturing your grandchild’s first steps are our future treasured keepsakes. And so finding the proper place to store them is essential. To back this up, we found that a whopping 63% of those aged 55 and over say photos are their most treasured possession. (d)

Old cards

Whether it’s from birthdays, anniversaries, or your first Mother’s or Father’s Day, there’s something about reading old cards that can bring back much-loved memories.

Our survey results revealed that women were much more likely than men to hold onto greeting cards – with 44% of women admitting they can’t bear to throw them out, compared to just 23% of men. (e)

While cards may seem somewhat old-fashioned in this digital age, there’s something about receiving a hand-written card that feels special and personal. As such, the act of giving physical cards will never grow old in our hearts. And if you agree, you should definitely start hanging onto those that stir that special feeling if you don't already. Just think, years from now you'll be able to relive that feeling by retrieving those cards and rereading them as and when the urge takes you.

Secret diaries and private journals

While secret diaries might be something we typically associate with teenagers, it turns out that more than a quarter of those we surveyed say they use their bedrooms to stash their diaries or journals. (f)

And it may surprise you that more than 31% of men surveyed say they keep hold of diaries and journals, compared to just 23% of women. (g)

Whether you’re keeping a diary to track events of the day or journalling to reflect on your emotions, our bedrooms can provide the perfect hideaway to keep your innermost thoughts top-secret.

Love letters

Almost a quarter of married people say they use their bedrooms to hide old love letters. (h)

Once again, in today’s world of text messages and DM’s, love letters have almost become a thing of the past. But reading back over words that first loves and old flames once told us can be incredibly nostalgic and can be fantastic reminders of our youth. Even notes from friends, or letters exchanged with pen pals (if you’re old enough to remember such a thing), can evoke beautiful memories of times gone by that you never want to forget.

Intimate items

43% of those surveyed aged between 16 and 24 say they use their bedrooms to store their saucy secrets, (i) whether it’s sexy lingerie, adult toys, or naughty nude snaps.

Some possessions we keep are intended for our and our partner’s eyes only, making our bedroom the perfect place to store our more intimate items –let’s just hope the kids don’t stumble upon them!

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Where should we store our treasured possessions?

More than 61% of people keep their secret souvenirs and trinkets in their bedrooms, (j) which makes sense given this is the only room in our home that is truly ours.

But where are we going to store them all?

More than 56% of those living with a partner say they don’t have enough space in the bedroom to store their keepsakes. (k)

Don’t worry, you don’t have to throw out all your treasured mementoes – you might just need better storage.

Ottoman boxes

Penelope Upholstered Ottoman Blanket Box

If you need somewhere to keep old baby clothes, wedding keepsakes or travel mementoes that are too large to fit in drawers, ottoman boxes provide the perfect solution. They look incredibly stylish and can be placed under your window or at the foot of the bed for easy access when you want to take a trip down memory lane.

The Penelope Ottoman Blanket Box is perfect if you’re looking for storage with a plush finish. These boxes come in a range of contemporary colours and velvet fabric for a luxurious feel.

Bedside tables

Where better to keep your secret diary or sexy lingerie than right next to your bed? Bedside tables offer you a convenient place to store your more intimate items.

The Alster 3 Drawer Bedside Cabinet gives you ample room to store your keepsakes, and the best part? We will assemble this for you, so you don’t have the hassle of building it yourself!**

However, if you’re looking for even more convenience, the Kuban Wireless Charging Bedside Table is ideal for modern living. Charge your phone on the tabletop while you jot down the day’s events.

Dressing tables

Not just perfect places to get ready, dressing tables also provide a beautiful place to display your treasured photos and store your most precious keepsakes, from old love letters to sentimental jewellery.

The Ezra Dresser Desk is perfect for smaller space and can even double up as a desk if your bedroom needs to be multi-functional. Or, if you have the space, the Merton 3 + 3 Drawer Dressing Table is ideal. With three drawers at either side, you’ll have plenty of room to store your treasured possessions.

Chest of drawers

Lorenzo 4+4 Drawer Wide Chest of Drawers

Drawers are ideal for neatly storing away cards, letters, photos or journals you can’t bear to part with.

The Lorenzo 4+4 Drawer Wide Chest of Drawers offers a ‘yours and theirs’ section, which is ideal for couples. Or, for something a little roomier, the Emden or Dorsten ranges are ideal.

Wardrobes

Don’t forget to utilise space in your wardrobe when allocating a designated space to store those keepsakes.

If it’s time to upgrade and you have the space, the Lazio 5 Door Hinged Wardrobe makes it easy to access your treasured trinkets and keepsakes whenever you want or need to, and it comes with the option to add three extra drawers for maximum storage.

For smaller spaces, the Alster 2-door hinged wardrobe works with any modern interior and offers overhead shelves and the option to add extra internal drawers to make sure you have all the room you need.

Storage solutions at Bensons

If you’re looking for ways to maximise the storage space available in your bedroom, shop our entire range of bedroom furniture, including bedside tables, dressing tables, chest of drawers, wardrobes and underbed storage to suit all needs and budgets. We also offer a free minimum 5-year guarantee* on all furniture products for your total peace of mind.

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Survey results

184 of 309 people surveyed who say they use their bedrooms to store private/personal items, answered ‘keepsakes/sentimental gifts’ when asked, ‘What kind of private/personal items do you store in the bedroom?’
109 of 166 parents surveyed answered ‘keepsakes/sentimental gifts’ when asked, ‘What kind of private/personal items do you store in the bedroom?’
172 of 309 people surveyed who say they use their bedrooms to store private/personal items, answered ‘sentimental photos’ when asked, ‘What kind of private/personal items do you store in the bedroom?’
71 of 112 people surveyed aged 55 and over who say they use their bedrooms to store private/personal items, answered ‘sentimental photos’ when asked, ‘What kind of private/personal items do you store in the bedroom?’
81 of 183 females and 29 of 126 males surveyed who say they use their bedrooms to store private/personal items, answered ‘cards’ when asked, ‘What kind of private/personal items do you store in the bedroom?’
83 of 309 people surveyed who say they use their bedrooms to store private/personal items, answered ‘diary/journal’ when asked, ‘What kind of private/personal items do you store in the bedroom?’
40 of 126 males and 43 of 183 females surveyed who say they use their bedrooms to store private/personal items, answered ‘diary/journal’ when asked, ‘What kind of private/personal items do you store in the bedroom?’
27 of 122 married people surveyed who say they use their bedrooms to store private/personal items, answered ‘letters from old friends/previous relationships’ when asked, ‘What kind of private/personal items do you store in the bedroom?’
96 of 309 people surveyed aged 16 to 24 who say they use their bedrooms to store private/personal items, answered ‘intimate items, such as lingerie, adult toys, etc’ when asked, ‘What kind of private/personal items do you store in the bedroom?’
309 of 500 people surveyed answered ‘yes’ when asked, ‘Do you use your bedroom for storing private/personal items, such as diary, photos, sentimental gifts, keepsakes, etc?’
41 of 73 people surveyed living with a partner answered ‘no’ when asked, ‘Do you have enough storage space in your bedroom?’

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Lauren Jaques

Senior Buyer

Lauren has worked at Bensons for Beds for 1 ¹⁄₂ years. Lauren is a real industry expert in the area of home furnishing and has buying skills in abundance combined with a keen eye for product detail and flair for design.
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Where Do You Store Your Keepsakes and Secrets?