Do you still keep pictures and things from your ex?

I don't know if I have anything from any of my big relationships. Let me see... Rob was my first serious boyfriend. We had talked about marriage, we were engaged for more than two years, but then when he couldn't (or wouldn't) tell his mother, I broke it off. I cried, and I believe I got rid of almost everything, except some pictures of him that I took. The ring I finally sold in 2008 when I was unemployed and needed money. My next major relationship was with Garth, my ex-husband and father of my child. I think there's some family portraits we had taken (which will go to my daughter)-the house we bought together (and I bought from him after our divorce) I sold two years ago. And pretty much anything we might have bought together is gone-either he sold it (during our marriage but without telling me) or I did (after I got ill and couldn't work in 2008). I can't do anything about my daughter-she has his down turned mouth, but I love her all the same-I know she wouldn't be her without him. Then came Ed. Ed was my longest relationship, outside of Garth. We went together for just about seven years. We had met at work, and we didn't live together, or even in the same state. We broke up after I was laid off, but I plead my case and we got back together. He was the first man I knew I was head-over-heels in love with...and that wasn't something I had planned at all. But I finally was sick of being his "dish-on-the-side" and was ready to break it off the weekend of his 50th birthday, but he didn't give me the chance-he just stopped calling. And I didn't give chase. We didn't really exchange gifts-he'd win goofy little stuffed animals in the claw machine and give it to me. I think I might still have one hidden away. He also gave me a couple of guitar picks-I lost the first one, and I'm not sure what happened to the other. His band's CD that I listened to for nearly 14 hours straight when I drove to Tennessee in 2009 was finally thrown out last year when I cleaned out my car before I sold it. THAT felt good, especially since I could no longer listen to more than 10 minutes (because it was damaged). I also got rid of his pictures except one-and that is so I know if he ever called. That was in October 2010. Since then, he's sent me a text, inviting me to his band's show last year in May, and left me a voicemail about 5 weeks ago on my phone. He told me he had been out of work for 18 months but that he hoped I was doing well. And now I'm with Jim, who I intend to marry once his divorce goes through. We don't have much right now, but he's generous (to the point of breaking the bank account sometimes!) and loving. I can't imagine throwing anything out now, but I've had to let him know that certain things he's purchased for me weren't really my taste-and then wore them or used them anyway.

I think I still have a shirt of my ex somewhere in the house. Never though about it for so long, though.

I really think it's a personal choice as to whether or not you keep pictures or things that bring back memories of your ex. Personally I don't think I could do it because it would be too hurtful. I've been in my current relationship for almost 8 years now and if things ended between us I can't see myself being strong enough to hang onto pictures and things, if I did they would be locked away somewhere and I would never look at it.

For me, I will keep all the photos. I think it's the most wonderful life I ever have when in love with someone. No matter if it broke up for what ever reason. They are my memories and I must keep it. Another thing is that, photos is a hard evidence that I have once in love with her.

I dated a boy in high school for a little over a year, and he wrote me love letters, poems, and even asked me out through a note we were passing in class, so I kept all those things in a little mailbox I had in my room at the time. I planned on keeping them forever, but then again, I was hoping on being with him for longer than I was. Within months of breaking up with this kid, I met the man who would later become my husband. He wrote me love letters literally every day. I didn't do anything with the letters the ex had given me, because I wasn't ready to give them up. Our break up had been hostile, but I appreciated the words of admiration within the letters and I liked to remember how much I had affected him. Within the next few years I threw away the letters. It was a combination of things that made me do it...for one thing, I wasn't ready to forgive my ex for the things he'd said about me after the break up, and I was a bit bitter. For another, I knew I was ready to move on with my current relationship. Long story short, since I'm such a nostalgic person that normally likes to keep mementos from my life (no matter how relevant), I'm a little disappointed I got rid of the letters from my ex. Photos I keep, if only because my family is big on photos so my mother and grandmother will always have those pictures in their albums. You have to decide for you if deleting those photos is good for you. Is it bitterness when a person deletes memories? Not necessarily. Every person is different and will grow and move on differently.

You don't really move on from the person. You move on from the circumstances, the events... And I believe you have already moved on. And it's only a matter of personal preference why you have deleted those pictures. I would've kept those, but that's just me, because I'm the type of person who is over compulsive of documentations. I even archive all of the messages from text, FB, twitter, email, etc. But if I were not that kind of person, I would delete those without batting an eyelash.

I never really had an ex because I married my first boyfriend. But if and when I had the experience...I don't think I will bother keeping anything that would remind me of him if the reason for the split is his unfaithfulness. I probably could not stand seeing his photos or any souvenir that reminds me of him because that will only freshen up the wound. I think the most painful thing for a woman is know that the love of his life is cheating on her especially if she has been faithful to him.

there's nothing wrong with it, as long as you have move on with your life. besides, it serves as a good memory for you and a lesson that you couldn't afford to trust him again. you can always keep them or burn them at your leisure. or at least keep one

Photos and trinkets from an ex may be difficult to to look at from time to time but I will still hang onto them, aferall they were a aprt of your life and will live in your memories.

Either Choose better or never get into to all this, i might be rude but lemme tell you what you would feel if you go wrong twice in selecting your present, then your EX-things count would be more. That is a mess up of memories. And if still mistake happened unaware of you then i would suggest to still keep the memories coz those are the ones you loved irrespective of things what would happened later on. Go on with your life with true facts not with your hidden secrets that might make you into very regretful situation which you never thought of... Sorry if i hurt your sentiments or such..

i had an ex who cheated on me (the ex before my husband) and honestly, i was able to throw all the pictures and the gifts he gave me in a span of one week ( i guess). Although, i still have one stuffed toy that came from him at our house but it belongs to my younger sister now! lol.. for me, getting rid of everything that reminds you of an ill relationship is a good start. But if the gift is expensive, you might wanna keep it or sell it! just kidding!

Hmmm, it depends on what stuff he gave you. If it's something really expensive, like a jewelry or watch, maybe you would want to consider returning it but its bette to ask. When I broke up with my first bf, I asked him if he wants my watch back as I was taking it off. He clutched my arm and he said no, it's a gift. So I still have that watch, lol! And surprisingly it still works well. The rest of the stuff that he gave me, like some books that he said he wants me to keep I gave it back to him.

To me it all depends on how the relationship ended. If it ended amicably then why not? I would have them in picture frames on tables tho on display but i would probably have them tucked away in a box somewhere. I can remember one instance I had a necklace from an ex. from the get-go I told him I didnt want it but he would take no for an answer and even when we broke up he still didnt take it back but Ididnt want it. Dont ever remember wearing it it was always in its box at a bottom my my junk drawer. I think I eventually put ti in the trash. This is because when we ended i grew to hate the dude. Whereas I had a pair of earring I got ex that I still wear today. Our situation is complicated still is even tho we're exes but I would never throw these away :)..I really depends on the situation and the relationship.

I think it depends on the person and the situation and how your relationship ended and are you still friends with them? One of my ex's was from college and he's one of my good friends still now so I have pictures of us still... he even came to my wedding. Now some others that didn't end so well I actually got rid of everything since that was easiest for me at the time.

chiyo i guess it was your heart's way to show that you dont love him anymore. i kept a pic of my ex in my computer and also i keep a present he gave me. the pic i lost it cause the computer broke and i had to format it so i lost it. but the present i keep it cause it was a special thing to him that he gave me so i dont want to put in trash. but the pic is ok i lost it. cause i cant think anymore that we will be together again. he chose not to wait for me and find someone near him. so i just need to forget the promises he made me. has been over a year now so. thanks for sharing your story with us^^ wish you can soon find a good guy for you

I only kept the picture and letter of my first love, those things are still with me but our pictures together are already deleted..3yrs ago.. I already moved on but I just feel comfortable to keep them ,in that way because he's my first love...

there is only one of my exes that i keep pictures with me, actually even the letters she sent me are still with me, i don't know when will be right time to discard them,...

Yes.I haven't thrown it away. I think I found it few weeks ago while I was cleaning my cupboard.It was a token made of clay.My ex gave it to me and he kept the other.It actually doesn't have any meaning to me at all. When I found it I just remembered the good old days. I gave the ring (couple ring which was also supposed to be our wedding ring) to my husband and he sold it.I actually didn't want him (my husband)to sell it (not because of the memory) because hehehehe the diamond is expensive hahaha.A friend of mine told me that I can ask a goldsmith to have it made into earrings.

hey chiyosan, It would be a very difficult situation to keep those things and photos, because for sure your current might not feel ok completely and he may think you haven't move on, I can't forget the memories I had with him despite of fact how we broke up, but either I will hide them or delete them because I can't afford to risk my present due to my past. Its better to let go things and move on rather than holding them forever in your life because by that way you will never enjoy your present life.