Millennials and Gen Xers often hate clutter. It’s a natural reaction to being raised by Baby Boomer parents who loved collecting tchotchkes, antiques, fine china, and crystal sets they only used on the rarest occasions.

Along with all the junk, many adults today have inherited the idea that they must save and cherish sentimental items. They should be packed away, as they’re too precious for everyday use, and kept for…well, forever.

A new scientific study is challenging that notion in a big way.

Study says we feel more connected to objects that we use, not save

Research by Dan Grossman and colleagues in the Journal of Consumer Psychology set out to measure sentimental value and, crucially, see how it can change over time.

In a series of studies, Grossman tracked people’s use of and feelings about objects that held deep meaning for them, even simple ones. In one study, Psychology Today reported that 214 university students decorated a keychain........

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