A graphic of shelving with trophies and medals on display

Episode 59 – Organising trophies and medals

In this podcast to mark Remembrance Sunday in the UK, we take the opportunity to talk about military medals and other medals and trophies. It can be difficult to work out whether medals and trophies should be kept. It is a personal decision as they differ so much in importance and sentimentality to people. We chat about organising trophies and medals and where to find inspiration for storage.

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Transcript of this podcast episode

Intro  0:07  
Welcome to today's episode of The declutter hub podcast, your channel for super easy, no nonsense advice on how to declutter and organise your home. Please welcome your host professional organisers, Ingrid Johnson and Lesley Spellman. 

Ingrid  0:23  
Hello and welcome listeners to Episode 59 of the declutter hub Podcast. I'm Ingrid.

Lesley  0:29  
And I'm Lesley.

Ingrid  0:30  
If you have clutter and want to sort it out, this is the show for you, as well as the free resources on our declutter hub.com website like the podcast checklists and guest blogs. We also have an exclusive area where we guide our members step by step to declutter their homes. We realise this can be very overwhelming. So we're there every step of the way. With courses live q&a and a community discussion. Take a look on members.declutter hub.com. This weekend, it is Remembrance Sunday, Remembrance Day, sometimes known informally as Poppy Day, owing to the tradition of the remembrance, Poppy is a memorial day observed in the Commonwealth Member States since the end of the First World War, to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. So in today's episode, Leslie and I will be talking about medals and trophies, and how to make decisions on what to keep, how to store them, and what to do if you no longer want them. So Leslie, what does Remembrance Sunday mean to you?

Lesley  1:38  
Well, I don't have anybody who served in any of the wars in my family at the moment, but do make a special trip every month Remembrance Sunday within our little town centre here in sale, all the scouts and the guys and stuff, do parades and put down Poppy wreaths and things. But it's so so important for us as younger people who haven't had to do that kind of thing in World War Two, just think back and think what people did for us.

Ingrid  2:02  
Yes, absolutely. And it's interesting, because we don't have a Remembrance Sunday in the Netherlands, where I come from, we celebrate our day of freedom on the fifth of May. So we remember all those who have fallen on the fourth of May. So when I came here, I was like, oh, there's nothing going on the fourth day. Okay. So when do you do this then and there was a Remembrance Sunday, and it's in November. And of course, my son is now in this is in the scouts who has been a beaver. And he's been, he's been in the scouts for for a long time. So we go every year now they have a lovely celebration here in one of the woods in Bexley. And there's a little plaque of the founder of the first wedding scouts, who actually died in the in the First World War in the battlefields in Belgium. And it's actually a really a touching that my son went to eeper, about half a year ago in Belgium. And he actually sold the plaque of the name of Raymond store on the wall in the men and gate. So let's see, I think that makes it a circle around us. And it's I think it's so important to commemorate and to remember on Remembrance Sunday, all that those that have fallen have done for us.

Lesley  3:13  
So we're looking at when we go out and declutter houses, because whether that's someone from the wars that still limping and has got medals and trophies from that time, or whether it's something that's been passed down through generations, for me, it's always such a touching moment when you see something like that. But there is always a question mark of of what kind of things do you do with these? Do you just leave them in a drawer? Do you try and pass them on somewhere? What do you actually do with them? Because they tend at the moment to just sit in drawers, don't they? So we just wanted to talk a little bit today about a couple of possibilities, you know what's right for you. And if you're happy to just keep it in a drawer and be reminded of that every time you open draw? That's absolutely fine. But there are some other options out there. And we just wanted to talk about that, didn't we?

Ingrid  3:53  
Yes, absolutely. Another thing, it's not only a medals from from first or second world wars, I think it's also trophies that people I mean, I have a trophy upstairs that I want at a dancing competition, you know, and I really, that's a special moment, I was really proud of that. And I've kept it as well. And it's, it's so high up on the shelves, but it's on display. So it's not only about medals, but also trophies maybe from running, or sports competition, or football or dancing or whatever you are into all those medals and trophies or things from family members who have served. That is what we're talking about this this podcast, and what do you do with this kind of stuff?

Lesley  4:33  
Now, we did a podcast about six months ago, didn't we about children's memorabilia, but I don't know about you, but I kind of think it's slightly different, isn't it? So the trophies and medals and certificates that children get? They're not mainstream. That's not what I want to say. But they're more commonplace only than things that we get as an adult. So as an adult, if we get a trophy or a medal, we've worked hard for it generally. I guess that's been a conscious decision. I'm not saying the kids have not worked hard, right? Not at all. That's not what I'm So, as an adult, it's very different endeavours and it to run a marathon or to fight in a world war, or to go into the Ironman or whatever those things are called that I've never done, and never will do. But it's a big deal, because it's a real sense of achievement, isn't it as an adult, so I've got a client who took off running in her late 50s. And now she's running marathons. And she's 62 or 63, or something like that. And she's doing so well. And running has become such a huge part of her life. But she's probably got now in the past five years doing this 25 or 30, winning medals. So what do you do with those medals?

Ingrid  5:37  
I think the first thing is you need to decide if you want to keep them or not, just because they gave them to you doesn't necessarily mean you need mean you need to keep them. But on the other hand, like you said, because it's such an achievement, people are really happy about those achievements. And there really would like to keep them. So there's lots of options, besides stuffing them in a drawer and occasionally pulling them out.

Lesley  6:01  
Yeah, definitely. Just just jumping back there to the psychology of things, I think it's really, really important to work out what that means to you now. So remembering one of us because quite regularly, we do these little decluttering challenges, don't worry in our Facebook community or in our members area. And one of the things that I did was that people were quite horrified more than anybody else. My brother in law was completely horrified that I got rid of a running trophy. It was 10 years ago, 15 years ago, it doesn't really bring me that much happiness. Now I know that I did it. I know that I did a half marathon then which I can't actually believe that I did do now. But I've still got the medal. So I got a medal and the trophy. I don't need both. And so I was just trying to think of things to declutter. And that's something that came up. And so it's an interesting one, because it is very much about how important it is to you. And I think it's really a lot about quality over quantity, isn't it? But for some people, the quantity of those metals is input is important, too. So it's not, it's not necessarily a quality or quantity, but it is for me, does that make sense? And so it's a very, very personal journey in terms of metals, isn't it and what you've what you've got, this is not you know, sort of running metal is not the same as a war trophy. That's not what we're saying here. But we're saying that the the achieve the sense of achievement, or B is different, obviously, than serving in a war. As an adult, you have a very strong sense of connection to those medals, don't you and a psychological sentimental attachments. So what do you do with them? Yeah,

Ingrid  7:27  
I think you're right, whether it's a medal or a trophy, from a sports event, I walked the NYMEX feeder, so which is a four day walking event, which is one of the it's the biggest walking event in the world. And oh my goodness, you know, I, I trained for months to do with and I felt such an incredible sense of achievement. By walking over that finish. I'm so proud of that. And that is I think still one of the highlights that my husband and I both have done. And I was a bit distraught because women can either walk 30k or 40k a day, and men will either 40k or 50k. And because I heard my foot a week before the events, I decided to not walk to 40k, but walk to 30k. So that meant I didn't get a medal. But I know I did it. And I am really, really proud of that achievement. And my friend actually made me a beautiful frame with all the roots on their photos of me going over the finish and I treasured that it's in my loo a seed every day. It's donkey's years ago, but I'm so proud of that. So it's such as I think it's really a sentimental item to keep or to let go of. But it's not an easy decision.

Lesley  8:43  
It's not an easy decision at all. And that's why we're saying it's very much a personal journey. Because part of me, when I was thinking specifically about that trophy that was like, every time I go out running, I remember that I ran a half marathon. So I don't need a physical reminder of that achievement. And so it's a really interesting one. So what do you do? Have I got running medals? Yes, I absolutely have. But does one need to keep them if your home's becoming overwhelmed with them, which is, I suppose what we're talking about at the moment, or if you've not got space for them. So yeah, think about the psychology and think about what it means to you. You don't necessarily need to keep them. But for me, if you do keep them, they're something that are so special that you need to do something special with them and not just leave them in a drawer. So there are some really cool ideas out there in terms of what you can do. And because there's quite cool things, you know, visually, aesthetically, they're quite cool things, aren't they? The way you can display them is so cool. Now just did a little five minute search on Pinterest to see the kind of images that were coming up of things and there are so many really cool things. People have gotten threaded over loops and all hanging down those things. You can incorporate them within frames. You know, it's hard to explain what that looks like visually but when I went onto Pinterest, I thought if I had multiple medals and trophies like that, then I would absolutely do so. Something like that, because that is really cool, much more cool than one metal on its own in a drawer or a jumbled mess. So definitely, if you're going to keep them try and do something really special with them.

Ingrid  10:09  
Yeah, I remember in one of my clients houses to her husband at the London Marathon, and his certificate was framed, and his fault in his metal was in there and a photo of him with a shirt on with his number. And I was like, Oh, wow, that is fantastic. And what a great achievement. And what a great way to show everybody how proud you are of being able to run the London Marathon. So there's so many cool ways to create a piece of artwork with your metals, that if you don't want to keep them any more in your drawer and want to enjoy them, definitely have a look and see what your options are.

Lesley  10:45  
It's like a really typical piece of toilet art, isn't it? It's the kind of things that people have in the downstairs Ludo they know that they want to be proud of and it's the kind of typical thing that you see down there. But it's quite nice, because people see that. When you go to someone's house, you don't always see things. But when you're sat on a low, you absolutely do down the toilet art. Let's call it that. Yeah. So

Ingrid  11:08  
it that's funny that you say that because it need my my frame about my walking event. There's also my toilet. And people always asked me about it. So

Lesley  11:18  
if you do, it's a time when you can sit and reflect and see something in this graphic kind of vision of people sitting on the loo, looking around at random pieces of artwork and people's toilets. But you know what I mean, don't you like a lot of people do do things like that. But

Unknown Speaker  11:34  
we digress, Leslie.

Ingrid  11:38  
So, okay, so there's there are fantastic options out there if you want to keep it the shot stuff if you need a drawer. So what are other options then here?

Lesley  11:47  
Right, okay, so I suppose now we're jumping back to So the kinds of metals that we've been talking about and more kind of running medals and sporting achievements and that kind of thing. So if we jump back to what we first were talking about, which was the military medals and things like that, there's different options really with this. Now, there's a company out there that we're familiar with called Vintage cash cow that we worked with when we were on the Association of Professional declutters and organisers, and they definitely trade in a very simple way, vintage items, including medals and war memorabilia, it's an easy way of getting some money for something that you no longer want or need. So check out vintage cash carat, Ingrid, I'll put the link in the show notes.

Ingrid  12:27  
And there's probably something similar in the country where you're living. So maybe just do a bit of a Google and do some research where you are and see if you can find someone local, who is willing to take it off your hands if you're considering selling any of these items, because there surely is a market for for items like that.

Lesley  12:46  
Definitely. So antique shops, you know, they use them in films don't there's loads of different places that they use them, and you just never quite know. So just, you know, the so lucky these days, we just Google things can't we just say, selling my military medals, and you'll find a million things close to you. So we've got all that information on our fingertips. And it's something that you feel that you no longer want that doesn't have sentimental value to you. And think about offloading it and making some money for yourself out of it.

Ingrid  13:11  
Yeah, absolutely. Now, of course, if you don't want to keep it, but you don't want to sell it, you can also donate it. And again, we did some research last year and I and one of the options you could do. And maybe that's Besides, if you have a military uniform, or maybe a uniform military outfit or the metals, you can consider donating to a military museum.

Lesley  13:34  
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, when we were doing our quick Google search with sort of the Royal Air Force, museum, tech, things like that. The VNA Museum and I think what you have to do if you have to send an email or send a contact form, saying the kinds of things that you've gotten, then a curator of the museum will come back to you and see whether or not it's got any value to them. So that's a really cool thing. If you can get your military medals are the military medals of your loved ones into a museum. How cool is that? Yeah,

Ingrid  13:59  
definitely. That's such a good option as well, because so if there's items in your house that are just gathering dust, and they have no meaning to you, I would definitely consider donating and spending some time and researching that. Because how wonderful would that be to make sure it goes to a wonderful place and other people can enjoy those medals or uniforms or whatever it is, as well. So right let's see anything else to add before you wrap up this episode?

Lesley  14:26  
I don't think so really, other than to say these kinds of things are so special. Don't just leave them languishing in a drawer, do something special with them, display them, enjoy them, pass them on to somebody else who will enjoy them, you know, don't just leave them gathering dust as Ingrid says and sitting in a drawer. It's really really important.

Ingrid  14:45  
Yeah, and I think it's also wonderful to share the stories with family members as well and and keep that family history alive. So that's it for this episode. listeners. We hope you've all enjoyed listening and are inspired to take actions. Have you got a medal or A trophy or something very special lurking in one of your cupboards and have you been meaning to do something with it or to create a piece of art, maybe now's the time to get it done. Thank you so much for taking the time to listen today. If you'd like to get more tips and advice, please follow us on social media. We are on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook is at declutter hub. And we've got a lovely supportive Facebook group where we check all things clutter, you can search for the declutter hub community, we'd love to see you there. Take a look@members.declutter.com to find more about a membership. If you don't want to miss the next weekly episode, subscribe to the declutter podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher and it will pop into your notifications each Friday. See you next time.

Outro  15:47  
Thanks for listening to this week's episode of the declutter hub podcast. Check out declutterhub.com for more inspiration, don't forget to tune in next week.

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Useful Links and Resources

If you'd like to sell your medals have a look at Vintage Cash Cow for more information.
Check out pinterest for ideas on how to store or display your medals and trophies.
Episode 119 – Decluttering sentimental cards
Episode 32 – Keeping what is truly special within your children’s sentimental items

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Episode 389 – Overcoming mobility challenges when decluttering with member Rory

Episode 388 – Start as you mean to go on – plan 2026 for decluttering success

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Patt says:

29 September 2022 at 6:23 AM

Thanks for your blog.I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.

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1. Ingrid Jansen says:
  
  2 October 2022 at 7:05 PM
  
  Hi Patt, Thank you for letting us know and yes please keep reading and listening. We appreciate it! Ingrid
  
  Reply

Episode 59 – Organising trophies and medals

Episode 389 – Overcoming mobility challenges when decluttering with member Rory

Episode 388 – Start as you mean to go on – plan 2026 for decluttering success

Episode 388 – Start as you mean to go on – plan 2026 for decluttering success

Episode 387 – Our 2025 year in review – the big Declutter Hub round-up

Episode 386 – 10 Tell-Tale Signs that you need to Declutter your House

Episode 385 – Life Skills for Kids with Katie Kimball

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