My sewing group meets at a local library. A month or two ago we were recently offered an opportunity to go through a stack of magazines and books donated by a quilter/family. I went through my library pre-move and don't really feel the need to for any more books, but what I took was a large rather ratty 4"? binder full of things from drawings to patterns to pictures.
I haven't gone through it all the way, but I will spend some time with it. To see what was important to that person, to remember the changes and trends, to honor and recognize my fellow quilter...
And then ultimately, I will either keep/incorporate a few things or I will dispose of it. Ultimately they are not my memories, and even if it was one of my notebooks, my notebooks are just tools and are not my ideas or memories.
Going through my move and house of 30 years was really life changing. I have picked up and carried every item I own, mostly I find that I really don't want all that much that I'm willing to carry it on my back. I have shopped thrift stores heavily over the last 20 years, and some things just touch me. There are few things so sad to me as a baby album at the thrift store. But I can't save them all.