The box is brown, a little crushed on one corner, and taped shut with packing tape that has gone yellow.
On the side, in my own handwriting, it says “WORK, KEEP.” I packed it on my last day of work and put it in the back of the spare room closet.
I’ve been retired a while now. This fall was the first time I opened it.
Inside, I found a coffee mug, a stack of business cards, a lanyard with my old badge, two thick training binders, a framed certificate and a pile of cards from my retirement party. Under all of it was a folder of papers I really did need to keep.
It took me one afternoon to sort that box. And it made me look at every other work thing still tucked around our house.
If you’ve stopped working, or you’re about to, this is the list I wish I’d had on my last day. It covers what to keep, what to give back, and where everything else can go.
Why Work Things Stay So Long
Most of us don’t keep work things because we need them. We keep them because we’re not sure yet.
Maybe we’ll go back part time. Maybe someone will call with a question. Maybe the old suit will be right for a wedding.
There’s another reason, too. For many years, work was a big part of who we were. Letting go of the badge can feel like letting go of that.
You can give yourself time. A few months after your last day is a fine time to start.