Personalia is the "stuff" of a life — the collection of private papers, cherished belongings, and biographical tidbits that tell a person's unique story.
The word personalia comes from the Latin personalis, meaning "of or belonging to a person." A historian studying a famous author might look through personalia such as the author's glasses, handwritten notes, letters, or favorite possessions. You might hear the term used to describe a collection of any personal items, such as those you've stashed in a shoebox for safe keeping. At the end of the school year, your teacher might remind you to clear out all the personalia from your locker.