Disclosed is a technique for managing items in a memory store. A "free-space size threshold" is set for the memory store. An age parameter is also set. When the amount of free space in the store decreases below the threshold, space in the store is freed up by removing memory items. Memory items older than specified by the age parameter are also removed. A "chain" of memory stores can be implemented. When a memory item is removed from the first store, it is added to the second store and so on. The techniques of the present invention can be implemented in each store in the chain, or the stores can use different memory management techniques.