use strict;
use Devel::Size qw(total_size);
use Data::Dumper;
use TestModule;

my $h = TestModule::get_mem();
foreach my $name (keys(%$h)) {
    my $ref = $h->{$name};
    my $mem = total_size($ref);
    print("$name - $mem bytes\n");
    print(Dumper($ref));
    print("\n");
    }
[download]

package TestModule;

use strict;
use PadWalker qw(peek_my);

my $str = 'abcxyzabcxyzabcxyzabcxyz';
my $h = { x => 'abcabcabcabcabc', y => 'xyzxyzxyzxyzxyz'};
my $l = ['abcdefghi', 'stuvwxyz'];

sub get_mem {

my $str1 = 'abcxyzabcxyzabcxyzabcxyz';
my $h1 = { x => 'abcabcabcabcabc', y => 'xyzxyzxyzxyzxyz'};
my $l1 = ['abcdefghi', 'stuvwxyz'];

return peek_my(0);
}

1;
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$str1 - 52 bytes
$VAR1 = \'abcxyzabcxyzabcxyzabcxyz';

$h - 16 bytes
$VAR1 = \undef;

$h1 - 230 bytes
$VAR1 = \{
            'y' => 'xyzxyzxyzxyzxyz',
            'x' => 'abcabcabcabcabc'
          };

$l1 - 132 bytes
$VAR1 = \[
            'abcdefghi',
            'stuvwxyz'
          ];

$str - 52 bytes
$VAR1 = \undef;

$l - 16 bytes
$VAR1 = \undef;
[download]

What exactly is your point? Not sure what you expect. ...

You are using peek_my(0) , the file scope variables are from the outer scope but never used, so they are not really integrated in the pad and should be already destroyed at the time of your printing. (By ref counting, but digging in memory might still show the old content)

PadWalker is reading internals in unofficial ways and can't be more intelligent as their structures. Always be prudent about side effects.

Anyway, the case of the OP is easily solved with peek_my(1)

update

If I were you I'd do the introspection and analysis in the sub before any destruction can have happened! Do not return references.

Cheers Rolf
_{(addicted to the Perl Programming Language and ☆☆☆☆ :)
Je suis Charlie!}