We're All Guilty of Holding on to These Unnecessary Items
Clutter! It’s a dirty word in home improvement circles but everyone has at least some. Things accumulate over the years and once they pile up they’re hard to get rid of. People keep things “just in case” and don’t realize how much space they’re taking up. Here’s 35 of the worst offenders: things you should get rid of right away. It’s better late than never.
Old Cell Phones
People stash their outdated phones in drawers thinking they’ll use them in an emergency. But then tech marches on and batteries degrade, rendering the old phones completely useless. Best to recycle them the minute you get a new phone, instead.
Spare Cables and Chargers
So many people have a big box of mystery cords in a spare room gathering dust. The devices the cables were for are long since gone, and yet the chargers remain. It’s time to go through the box and throw everything out, you don’t need it.
Formal Wear That Doesn’t Fit
Closets are often packed with suits, dresses, and shoes that don’t fit but are kept “just in case” of a fancy occasion. Truth is, if the time comes, most people buy something new anyway. These clothes take up valuable space – you should donate them.
Expired Medications
This one is downright dangerous. Some people hang on to expired pills thinking they’ll come in handy one day, but they won’t – they either won’t work at all or they’ll poison you. Take your expired pills to the nearest pharmacy to dispose of them.
Instruction Manuals
People keep stacks of paper manuals for appliances they’ve either memorized or no longer own. Most manuals are available online now, rendering it completely pointless to keep the paper ones around. Put them in the recycling.
Takeout Menus
More paper items that people can’t seem to get rid of! They keep the takeout menus just in case they want to order something and leave them lying around for months or sometimes years. Sometimes people even end up keeping menus for a restaurant that has long since closed.
Extra Buttons From Clothing
Sure, buttons don’t take up much room, but they still count as clutter. Shirt and coat buttons come in tiny plastic bags “just in case” one falls off, but most people never sew them on or remember where the extras are. They just buy new clothes instead.
Unused Exercise Equipment
That resistance band, yoga wheel, or thigh master you kept “just in case” you start a new routine? It’s now buried in a corner collecting dust. You should donate the items – or you might be able to sell them on eBay for some extra cash.
Exra Bedding
Many people keep extra bedding around in case a guest comes to visit, but then they never do. And the extra bedding is often sub-par quality anyway – no-one likes that one scratchy blanket. It’s best to gather up all your extra bedding and donate it.
Craft Supplies
It’s a really common problem: you start an arts and crafts project and start buying. You get paints, yarn, scrapbook paper… and then you give up halfway through. Now you’ve got all this stuff cluttering up your house. Why not donate it to a local school?
Old Keys
Keeping an old key sounds sort of magical, but in fact it’s anything but. People often have a jar or ring full of mystery keys they’re afraid to throw away in case they open something important, but in truth the original locks are long since gone.
Gift Bags and Wrapping
People buy gift bags and wrapping for Christmas and then never get round to using all of them. Or worse, they save the gift bags they themselves were given and end up with a massive collection of them that never gets used.
Free Promotional Items
Everyone likes to get something for free, but keep too many freebies and it becomes a problem. Think pens, tote bags, stress balls, or bottle openers from events or conferences – they get thrown in a drawer and sit there gathering dust for months or sometimes years.
Outdated Electronics
Old cameras, DVD players, or Walkmans often get shelved with the idea they’ll be fixed or reused someday. But technology moves on, the repairs never happen, and the device never comes back into fashion. It’s best to donate anything that still works and throw away anything that doesn’t.
Old Paint Cans
People keep leftover paint in the garage for touch-ups “just in case,” but it often dries out, separates, or becomes unusable. It’s best not to keep old paint, especially since it’s flammable – throw it out as soon as possible.
VHS and Cassette Tapes
VHS players and cassette players are long gone now, but people keep the tapes around just in case they can do something with them one day. What they should do is take them to a professional to get them converted, and then throw them away.
Broken Appliances
That toaster, blender, or vacuum you swore you’d fix someday? It’s still broken. Most people don’t get around to the repairs, or parts end up costing more than replacing the item. Just take them to your local recycling center and get rid of them.
Unworn Shoes
Shoes are an impulse buy for some people. They buy them when they’re on sale, wear them once and then fling them to the back of their closet. But if you’ve done this, you could be sitting on some extra money. Take them out and sell them!
Extra Coffee Mugs
Most households have far more mugs than needed, often collected over the years from events, gifts, or souvenirs. People keep them “just in case,” but end up just reusing their favorite ones. It’s time to donate them – someone somewhere will be glad of a new mug.
Old Toys
Here’s a controversial one – at some point, you really have to donate your children’s old toys. There’s no point holding on to them just in case they decide to play with them again some day. Explain to your kids that other children need toys, and gently encourage them to donate.
Foreign Currency
After a trip abroad, many stash leftover coins and small bills “just in case” they return. Years pass, and the money remains untouched, often from countries they’ll never revisit. If this is you, take the money to a bank and see what they can do with it.
Old Calendars and Planners
You’d be surprised at how many people keep these. They put old calendars and planners in a drawer thinking they’ll refer back to them eventually or use them as keepsakes. But unless they contain meaningful memories or records, it’s safe to toss them and clear out valuable storage space.
Unused Cookbooks
It happens all the time: people plan to learn to cook, buy a bunch of cookbooks, and then decide actually they don’t want to cook after all. The cookbooks sit there unused for ages. If you have a bunch of them lying around, it’s time to donate them.
Old Phone Cases and Accessories
As phones get upgraded, the accessories pile up - cases, pop sockets, screen protectors - kept “just in case” or for future models. But new devices rarely fit old accessories, and suddenly you have a drawer full of useless phone junk.
Kitchen Gadgets
Kitchen gadgets are another thing people buy on impulse and then don’t use. Think egg slicers, avocado pitters, or electric can openers. These niche tools (with good marketing) are kept just in case and simply never used. Luckily, they can be donated.
Party Supplies
It seems a shame to throw out all the party supplies at the end of an event, so some people just keep them. But then they keep more… and more… and more. It’s just not practical. Try donating the party supplies you have, or consider throwing them away if they’re starting to degenerate.
Old Greetings Cards
Many people keep old greetings cards, but this proves to be a bad idea as the collection just piles up. It’s a good idea to go through them, keep only the ones that are most meaningful, and put the rest in the recycling bin.
Random Hardware Bits
Extra screws, nails, washers, and wall anchors from furniture assembly or home repairs often get tossed into a random container just in case they’re needed for the future. But they’re not. Over time, the mix becomes a chaotic mess that’s hard to use.
Old Towels for Rags
People keep stained or torn towels around, believing they’ll be able to cut them up for rags someday. But then they never do. Why not consider donating your old towels to an animal shelter instead? The cats and dogs will really appreciate them.
Excess Water Bottles
It’s a good idea to have a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water from the store – but some people downright hoard them. You only need one or two. Keep your favorite water bottles and donate the rest.
Excess Toiletries
Some people take travel-size toiletries from hotels, thinking they’ll definitely use them, and then they don’t. They end up gathering dust on a shelf or in a drawer. It might be time to go through all your toiletries and throw away anything you don’t need.
Broken Jewelry
People keep broken necklaces, orphaned earrings, or snapped bracelets thinking they’ll repair or repurpose them. But most pieces sit untouched for years, because jewelry repairs are expensive. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and recycle the metal.
Dead Batteries
Batteries that “might still have some juice” get tossed in drawers or bins, just in case. But half-used batteries rarely serve a purpose later and can even leak over time. They’re dangerous to keep around, so don’t do it.
Old Perfume Bottles
People hang onto nearly empty or unused fragrance bottles “just in case” they want a change or use them on special occasions. But scents degrade over time, and most people stick to a favorite. Get rid of them – you’ll probably barely notice they’re gone.
DVDs
DVDs are fast going out of date now that streaming services have taken over. People have shelves and shelves of DVDs that they no longer touch. It might be worth going through those shelves, keeping your very favorite movies, and giving the rest away.
